for
New Year’s Eve
and
All Festive Occasions!
Dispense with those little cheese and pineapple on sticks, or those cheese and silverskin onions on sticks, ditch the cheese knife and get creative this New Year with this fabulous and fun “Cheesemas Tree” Cheese Board! I really enjoyed putting this together and it went down a treat last night (for the dummy run) after dinner with friends and family…….I first saw the idea on Pinterest, and pinned the image as an idea for the festive period. As regular readers will know, I am a HUGE cheese addict and so anything with cheese in it, on it and around it is always of interest to me. Cheese makes a daily appearance in the Lavender and Lovage household and is often the main protein when I am cooking on a “veggie day”.
Taking inspiration from lots of cheese Christmas Trees I discovered on-line, I then set out to make my own, based on what cheeses I had in the fridge and also with some of our favourite “cheese fixings”. Most of the cheese trees I saw on-line were made with fruit, and mainly grapes, but, although I know that grapes are a fabulous accompaniment to cheese, I wanted to add a bit more of a savoury element, and I took inspiration from those Retro 1960’s Cheese and Wine parties, where cheese was served on sticks with pineapple, gherkins and little silverskin onions!
I will add my method below, as well as some links to other “cheese trees” I found on-line, but it’s basically little cubes of assorted cheeses interspersed with accompaniments of your choice, such as Cornichons, Silverskin Onions, Baby Plum Tomatoes, Cape Gooseberries and springs of fresh Thyme. The cheeses I used were what was in the fridge, mainly Stilton, Double Gloucester with Onions and Chives and some excellent Wyke Farms Vintage Cheddar. I had lots of other cheeses in the fridge too, of course, as it IS Christmas, but I thought that the selection I made would look attractive on the board and offered a blue cheese, a flavoured hard cheese and a good, strong Cheddar.
I served my “Cheesemas Tree” Christmas Tree Cheese Platter on a cheese board that my husband had made, he loves working with wood, and we all sat around the table nibbling the cheese with slices of baguette and a box of assorted cheese biscuits and crackers. My method and ideas are shared below, along with links to some other Christmas Tree Cheese Platters that I found on the internet…..I HOPE you will enjoy making (and eating) this “Cheesemas Tree” as much as we all did, and don’t forget, you can add any cheeses or fixings that suit you and your guest’s taste requirements…..have a VERY Happy New Year and I will be back JUST before the New Year with a new post and collection of recipes. Karen
How to make a “Cheesemas Tree” Christmas Tree Cheese Platter
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
200g Vintage Cheddar Cheese, cut into small cubes
200g Double Gloucester with Onions and Chives, cut into small cubes
150g Stilton Cheese, cut into small cubes
150g small silverskin onions
150g French cornichons
150g baby plum tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes
Cape gooseberry
Sprigs of fresh Thyme leaves
Method:
- Place the Cape Gooseberry at the top of a large rectangular board and then arrange the cheese cubes in the shape of a tree, interspersing them with the onions, cornichons and baby tomatoes.
- Arrange the sprigs of fresh thyme in and around the cheese cubes, see the photos, and then make the “trunk” of the tree with three cornichons.
- Serve with crackers and/or crusty bread. Can be made ahead of time and covered loosely with tinfoil and stored in a cool place until you need to serve it.
My Last Christmas Tree Culinary Creation!
“Tear & Share” Christmas Tree Cinnamon Rolls
More Christmas Tree Cheese Platter recipes:
CHRISTMAS TREE CHEESE PLATTER (VEGAN)
Johanna GGG says
This looks gorgeous Karen – I have often admired these cheese trees but always feel it is so much cheese to lay out all at once esp to family who just recently told me they don’t like camembert so it would just be pearls before swine and take us an age to eat it. But now I want one all over again seeing your beautiful creation.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you Johanna, I made this for 5 people and it was just about right with approximately 75g cheese per person, and there were only TWO cubes of cheese left! Karen
Fede Pastabites says
What a great idea! and I am sure a wow factor. Something for next year 🙂
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Fede – you can also make it for another season, as I am planning on doing! Karen
Patricia says
Have only just seen this,wish I’d seen it when my visitors were here, what
a great idea, thank you.
Bonne Annee pour 2017
Patricia
Karen Burns-Booth says
Bonne Année to you too Patricia and let’s share cheese trees for Christmas in 2017! Karen
Cecilia says
Another great idea! Wow! I have to make this for our New Years Eve Evening! Thanks for the inspiration! Have a Happy New Year!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Happy New Year to you too Cecilia, and do let me know if you made this at all! Karen
Cecilia says
I actually made it. It just didn’t look as great as yours … for some reason. But it tasted great! Thanks again!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Happy New Year Karen. I hope 2017 is a good year for you and your family xx
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you Jac – we will try our hardest, but there is one person who is missing and it’s going to be so hard to adjust without him…….Happy New Year to you and yours too! Karen
Sarah says
Oh my goodness! Love this idea! Not only is it festive, I’m loving how the different ingredients really “pop” with their color contrasts. So fun!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Sarah – this is such an easy idea and a lovely way to serve cheese!
Amanda| The Kitcheneer says
What a cute idea! Definitely saving this for next year!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you – I hope you enjoy this if you make it!
Kristine says
This is the cutest thing! Saving this for next year – we do an appetizer plate like this every Christmas Eve! Thank you!
Karen Burns-Booth says
It’s easy and fun to make and your guests will love it Kristine!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
This is a cute idea for the holidays — and I’m sure you’ve got some Valentine Heart creations, Easter Bunny inspired platters and 4th of July doozies in store for us!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I SURE do have some other ideas up my sleeve Lisa! 🙂
Tina Dawson says
Cheesmas sound like such a dreamy word! I missed this post this year, must find a reason to make this before next Christmas – would anyone mind a Cheesemas tree for 4th of July?
Karen Burns-Booth says
Why not have a cheesemas tree for the 4thJuly Tina!!! Any time is cheese time after all! Karen