Do you dream of crafting a stunning cheese board for your next gathering but feel overwhelmed by all the little details—like wine pairings, display ideas, and balancing flavors—that can make or break the experience?
Or, maybe your mother-in-law decides to pop over in half an hour (casual) and you need to pull something together quickly that’s simple yet elegant. Well today, Cortney LaCorte, aka Cheese Gal, breaks it down into simple, stress-free steps to create boards that are as delicious as they are beautiful!
Cort began her journey as a Nashville-based cheese board expert, assembling boards for the hottest events in town (sometimes up to 30 or 35 boards a day!). Today, she's cultivated a community of over 700K followers on Instagram and TikTok, where she shares mouthwatering recipes and clever tips for elevating everyday dishes to celebrate life's little moments. Currently, Cortney is working on her first cookbook, 'Oversharing,' set to release in 2026.
Cortney’s Culinary Journey
Cortney traces her culinary inspiration back to childhood idols like Julia Child, Martha Stewart, and Ina Garten, whose passion for food ignited her own journey to becoming a cheese board connoisseur. Her godmother was also such a strong and graceful inspiration in the kitchen.
Cort’s first ‘cooking show’ was back when she was in elementary school and her two audience members were both named…Dan. Why you ask? We’ll never know. But Cort and Brittany have a good laugh at the things our younger selves came up with.
Fast forward to 2018 when she was making her dormant dream come true with her cheese board business - Cort shares in today’s episode about the hectic early days of managing the business to her strategic shift towards full-time content creation.
5 Key Elements for Stress Free Cheese Boards
- Cheese (this one’s pretty obvious): Something we learned is that many aged cheeses have quite a long refrigerator shelf life! So you can always keep a variety on hand, like aged cheddar or gouda (anyone else always think of Amanda Bynes in ‘She’s the Man’ when gouda is mentioned?) to a creamy brie (yep, even this one can last a few months if wrapped properly!) Cortney’s go-to’s are Humboldt Fog, which can be found at the Murray’s Cheese Counter in most Krogers, and St. André, a heavenly French triple crème which can usually be found at your local Trader Joes.
- Meats: Just like the cheeses, cured meats like prosciutto or salami have a longer shelf life in the fridge so you can always keep some on hand to go on any board you’re creating.
- Vessel: Whether you prefer crackers, baguettes, or small toasts, you simply need to find something to deliver the meat and cheese goodness into your mouth! Though we’re certainly not opposed to eating it straight off the board either.
- Fruits: Meat and cheese alone can be a bit heavy, so we need something bright and light to create some balance. Fresh fruits are a great addition to your board, especially those that are in season (like berries in the summer or sliced apples in the fall). Dried fruits also work in a pinch (Cortney loves apricots).
- Nuts and Garnishes: Fill in the rest of your board with some roasted almonds, buttery cashews, or salted walnuts. Whatever you like best! These add great texture to your board. Then, be sure to finish with fresh herbs like mint, basil, or rosemary for that visual pop.
When it comes to wine pairings with your cheese board, Cortney gave us the ultimate guide.
Must-Have Serving Pieces
When it comes to assembling cheese boards, Cortney has some must-have serving pieces:
A cutting board makes a great vessel for your cheese board! Check out TJ Maxx—they always have an assortment of great, affordable options.Small bowls, ramekins or dip bowls for all those tasty extras.
Cute utensils like a honey dipper, small spoons, and tongs add a fun, whimsical element!
An adorable set of cheese knives? They make a perfect hostess gift too!
Elevating Everyday Basics
That bagged Caesar salad waiting to be eaten in your fridge? We mostdefinitely can turn it up a notch before serving to guests. Cortney's tips include crushing the croutons into fine crumbs for a Don Angie-inspired twist, whisking fresh lemon and olive oil into the packaged dressing, adding freshly grated Parmesan for extra flavor, and finishing with some extra flakey salt and ground black pepper.
Creating the Ultimate "Perfect Bite"
Cortney's idea of the "perfect bite" involves complementary flavors that enhance each other:
- Cut a round slice of a peach and top with creamy goat cheese, mint or basil, a touch of balsamic glaze, and a sprinkle of flakey salt and pepper. It pairs perfectly with a Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre.
- For a crowd-pleaser dubbed, "The Couch Caviar," layer Kettle brand Salt N’ Vinegar chips with creme fraiche, caviar, thinly sliced shallots, and chives—maybe even add chopped hard-boiled egg for an extra treat.
- Optional: try it with Trader Joe's white truffle potato chips, à la Jackie Schimmel.
Cultural Adventures and Travel Tips
Cortney reminisces about her first trip to Italy, pasta that made her cry, and some invaluable tips for avoiding tourist traps while exploring new destinations abroad.
It might be a tourist trap if:
- You’re seeing an abnormal amount of positives online
- You see crowds of people taking photos outside
- You walk into the restaurant and Taylor Swift is playing on the speaker (sad, but true)
- You hear mainly English being spoken in a non-English-speaking country
Brittany and Cortney also share their thoughts on the ‘Coastal Grandmother’ trend and make a strong case for “purse salt.” After listening, you'll be armed with all the tips and tricks to impress your guests with beautiful, stress-free cheese boards, delicious wine pairings, and so much more. Get ready to laugh and learn how to entertain like a pro!
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