Selection of local produced cheese, godminster truckles, snowdonia, cornish yarg, cheddar & stilton

Elevate Your Cheeseboard: The Ultimate Guide to Impressing This Season

A cheeseboard is more than a snack — it’s a centrepiece, a talking point, and a celebration of craft. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or arriving as a guest with something special, the right selection of cheeses (and the right finishing touches) transforms a simple plate into an experience.

This season at Johns of Instow & Appledore, we’re shining a spotlight on cheeses with real character — artisan wheels and wedges that stand apart from the everyday. From bold blues to indulgent softs, from heritage cheddars to wrapped-in-nettle wonders, here’s your guide to building a cheeseboard that truly stands out.

The Blues – Character, Craft, and Incredible Flavour

Blue cheeses come in all personalities, but the following stand out for their craftsmanship and story as much as their taste.

Blue Brain – Jumi, Switzerland

Produced in the Emmental region by the young and experimental Jumi cheesemakers, Blue Brain (or Blaues Hirni) is made from raw cow’s milk and matured in caves where natural moulds flourish. Its famous brain-like rind forms naturally during ageing, creating deep blue-green folds. Inside, it remains smooth, creamy, and surprisingly refined. It’s a cheese that’s as remarkable to look at as it is to eat.

Italian Spoonable Gorgonzola

Hailing from Northern Italy, this is one of the country’s most luxurious blue cheeses. Made from cow’s milk and matured slowly to develop a soft, almost liquid centre, it embodies everything people love about Italian cheesemaking: richness, sweetness, and perfect balance. Traditionally produced in Lombardy and Piedmont, this gorgonzola is ladled by hand, contributing to its silky, spoonable texture.

Devon Blue – Ticklemore Cheese Dairy, Devon

Made by hand in the rolling Devon hills, Devon Blue is crafted from pasteurised cow’s milk and matured for around six months. It’s made in small batches, using traditional open vat methods and slow draining to give it a clean, crumbly texture. Its bright, tangy character reflects the lush pastures of the South West.

Colston Bassett Stilton – Nottinghamshire

One of England’s most iconic cheeses, made by one of the smallest and most traditional Stilton producers. Colston Bassett still uses hand-ladling techniques and works with milk from just a handful of local farms. The result is a Stilton with exceptional creaminess, mellow sweetness, and striking blue veining.

Beauvale – Cropwell Bishop, Nottinghamshire

Crafted by the same family who produce award-winning Stilton, Beauvale is a softer, continental-style blue. It’s aged carefully to develop a gentle blue tang and supple texture — ideal for those who enjoy blue cheese without the intensity.

Soft Cheeses – Decadent, Creamy & Full of Personality

Délice de Bourgogne – Burgundy, France

This triple-cream masterpiece was created in the 1970s by renowned cheesemaker Jean Lincet. Made from cow’s milk enriched with crème fraîche, it’s matured under a bloomy rind that develops a silky, butter-soft centre. Rich, indulgent, and absolutely luxurious.

The Truffler – Curds & Croust, Cornwall

Handcrafted in Cornwall using Cornish milk, The Truffler is a brie-style soft cheese with real black truffle running through the centre. Its makers focus on small-batch craft, slow curd setting, and gentle handling to achieve its velvety texture and rich, earthy aroma.

Boy Laity – Cornwall

Another gem from the South West, Boy Laity is a soft, brie-like cheese that develops gentle blue veining as it ripens. Made using traditional methods and wrapped by hand, it brings a subtle complexity that soft cheese lovers adore.

Hard Cheeses – Structure, Savour, and Depth

Cornish Yarg – Lynher Dairies, Cornwall

Inspired by a 13th-century recipe and revived in modern times, Yarg is wrapped in hand-picked nettles before ageing. The leaves encourage a natural rind to form and allow the cheese to develop its signature firm-to-creamy gradient. Fresh, lemony, and unique.

Keen’s Vintage Cheddar – Somerset

Made on the Keen family farm since 1899, Keen’s is a clothbound farmhouse cheddar made from raw milk and traditional starter cultures. It’s aged for up to 18 months to develop its deep, savoury flavour and natural crunch. A true example of West Country cheddar heritage.

Quicke’s Mature Cheddar – Devon

Quicke’s has been making clothbound cheddar for 500 years on their Devon estate. Their Mature is aged for 12–15 months in cool stores, allowing it to develop complex buttery, nutty flavours and a beautiful crystalline texture.

Finishing Touches – The Secret to the Perfect Cheeseboard

The cheese is only half the story. What makes a cheeseboard extraordinary is everything that goes with it — and in store, you’ll find:

Crackers & Toasts: Dozens of flavours and styles, from seeded to rosemary to fig and raisin toasts.
Pickled walnuts & pickled cherries for tang and crunch.
Quince jelly & cut honeycomb for luxurious sweetness.
Italian globe red grapes & marinated figs for colour and juiciness.
20+ chutneys & savoury jams, offering everything from classic onion to spiced tomato, heritage piccalillis, and gourmet combinations you won’t see in supermarkets. Including our Johns own brand range.

Create a Cheeseboard to Remember

With artisan cheeses, unique flavours, and beautiful accompaniments, your cheeseboard can be more than a selection — it can be a story. Visit us in store at Johns of Instow, 4 Marine Parade or Johns of Appledor, 7 The Quay to explore the full range, taste something new, and build a cheeseboard that impresses from the first glance to the last bite. Explore more and a range of Cheese Gifts/Hampers at Category: Cheese | Johns of Instow : Johns of Instow