Sophie's Cheese Board & WÜSTHOF Cheese Knife Set Giveaway

My Euro Selection of Cheeses

This Post May Contain Affiliate Links

Today's post partially resulted from me not being able to cook anything because of a sudden power outage over the weekend that ended up lasting almost a whole day! It was a tough decision having to figure out which items in our fridge to save, only having two coolers to fill (of course my 20 pound cheese wheel made it!). Anyways, so cheese is one of my favorite things to eat EVER (I mean who else has a 20 pound cheese wheel at home?). Whenever we have friends over for dinner, you can generally bet that I will put together a delectable cheese board complete with fruit, nuts and condiments. In my opinion, it's one of the best and quickest ways to fill the gap until dinner time and it's fun and interactive.

The board I put together today is somewhat special because it features cheeses from 7 different European countries (Germany, Holland, France, Spain, England, Italy, Switzerland), along with drink and condiment pairings. And of course I couldn't be showing you new WÜSTHOF cheese knives without giving a set away valued at $229.95! To enter, please follow the instructions below and enter via Instagram by 7/31 (@dirndl_kitchen).

Sophie's Tool Box & Entertaining Picks:

Germany: Cambozola

This is a cow's milk cheese that is a marriage of French style, soft-ripened Camembert cheese and Italian Gorgonzola blue cheese. The German Cambozola website advises to always serve this cheese in one piece on your cheese platter, so it does not dry out. I normally don't even like blue cheese, but this Cambozola is freaking delicious! I am pairing this cheese with fresh blackberries and a balsamic glaze. For my wine pairing, I picked a wine that is unobtrusive like a dry Riesling or a light and fruity Pinot Grigio. The best cheese knife to cut this cheese with is one with holes along the blade (it's part of the 4-piece cheese knife set I am giving away!). The holes allow you to cut this cheese without it sticking to the blade. Try this on my favorite cracker!

Spain: Rosemary Manchego

Manchego is a sheep milk's cheese that's commonly served as tapas, or a small appetizer to share. It's got a tangy, nutty taste and the rosemary adds a nice mediterranean touch. It cannot be missed on my cheese board! I usually cut it into triangular slices (I love to use my cheese slicer to do this!). A cherry or raspberry jam would be great with this and a glass of Tempranillo wine makes for a great wine pairing.

England: Cotswold with Chives

This cheddar-style cheese is supplemented with chives to add some distinct onion flavor. It's creamy and mild and surely anyone will like it. I cut it up into cubes to arrange on my cheese board, and while it's great on its own, why not try it with some hot pepper bacon jam from Terrapin Ridge Farms or some stone ground mustard. A nice ale would go along great with this as this is a pub style cheese, but a glass of red Zinfandel would also pair nicely!

Italy: Moliterno Al Tartufo

The beautiful marbling in this sheep milk's cheese comes from an injection of black truffle paste after the cheese has been aged for 5 to 8 months. This type of pecorino has a unique and very aromatic flavor experience that does not need any added condiments. Serve this cheese at room temperature, as the paste will slowly melt and ooze out of the crevices. A bold, Italian Super Tuscan would pair great with this cheese. I would recommend cutting it with the hard cheese knife that's part of the WÜSTHOF cheese knife set I am giving away; after cutting it, use the "fork-end" to pick up the cheese to transfer to a plate or cracker.

Switzerland: Bergblumenkäse

Bergblumenkäse translates from German to "mountain flower cheese" in English, and it's a traditional Alpine cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese is washed in freshly harvested summer flowers and herbs after production, and then matures on a bed of herbs and straw for 6 months. This is a creamy, hard cheese with a thin rind that is rich in flavor. I absolutely love it! If you have access to fig mustard sauce (it's a German, pale yellow cheese condiment that tastes somewhat like horseradish), it goes great with this cheese. If you don't have access to it, a pepper jelly would be very tasty with this Bergblumenkäse as well. I would pair Gewürztraminer with this cheese or a fruity Pinot Noir. Cut this cheese into thin slices as it helps the aroma to develop.

Holland: Brabander Goat Gouda

A slightly different take on a Holland classic, this beautiful goat gouda with a rosy tint in color, is mild and rich at the same time. It's got great complexity and a nutty-sweet aroma. You will know this is a goat gouda because of the white wax right (cow's milk gouda typically has a red wax rind, and by the way, neither one of them are edible!). It pairs well with medium white wines, like a Pinot Grigio or a dry, Italian Rosé. It's great on its own without condiments, but a fig or date spread would work perfectly. The hard cheese knife with the fork end will be what you want to use to cut this cheese into cubes.

France: Délice de Bourgogne

Ever dreamed of eating buttery clouds? This cheese melts and disappears as soon as it hits your tongue. Spread it on fresh, crusty baguette (like my local favorite from Farm to Market Bread Co.) for the ultimate French experience. A fig mustard sauce or a horseradish mustard would be a great condiment pairing for it. Lingonberry preserves would also be a great choice. Sparkling wine or champagne would a fantastic wine pairing to go along with this triple cream cheese; the effervescence of the wine helps balance the high fat content of this cheese beautifully. Definitely use the soft cheese knife (with holes in the blade) when cutting this cheese.

Guten Appetit and have fun entertaining friends and family! Also, if you love German cooking and baking as much as I do and want a chance to win cool kitchen gear (enter for the WÜSTHOF cheese knife set below!), PLEASE SUBSCRIBE at the bottom of this post! ????  Danke! ❤️

Other Appetizer Recipes you may like!

• Baked Camembert
• Homemade Liverwurst

WÜSTHOF Cheese Knife Giveaway:

To win the 4-piece WÜSTHOF cheese knife set valued at $229.95, follow the next steps:

1. Subscribe to my blog with your email address and confirm your subscription.
2. Leave a comment on this blog post and let me know about your favorite European cheese.
3. Find the associated post on Instagram, like the picture, follow @dirndl_kitchen and @wusthof, and tag 3 cheese-crazy friends in the comment on my post.
4. Good luck!!! ❤️

Must be 18+ years old to enter and a US resident. Giveaway closes 7/31, after which qualifying winner will be randomly drawn and announced shortly thereafter.

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