Among all the different gift baskets, there is perhaps no better choice than a cheese basket. It is very easy to make a cheese basket interesting, thanks to the many wonderful choices of cheese available today. Whether you are giving the cheese basket to a cheesemonger or not, nothing beats the experience of tasting new cheese flavors in the mouth!
A cheese basket can be either grand or simple. You can also include some extra items that will make eating cheese even more fun! You can include olives, crackers, and even a bottle of wine that goes with the kind of cheese inside the gift basket.
One very popular cheese basket that you can easily put together for the holidays is The American Artisanal Cheese Gift Basket. Although you can buy this at any cheese store, the gift will mean a lot more to the recipient if you make it yourself. Besides, why settle for a pre-made cheese basket when you can have a lot of fun putting one together on your own?
What makes artisanal cheeses different is the way it is made – it is created in small batches by hand using the traditional cheese making process. Artisanal cheeses are also made by local cheese artisans from pure local milk. Therefore, the cheeses have this unique taste of the local area where it came from.
An Artisanal cheese basket is composed of three kinds of cheeses, these are:
Aged Gouda
Gouda cheeses are created by the best master cheese makers in Central Wisconsin. It is a firm cheese aged usually over 6 months, which makes it a little nutty in the mouth with a velvety texture. Its flavor and its texture make an interesting combination, which is why this cheese is a must for any cheese basket.
Rich Cheddar Cheese
The best cheddar cheese is made in the Amish country of Central Pennsylvania. The cheese makers in this area make the cheese using only traditional cheese making processes. Cheddar cheese is a great addition to any cheese basket because it has complex and assertive layers of flavor and its texture is a perfect mix of creamy and crumbly.
Creamy Blue Cheese
A good blue cheese is ripened for 70 days, which balances the creaminess of cheddar. The cool temperatures and the high humidity levels of the cave add to its interesting notes in the mouth. But what makes blue cheese more interesting are its blue veins, which have a rich and creamy flavor.
To complete this cheese basket, add a cutting board and a knife set. Don’t forget to include olives, oat some crackers, and a bottle of white wine.
