We give you tips on creating the perfect Maltese cheese board, what ingredients you need and how to combine them.
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Setting the Scene: The Ultimate Maltese Cheese Board
Picture this. It’s the end of a long week, and you spend the evening at home. Rooftop. Dimmed lights. A bottle of wine. What would make this evening complete? A well-designed Maltese cheese board.
Perfect, right? It is an ideal way to enjoy a romantic evening, especially if you can glimpse the beautiful Maltese fireworks in a not-so-far distance.
If you think creating a visually stunning cheese board is daunting, think again. We are here to help you! You must follow a few rules, understand your preferences, and choose the items accordingly. You will create a beautifully designed cheese board that won’t take too long.
This guide will help you create a stunning and delicious cheese board that celebrates the rich flavours of Malta.
How to Create a Maltese Cheese Board: Simple Steps for Success
There are many different ways you can design a cheese board. Generally, everyone loves cheese, and the more visually attractive it is, the more tempting it is. Focus on getting some tasty cheeses instead of buying many lesser-quality ones. Don’t keep it too simple, though.
The idea of working your way through various cheeses is part of the excitement! Preferably, choose cheeses of different flavours and textures because they are visually pleasing and give your guests a wide variety.
The first task is to choose your cheeses. Many combine French cheese with Italian cheese to create a varied board. Here on the Maltese islands, we have many cheese options that are perfect for creating a Maltese cheese board.
Focus on quality over quantity, and aim for various flavours and textures to keep things interesting. Here's how to get started:
Select High-Quality Cheeses: Choose a mix of soft and hard cheeses. Hanini and Gobon Tan-Nar offer excellent Maltese options.
Balance Flavors: Include mild, medium, and strong cheeses to provide a range of tastes.
Add Texture: Combine creamy, crumbly, and firm cheeses for variety.
Choosing the Best Maltese Cheeses
Thanks to Whatsinstore, Hanini and Gobon Tan-Nar cheeses were selected for this board. We had tried a few Hanini cheeses before, particularly the cheeselets. This time, we added a larger variety of Hanini cheeses, such as the Cheeselet roll and Tan-Nar cheeses.
Malta boasts a rich tradition of cheese-making, and these local options are perfect for your Maltese cheese board:
Hanini Cheeselets: Available in plain, peppered, and smoked varieties. The Mature Sheep Cheeselets are a must-try.
Gobon Tan-Nar Cheeses: Known for their smoky flavour and soft texture, these are a great addition.
Hanini cheeselets come in a range of different types and flavours. We normally tend to opt for the plain or peppered (tal-bzar) sheep cheeselets (gbejniet) because those are the ones that appeal more to our taste. Three types of plain cheeselets are on offer – sheep, goat or cow.
Each has a distinct taste and texture. We loved the sheep cheeselets because they reminded us of the traditional cheese we have become accustomed to. We tried them all to give you an idea of what we thought of each cheese.
You cannot go wrong with the Hanini Mature Sheep White Cheeselets. They have a not-so-hard exterior and a soft interior, perfect for pairing with bread and a nice (not so strong) red wine.
The Hanini Mature Goat’s Cheeselet was whiter than plain white cheeselets. It was smokey and aged. It tasted cheesier than the other cheeselets, and we enjoyed it a lot.
We were quite impressed with the Hanini Mature Cow White Cheeselets. These did not rise like the other cheeselets and seemed squashed. The texture was quite impressive. It had a harder exterior but crumbled more easily. This was Jonathan’s favourite!
Enhancing Your Maltese Cheese Board: Flavors and Presentation
To give our Maltese cheese board even more taste variety and a more personal feel, we added the two types of peppered cheeselets offered by Hanini. The Mature Sheep Peppered Cheeselet is like the typical one but a lot softer than what we are used to.
The Mature Sheep Smoked Cheeselets took the winning prize for our favourite peppered cheeselet. This one has a muddier appearance and a vinegary taste. We loved it because it reminds us of the typically peppered cheeselets traditionally served with drinks in bars around the islands.
Are you thinking of colour for your Maltese cheese board? Here are more options. The Mature Sheep Sundried and Garlic Cheeselets had an aftertaste of spices, which we found not too strong but overall pleasing. The same can be said for the Mature Sheep Basil and Chili Cheeselets.
The Mature Sheep Herb Cheeselets were lovely. Very smokey and with a nice texture, they were very different from any other cheeselet we have ever tasted. They are one of our favourite cheeselets from the whole lot, the Cow cheeselets and the Smoked Sheep Cheeselets.
Unfortunately, we did not love the Hanini Gibnarolls. They tasted bland, even artificial. We preferred the peppered option of the two types (Peppered and Herbs), but unenthusiastically so.
We feel that adding fresh cheeselets to the Maltese cheese board is optional. Spread on slices of bread; they add a very nice touch. We tried the fresh cow and the fresh goat cheeselets. We preferred the Fresh Goat cheeselets over the Fresh Cow ones because they were slightly saltier.
Both versions were lovely and would go well with a nice full-bodied red wine. Also, an option in this case is the Hanini Fresh Irkotta, which is very soft, milky, and light. This is the kind of ricotta that would go well with almost everything.
Now, something special: Gobon Tan-Nar. We knew we had to add these to our Maltese cheese board because of their pleasant aesthetic. The Brigantinu type was particular with its darker appearance.
As it turns out, this was our favourite from the ‘Gobon Tan-Nar’ range, perhaps even from all the cheeses we tried. It has a lovely smokey taste and a really enjoyable soft texture. We cannot recommend it enough. Can anyone try it with a Sauvignon Blanc and tell us the result?
The other Gobon Tan-Nar types were also quite interesting. The Original was, in our opinion, a cross between Maltese and Edam cheese. It is very soft and creamy with just a touch of smokiness.
The Gobon Tan-Nar Peppered has a very similar taste to the peppered hard cheese we are used to but with a much softer texture. It has a nice flavour and is not too salty.
We had mixed feelings about the Fennel Gobon Tan-Nar. Jonathan quite liked it, whereas I was not a fan. The fennel taste is quite prominent so that it would depend on your feelings about this herb.
Arranging Your Maltese Cheese Board: A Feast for the Eyes
Now that you have selected your cheeses, you must consider how to place them. We approached putting together a Maltese cheese board using our variety of cheeses to create a contrast of texture, taste, and shape.
You can go clockwise, going from mild to strong, based on dark to light colours. You can also separate the soft and hard cheeses and compare them. Ultimately, creating a perfect Maltese cheese board is also about aesthetics as much as taste.
Presentation is key to a successful Maltese cheese board. Here's how to arrange your cheeses:
Organise by Strength: Place milder cheeses at one end, progressing to stronger flavours.
Vary the Textures: Alternate soft and hard cheeses for visual and textural contrast.
Add Accompaniments: Include bread, nuts, fruits, and jams to complement the cheeses.
We like combining cheese with bread, nuts, fruits, jams, and honey. While some would recommend avoiding sugary pastes like jams, which can be strong and compete with the cheese, personally, we find the option as pleasing as long as it is in small amounts. In the end, it is a question of taste!
Every year, we end up with many loquats and use the opportunity to make homemade marmalade. It does take a few hours and a lot of sugar, but we are always satisfied with the result. We have a cute little mason jar.
Complementing: The Finishing Touches
Pairing your cheeses with the right accompaniments can elevate your Maltese cheese board:
Fruits and Nuts: Apples, walnuts, and dried fruits add sweetness and crunch.
Jams and Honey: A small amount of sweetness can balance the savoury flavours.
Cured Meats: Consider adding Parma Ham or Maltese sausage for a savoury touch.
Another point of contention is the bread and biscuits. While some would not recommend biscuits and insist on bread only, the hardness of some biscuits or crackers combines well with soft cheeses.
Of course, for our Maltese cheese board, we focused on cheese, but you do not need to shy away from adding meat. Grissini wrapped with Parma Ham is always a welcome addition, as are Salamis, especially the spicy ones where Jonathan is concerned.
With its strong salty taste, Maltese sausage is a good option.
Olives, fruit and nuts complement the different tastes and colours presented. Fruit, in particular, brings a lot of interesting colour to the Maltese cheese board. We always find apples great because of their not-too-sweet taste and nice aesthetics.
We are also great fans of walnuts, dried apricots, grapes, and blueberries because of their dark colours!
Wine and Beer Pairings for a Maltese Cheese Board
No Maltese cheese board is complete without the perfect beer or wine pairing. Here are some suggestions to enhance your tasting experience:
Red Wines: A full-bodied red like Merlot or Syrah pairs beautifully with mature and smoked cheeses. These wines' rich, deep flavours complement the robustness of aged cheeses.
White Wines: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay works well with softer, milder cheeses, balancing their creaminess with fresh, acidic notes.
Maltese Wines: Opt for local wines like a Maltese Ġellewża or Ġellewża-based rosé, which pair excellently with the full range of cheeses on your board.
Craft Beers: Pair your cheese board with craft beers for a more casual approach. A hoppy IPA complements sharp cheeses, while a maltier beer like a Belgian Dubbel enhances the sweetness of mild and creamy cheeses.
Cider: Consider dry cider as a refreshing alternative. It offers a crisp and slightly sweet contrast to the savoury flavours of your cheese board.
Final Thoughts: Personalise your cheese board!
A Maltese cheese board is more than just food—it's an experience that combines taste, tradition, and creativity. By selecting a variety of high-quality cheeses and thoughtfully arranging them, you'll create a cheese board that's both visually stunning and delicious.
We planned this Maltese cheese board for two people (Jonathan and me), but if we had to be honest, it could have easily catered for 4-6 people. Not that we were complaining!
We want to hear from you, though! Did we miss anything? Which cheeses are your go-to when creating the perfect Maltese cheese board? What wines would you suggest? Let us know!
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