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Cheese Board Vs Cutting Board: What’s the real difference?

Cheese Board Vs Cutting Board: What’s the real difference?

Published by Lauren O'Meara - Founder of The Fifth Design on 17th Feb 2021

Both the cheese board and the cutting board are kitchen assets, both come in contact with food, and almost look similar. But the real difference between them can be seen when we consider their purpose in the kitchen.

The cutting board is primarily used to prepare and cut food, while the cheese board is used to serve and share food.

Cutting board

A cutting board is just a regular kitchen utensil used to chop vegetables and fruits, slicing meat and bread. Cutting boards exist in various types, shapes, sizes, designs, colours, and can also be made out of different materials. 

There are multiple types of cutting boards which have all been created for various functions; there is the everyday plastic or wooden cutting board, breadboards, butchers blocks and meat boards. They can be made in rectangle, round, half-circle, square, and novelty in terms of shapes. A crowd-favourite is the rectangular cutting boards, offering both beauty and practicality due to its useful size and shape.

They are also available in various material types such as wooden, bamboo, glass, plastic, marble, silicone, stoneware, granite, etc.



Key Features

- Used for food preparation

- Typically made of wood or plastic

- Large work area for cutting food



Cheese board

Cheese boards too come in various shapes, materials and sizes to serve all different functions and needs. Though they may look similar, their purpose is entirely different.

Cheese boards, also known as charcuterie boards, are a wonderfully stylish way to take entertainment to the next level. Perfect for housewarmings, dinner parties and grazing plates at weddings, birthdays and large celebratory events. As people first eat with their eyes, then with their mouth, cheese boards should be appealing and have a dramatic and stylish presentation.

Serving a good cheese board is a great way to greet the guests and give them a wide range of experiences. Preparing cheese boards is more like an art. It is fun to make, attractive to look at and delicious to eat.



Key Feature

- Used for serving and presenting 

- Aesthetic Quality is of high importance

- Used as a platter for sharing food with many people

- Can be made of many different materials




How to make a delicious cheese board?

The most essential part of the cheese board is quite obviously the cheese. Cheese made from varieties of milk such as goat, buffalo, cow, sheep or even soy for a delicious vegan element, forms the essential ingredient of the cheese board. A variety of cheeses always brings a more exciting and tasty eating experience, try mixing the cheese types to cater to all your guests' specific needs and taste buds.

Cooked, cured or processed meat takes another place on the board. Almonds, cashews, spicy mustards, roasted peppers, pickles, and olives add a pleasant aroma and flavour to the board. For some sweetness dried fruits, chutney, honey, candied nuts, and chocolates are added. Bread slices and breadsticks also add beautiful variety to the board.

Finally, adding fresh fruits, herbs, leafy greens or even edible flowers gives the board a seasonal touch whilst also creating a vibrant freshness to the grazing plate.

There are no particular rules about which food should be present on the cheese board. However, cheese boards having ingredients with various textures like crunchy, crumbly, crispy, gooey, creamy, and juicy are more exciting and fun to eat.

Cheese board vs Cutting board 

  • A cutting board is a simple board used for chopping fruits, vegetables, meat, etc while Cheese boards are a stylish serving board, designed for a shared eating experience of cheeses, cold meats, fruits and other tapas/share foods.
  • The cutting board is the most frequently used tool in the kitchen when preparing meals while the cheese board is more commonly prepared during occasions like family gatherings, ladies nights and small house parties.
  • While buying a cutting board, qualities such as durability, sustainability, anti-bacterial property, non-porous surface, and shapes and sizes are considered while Cheese boards can be selected as per need. A long spacious charcuterie board can be purchased for large gatherings, whilst a smaller rectangle cheese board would be ideal for intimate family gatherings. Arguably, the most important qualities for a cheese board come down to aesthetics as well as practicality.
  • Cutting boards have to be cleaned more frequently than cheese boards to avoid cross-contamination and food poisoning. Oiling and upkeep of the board needs to be completed to maintain the integrity of the wood while cheese boards need to be cleaned less frequently than chopping boards and only needs to be oiled on occasion. 

Which one should you buy?

While both a cheese board and a cutting board could be interchangeable, it is essential to remember the real differences between them. When purchasing a cutting board, factors such as hardiness, strength, weight and size are important to consider when purchasing this everyday tool. 

On the other hand, a cheese board is meant to be a utensil bought for the joy of sharing food with family and friends. It is important to purchase a cheese board that you want to share and show off with your loved ones. This board will become the basis of your meal sharing and enjoyment of fine food; it is sure to see lots of laughs and memorable evenings. The cheese board's aesthetics and shape are the most important factors when purchasing; they directly influence the sharing experience through both practicality and style.

It is fair to say that a chopping board can be substituted as a cheese board, however, as we said early, you eat with your eyes before you do your mouth. Studies have now shown just how important our vision is when influencing the flavour of food. Ever heard of the saying, ‘eat with your eyes’, well, it is very true, us as humans enjoy our eating experience through all of our senses. So if you have the means and the desire, purchasing a dedicated cheese board that can be shared with loved ones is far more memorable than merely using your everyday cutting board.

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