The best thing about cheese is that you can give it as a gift. Cheese has been an affordable luxury product for years, and its versatility lets you enjoy different flavors, textures, and aromas. For these reasons, cheese makes the perfect gift.
Cheese is a healthy and popular gift that can be given through all seasons. Its uniqueness stems from how hard it is to assemble a great cheese course. This gift of experience should be one that the recipient will cherish and enjoy.
Currently, cheese gifts are very popular. Its popularity can be attributed to how cheese satisfies cheese lovers’ needs. When presenting cheese, you can include chutneys, drinks, and crackers to enhance the experience.
However, if you’re unfamiliar with the different cheese flavors and pairings, how will you pull off gifting it? How will your selection taste? What’s the best pairing, and should cheese need to be aged? If you’re still figuring out where to start, you are in luck. Below is a simplified guide to gifting the right cheese.
Consider Creating A Cheese Basket
A cheese basket might be the perfect way to present your gift. They tend to have something for everyone that will be a great way of showing affection and appreciation to the receiver. But most cheese baskets are filled with more than just cheese.
For instance, most cheese hampers for sale include crackers, cured meats, jams, and nuts. However, to show more effort, consider creating your cheese basket. For first-timers, this could be a daunting task.
Contrary to most beliefs, it can be easy to assemble a gift basket. To start, you need to choose four to six different cheeses. Remember to settle for different textures and tastes; when you find the right options, keep the receiver preferences in mind.
In addition to the cheese, consider adding cured meats that’ll pair well with the different cheeses. And for extra flavor, crackers, dried fruits, almonds, honey, fig preserves, and mustard will be ideal. All these options will add texture to your basket.
Think Of The Recipients Preference
To make it easier when choosing cheese, consider the recipient’s preference. Reach out and find out what they like or they don’t. For instance, determine whether the recipient likes strong or mild flavors before choosing.
Another question to consider is whether the recipient consumes different kinds of milk. You should focus on the different types of milk, including cow, goat, or sheep milk. If the recipient is vegan, consider getting vegan options. And aged, goat, and sheep cheese will be ideal for lactose-intolerant recipients.
Another thing to remember is the number of people enjoying the cheese. In case they are more, you might need more cheese; so, to be on the safe side, buy a cheese sampler. These cheese samplers tend to be handpicked by cheese connoisseurs and expert gourmets. This way, you’ll be sure you won’t go wrong.
Consider The Delivery Process
A big concern when it comes to gifting cheese is the delivery process. Depending on the cheese, the temperature change might affect its quality. For instance, fresh cheese will get funky if there are temperature fluctuations.
You might have to take extra measures if the receiver leaves far away. The best way is to send your cheese in an insulated container. To keep the temperature steady, you may need to add dry ice to keep it cool.
Alternatively, you can ship more aged and harder cheese to make the process easier. The sturdiness in these cheeses will prevent the smell, taste, and preference. So, you should be very careful when choosing a suitable delivery process.
Remember To Add A Note
Adding a note might be considered an outdated practice. However, when added to a cheese gift, it has plenty of benefits. For starters, a thank you note is worth the time and makes a great impression on the recipient, showing their appreciation.
As most gifts don’t come with notes, yours will stand out. So, imagine how great it would be to make your loved one feel grateful.
Think Of The Pairing
When pairing your cheese, ensure that you combine companion and complementary flavors. By matching the right flavors, you can create a harmony of tastes. For instance, mild flavors go well with mild ones and strong with strong ones.
Another thing to consider is the contrasting flavors. Just like similar flavors, opposite flavors will work well together. In addition, consider pairing cheese from the same region, as this type of pairing rarely goes wrong.
It might be time to add a third element to enhance the flavors of your cheese. The new element might be a drink or food that’ll create the perfect trio.
Giving Cheese As A Gift: Bottom Line
Cheese is a delicacy that’s been enjoyed for years. Its different flavors and texture has made it a popular gift. However, choosing the right cheese to gift can overwhelm a beginner.
To make it easier, we discussed things to consider. Remember to try different cheese options before making a choice.
