French Inspired Holiday Cheese Board

A French Inspired Cheese Board that's easy to assemble and great for holiday entertaining. This stylish cheese board is sure to impress your guests!

This post was sponsored by the French Ministry of Agriculture but the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

There is something super whimsical about a cheese board for the holidays. It's fun to create them any time of the year but they work particularly well over the holidays. The concept is simple: Gather 3 or 4 of your favorite cheeses and then build around them.

Choose a variety of salty and sweet snacks to fill in the space between the cheese. It's great to fill that space with different textures, colors, and flavors. This makes the cheese board more visually appealing and fun to eat. I love to use assorted nuts, dried fruits, olives, and some charcuterie (or as they're referred to in Seinfeld - the salted, cured meats).

This includes things like prosciutto, salami, and pepperoni. The final component to a cheese board is the actual board or surface on which the items are placed. Surfaces can include a cutting board, serving platter, or sheet pan.

This is one of those things that's totally customizable and what makes them unique.

When we're talking cheese it doesn't get any better than cheese from France. My husband and I visited Paris for a few days years ago and what everyone says about French cheese is true - it's the best. Only the French can turn eating blue cheese and sipping red wine at a cafe into a religious experience.

The great news is that this fantastic French wine and cheese is available in the U.S.! These products are easy to find and affordable as well. I love being able to re-create that French wine and cheese magic at home (even though I definitely wouldn't mind another trip to Paris).

You cannot have French cheese without French wine. It's, like, a law in France or something. One of the great and affordable French wines available in the U.S. comes from Georges Duboeuf. Georges Duboeuf wines come from the Beaujolais region of France and are known as the undisputed 'King of Beaujolais'.

These wines are very drinkable and are perfect for a wine and cheese party. Two notable wines from these guys are the Beaujolais-Villages and the Pouilly-Fuissé. The Beaujolais has a subtle depth - there are flavors of cherry, raspberry and black current.

This 100% Gamay is light bodied like a Pinot Noir and I thought paired particularly well with a blue cheese.

The Pouilly-Fuissé is made from 100% Chardonnay from southern Burgundy. I picked up flavors of pear, apple, and vanilla. It's slightly sweet but crisp at the same time.

This wine pairs well with something smoky and robust like smoked almonds. It's also very drinkable on its own.

Another fabulous choice comes from the wines of Légende. These dreamy wines come from Bordeaux. Two notables are the Légende Rouge and the Légende Blanc. The mantra of Légende wines is elegance meets affordability. There is a silky quality to these wines. The Rouge displayed bright flavors like cherry and deeper ones of wood and cigar.

Admittedly, I am partial to the deeper flavors of red wines so this one struck me. It pairs well with deep flavors like beef and hard cheese.

The Blanc is crisp, dry, and clean. It's smooth and silky - one of those wines that's easy to drink way to much of.

When it comes to French cheese in America Ile de France is the way to go. Ile de France remains one of the top sellers in the country. I highly recommend adding Saint André to your cheese board. This triple cream is known as 'the heavenly cheese'. It really is as smooth as butter.

Another staple from these guys is the St. Agur double cream blue cheese. I am a blue cheese fanatic - I could probably eat blue cheese every day and never get tired of it. This one is so creamy and intense. If you like blue cheese you will love St. Agur.

It's great to add a few other varieties to your cheese board in order to capture all the flavors and textures out there. The Ile de France Brie is a staple for this kind of thing. This double creme brie comes from Normandy. It's great to pair with fruity flavors like apples, figs, or dried apricots.

This is the quintessential cheese to spread on some toasted baguette. Last but not least is the Ile de France Goat Cheese. This goat cheese is dense and creamy, earthy and tangy. It's exactly what you want from a goat cheese.

I think it's great to add some honey, jam, or chutney to your cheese board to complement the flavor of the goat cheese.

I guarantee that your guests will love your French inspired cheese board to celebrate the holidays. When it comes to parties and enjoyment in general, the French have it down. You can taste the pride that goes into these products and it's fun to share that experience with friends and family.

The great thing about something like a cheese board is that you can make it your own - there is no wrong way to create a cheese board. The only rule is that you have fun when sharing it with friends and family.