Cheese enthusiasts are so easy to buy for. We love boards and platters, cheese books, accouterments and, of course, great cheese itself, especially if it’s something under the radar. I’ve gathered a half-dozen recommendations in this post and hope they solve at least some of your holiday gift dilemmas. You might want to stock up on a few of these items for housegifts throughout the year. After all, what cheese lover would prefer a supermarket bouquet over one of these?
If your recipients live in Northern California or plan to visit soon, please consider a gift certificate to my World Cheese Tour, a series of ten themed tastings that I host in Napa. Recipients can use their gift certificate on the class of their choice. For the passionate cheese enthusiast, consider a discounted Mini Tour (3 classes of their choice). To give a Mini Tour, please email me (janet@janetfletcher.com).
Top Seedz crackers are on my don’t-leave-me-alone-with-these list. You can lock me in a room overnight with a box of chocolates and every chocolate will still be there in the morning. But I could plow through a tub of these crunchy, crackly shards all by myself with some soft, spreadable cheese and a Rosebud. The company offers subscriptions so you can arrange a delivery of crackers every few weeks. Nice! They also sell bake-at-home mixes that produce crackers almost as beautiful as theirs. Big plus these days: All the crackers and cracker mixes are gluten-free.
Cheese in a can may sound like a gag gift, but Cougar Gold is anything but. For people who don’t know this cult classic produced at Washington State University—by the dairy-science students—the unconventional packaging can raise an eyebrow. But what’s inside is superb, a creamy and gently tangy Cheddar that absolutely everyone loves. An unopened tin lasts for years in the fridge and only gets better. And if it isn’t the best value in American cheese, well, you nominate something. Order it here.
Casa Forcello is a producer of premium Italian mostarda made with mustard essential oil, the traditional way. I had the pleasure of visiting the producer’s tiny factory near Mantua a few years ago and witnessed the care they take with fruit sourcing. (Note: Le Tamerici is the brand name in Italy.) Some of the mostardas are made with endangered local fruits, like white watermelon. I love the pear, which seems to be the variety most available in the U.S. It would dress up any cheese board but it’s particularly compatible with blue cheese and aged sheep cheese. A jar of Casa Forcello mostarda and a wedge of Basque cheese would make a terrific host gift, especially if I’m the host. When I visited, the owner made a memorable saffron risotto with mostarda on top.
I own a bunch of cheese knives because people give them to me, but the only one I use with any regularity is a marble-handled Parmigiano Reggiano knife. I put it on the cheese board with aged Cheddar or Gouda—any hard cheese that really wants to be chunked, not sliced. I have no clue who made the one I have, but here’s a similar style in a set of three. The straight-edged tool in this set is for semi-firm cheeses, the fork for charcuterie.
For stocking stuffers, employee gifts or housegifts, please consider signed copies of Cheese & Wine (nearly 100,000 copies sold). Third-class shipping is free, and I can personalize each copy as you like.
Lastly, as my holiday gift to you, my readers, I will match the first $1,000 in reader donations to Doctors Without Borders. Please email proof of your donation to janet@janetfletcher.com and I will make the match.