Oh, really, you shouldn’t have. But if you did, I think any cheese lover would be happy to receive one of these gifts. I don’t believe you need a lot of gear to enjoy great cheese, but it’s nice to have an elegant set of knives for your board, or the most exquisite dried fruit and nuts to complement your selections. There are now dozens of subscription cheese clubs vying for your dollars, but one in particular stands out to me as a great value. And, naturally, I have some merch of my own to suggest. Here’s hoping you’ll find just the right gift among these options for the curd nerds on your holiday list.
For your friends and family within driving distance of Napa Valley—or planning a visit—a Gift Certificate to one of my World Cheese Tour classes is guaranteed to fit. Recipients can choose whichever class most appeals to them, with six scheduled tastings between February and October. Consider a Gift Certificate for a three-class Mini Tour, so they’ll be a cheese expert by the end of the year.
Dozens of cheese producers and retailers offer subscription-style clubs so you can send a shipment once, monthly or quarterly. How to choose? The offering that rises to the top for me is Antonelli’s Cheese Club, from the beloved Austin retailer. I know these folks. They stock the best cheeses from everywhere, so you aren’t sending selections from only one creamery. What’s more, the shipment includes tasting guides and a video link so recipients can sample their cheeses along with an Antonelli’s cheesemonger. What a great way to learn.
I own a gazillion cheese knives but the one I use most is my marble-handled Parmigiano Reggiano knife (pictured above). For hard cheeses that can’t or shouldn’t be sliced—like aged Gouda, Cheddar, Piave or Parm—it makes random craggy chunks. Crate & Barrel sells a handsome set of three that also includes, in addition to the Parm knife, a useful straight-edged knife for Stilton and similar blue cheeses and a fork that I would use for charcuterie.
One of my private cheese tasting clients in Napa Valley always has ultra-premium dried fruits and nuts on hand for me to dress up the cheese plates. She gets them from Fairhaven Orchards, one of the last California farms to grow the prized but increasingly rare Blenheim apricots. This Fairhaven gift box includes a bag of their picture-perfect Chandler walnuts plus a bag of Jumbo Extra Large (which means they’re big) Blenheims. No other dried apricot comes close.
I’ve written or co-authored numerous books (30 and counting), but Cheese & Wine remains my best seller. It’s a beautifully photographed reference guide to some of the world’s best cheeses, with suggestions for wine styles that pair well with them. For wine lovers who might be choosing the wine first, there’s a “which cheeses for that wine” guide as well. Purchase signed and personalized copies here. Third-class shipping is free.
Goofy but fun, these cheese-themed linen cocktail napkins are an icebreaker at dinner parties. Who wants the Brie? A friend gave me two boxes last month and I’ve already used them twice. I’m always glad to have napkins I can launder rather than single-use paper napkins.