In our eyes, Christmas isn’t complete without a delicious cheeseboard. Luckily, the Simply Better range from Dunnes Stores has plenty of options, including cheese, chutneys and more, to help make sure your board is a total cracker this year.
There are certain foods and drinks that everyone associates with Christmas. Turkey? Of course. Mulled wine? Obviously. Cheese? Definitely!
To create the perfect cheeseboard, it’s important to firstly buy a range of delicious cheeses – we love Irish cheese and luckily, the Simply Better range is packed with a great selection of Irish farmhouse cheeses. Make sure to pay attention to flavours and textures, and how they will go together – a good starting point is to opt for a hard cheese, a blue cheese and a soft cheese, then
work from there.
The Dunnes Stores Simply Better mix and match offer is now available, meaning you can purchase any three of these delicious Irish farmhouse cheeses for just €10. Here are some great recommendations from the range to add to your cart this Christmas.
Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Ardsallagh Fresh Goat’s Cheese
€5.29 for 165g
Based in Carrigtwohill, East Cork, this family-run business has been producing high-quality, artisan goat’s cheese for over 20 years. Made without artificial additives and preservatives, Ardsallagh Fresh Goat’s Cheese is handmade on Ardsallagh farm by Jane Murphy and her son Luke using traditional, handmade methods. The goat’s milk is from their own herd and local farms, ensuring the very best quality and freshest cheese. This award-winning cheese has a wonderfully smooth flavour, making it a great addition to any cheeseboard.
Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Killeen Goat’s Cheese with Fenugreek
€5.49 for 150g
A new addition the Simply Better Irish Farmhouse range, Killeen Goat’s Cheese is a firm gouda-style cheese made using traditional Dutch methods by Marion Roeleveld, who is based just outside Portumna in County Galway. The cheese has a deliciously nutty flavour that is emphasised by the fenugreek’s walnut-like flavour. Firm and fresh, this is ideal for a Christmas cheeseboard.
Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Crozier Blue
€4.19 for 100g
The sister cheese of Tipperary’s famous Cashel Blue, Crozier Blue has been made by the Grubb family since the 1990s. Salty and rich with a mild blue flavour, this cheese has wonderful creaminess to it. It’s a good cheese to add to your Christmas board as its crowd-pleasing, mellow flavours are a great way to introduce your family to stronger cheeses.
Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Durrus
€5.29 for 150g
Jeffa Gill has been making Durrus with cow’s milk in West Cork since 1979. Another new addition to the Simply Better Irish Farmhouse range, Durrus has a delicate, complex flavour and pairs surprisingly well with prosecco, light reds and full-bodied white wines.
Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Killeen Goat’s Cheese Specially Matured
€5.49 for 150g
Another wonderful cheese from Marion Roeleveld, this specially matured Killeen Goat’s Cheese is packed with flavour. Award-winning and crowd-pleasing, this goat’s cheese has a strong flavour that works well with fruity accompaniments.
Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Knockanore Oakwood Smoked Cheddar
€3.99 for 150g
Made in Waterford, the Irish name for this smoked cheese translates as ‘the hill of gold’. Produced by Eamonn and Patricia Lonergan with raw milk from their herd of Friesian cows, this cheese has a firm, but open texture and is aged for at least six months. The smoky, flavour packs a serious punch, and pairs very well with caramelised red onion marmalade and zingy white wines.
Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Hegarty’s Cloth Bound Cheddar
€3.49 for 150g
This traditionally made cheese is produced by Dan Hegarty at his family farm in Whitechurch, North Cork. A fifth-generation dairy farmer, he began experimenting with cheesemaking in 2000, with the first wheel of cheddar reaching the market in 2002. With its earthy flavour and crumbly texture, this cheddar is a great addition to any cheeseboard – try it with black pepper or rye crackers for a perfect pairing.
Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Wicklow Bán Double Cream Brie
€3.99 for 150g
Wicklow Bán is a beautiful artisan double cream Brie handmade on the Hempenstall family farm which nestles between Croghan Mountain and the Irish Sea just outside Arklow, Co Wicklow. John and his family prepare this wonderful cheese from the morning milking straight through to the final packing of the product and pride themselves on the quality and care that goes into this award-winning cheese.
Irish accompaniments
Once you have your cheese sorted, it’s on to accompaniments. Crackers are a must and the Simply Better range includes Sheridan’s Cheesemongers Irish crackers, which are handmade in West Cork. Priced at €2.50 per pack, there’s wholemeal, cracked black pepper and multiseed rye.
Fresh fruit and chutneys are also great additions to your cheeseboard. The Simply Better chutneys and relishes are handmade by Tom and Laura Sinnott of Wexford Home Preserves with Irish-grown tomatoes, onions, garlic and chilli. They include tomato and chilli relish, tomato relish, and our favourite, caramelised red onion.
To perfect your cheeseboard, you need the right tools. Neven Maguire’s cookware range, exclusive to Dunnes Stores, includes a wonderful four-piece cheese knife set. With wooden handles and a lovely presentation container, it’s ideal for any cheeseboard. At just €10 it would make a perfect gift for the cheese lover in your life this Christmas.
Brought to you in partnership with Dunnes Stores Simply Better.
