Gather & Share
How to Build a Smoked Cheese & Pepperoni Board
Build a Garfield’s charcuterie board around slow cold-smoked cheese, ready-to-eat smoked pepperoni, crisp fruit and crackers. Add a little mustard or jam, and you have a generous snack to share. Our creamy Smoked Cheese and aged sharp Smoked Cheddar bring two different textures, with a rich, smoky rind on both.
Start with two smokehouse favorites
Choose Cracker Sized Smoked Cheese for creamy, neatly cut slices. Our signature cheese is a cultured, pasteurized white American cheese, slow cold-smoked by hand in Meriden, New Hampshire. The narrow bar fits comfortably on a cracker. Smoked Cheese Nibbles give you the same signature cheese in ready-to-serve bites.
Add Smoked Cheddar for a firmer texture and a sharp cheddar bite. It is also slow cold-smoked, giving the two cheeses a shared smokehouse character. Leave the golden rind on: it is edible and full of smoky flavor. Our cheese comparison explains their different uses.
How much cheese and pepperoni for four or eight?
For an appetizer board before a meal, plan about 2 ounces of cheese and 1 ounce of pepperoni per person. Divide the cheese between Smoked Cheese and Smoked Cheddar. The amounts below give you an easy shopping plan.
| Guests | Total cheese | Pepperoni | Fruit and crunch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 people | About 8 ounces | About 4 ounces | 2 apples or pears, a small bunch of grapes, crackers |
| 8 people | About 1 pound | About 8 ounces | 4 apples or pears, grapes, crackers and sliced bread |
When the board is supper, increase the cheese and meat and add bread, vegetables and a substantial side, such as a salad. Keep extra food chilled and replenish as people eat. Buy by total weight, then save any unopened or unused portion according to its package directions.
Give the smoke a crisp, sweet or tangy companion
- Fruit: crisp apple, firm pear or grapes add freshness alongside the smoky cheese.
- Crackers and bread: water crackers, lightly seeded crackers and thin baguette slices give each bite a little crunch.
- Something tangy: grain mustard, cornichons or pickles balance a rich bite of cheese and pepperoni.
- Something sweet: a little berry jam or apple butter works especially well with the sharper cheddar.
Try smoked cheese on a cracker with apple, or smoked cheddar with pear and a small dab of mustard. For more combinations, use our smoked cheese pairing guide.
Arrange the board from bowls to bites
Set out small bowls of mustard, jam and pickles first. Put the cheeses in two separate places, then fan slices of Smoked Pepperoni beside them. Tuck fruit into the gaps and add crackers just before serving so they stay crisp.
Slice some cheese and leave a small piece with a knife for guests to cut. A bowl of nibbles is an easy addition when you are feeding more people. Keep the pepperoni separate from a plate prepared for someone avoiding meat, and use separate utensils. Check ingredient labels and prevent cross-contact when serving guests with allergies.
Keep the next round chilled
Keep cheese and pepperoni refrigerated and set out small amounts to replenish. Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or one hour when the temperature is above 90°F. See FoodSafety.gov’s serving and storage guidance. Follow the storage directions on each package.
We prepare, slow-smoke and package our cheeses and pepperoni in Meriden, using the family’s secret cob and hardwood approach. The result belongs just as comfortably on a small Friday-night plate as on a board for company. Explore the smoked cheeses, add your favorite accompaniments, and make room at the table.