How to Make a Holiday Brunch Board

Want to enjoy a beautiful holiday brunch and still sleep in? Behold the Holiday Brunch Board. A combination of your favorite Emmi cheeses, store-bought nibbles and make-ahead bites mean you can serve a gorgeous brunch without spending your morning in the kitchen.

Follow these tips to create an unforgettable spread while making it look so easy. Because it really is so easy!

1. Make a Special Flavored Cream Cheese

Take a cue from your favorite bagel shop and make your own flavored cream cheese. Our recipe for Leek and Gruyère Cream Cheese is super simple and adds a special touch to your brunch board. Prep your cream cheese a day or two in advance and allow to soften a bit before serving.

2. Turn Your Bagels into Chips

Homemade bagel chips are a special treat, and they’re so easy to prepare. Slice your favorite flavor of bagel into thin strips and lay in a single layer on a sheet pan. Brush both sides with olive oil and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through baking.

3. Dress Up Store Bought Mini Quiche

Can you think of anything more elegant than bite-sized quiche topped with rosettes of Tête De Moine cheese? Literally no one will care that you started with frozen store bought quiche. Look for Tête De Moine in your local cheese case. It can be curled into flower shapes with a traditional cheese tool called a girolle. As an alternative, you can use a vegetable peeler to shave pieces of Le Gruyère into freeform curls for topping.

4. Add More Cheese

Fill your board with slices of Emmi Le Gruyère or Emmi Emmentaler cheese. They pair well with all your favorite brunch bites and are sure to please adults and kids alike.

5. Fill with Flavorful Pairings

Try these savory brunch accompaniments to complete your board and let everyone make their perfect bites:

  • Medium boiled (aka jammy) eggs – boil for 8 minutes and cool in ice water before peeling
  • Smoked salmon
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Green olives
  • Capers
  • Dill
  • Sparkling wine – it is a holiday, after all!

Related Recipes: Leek and Gruyère Cream Cheese

LE GRUYÈRE® AOP

Notes

Candied Walnuts, Dried Fruit, Spice

Pair With

Fresh Apples, Pears And Grapes Almonds Figs

Learn More WHERE TO BUY
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Festive Pairings: Pie and Cheese

Nothing says the holidays like pie and cheese. Turn your leftover pie into pairings for a beautiful, seasonal cheese board with these clever cheese and pie pairings. No need to be fussy here. Simply arrange slices of pie and cheese on a platter so everyone can try a bite of everything. Start with these pairing suggestions and create your own. There are no rules!

KALTBACH Gouda + Pumpkin Pie

The sweet, caramel notes of cave-aged KALTBACH Gouda are a magical match with sweet, earthy pumpkin pie. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce for extra decadence.

Emmi Le Gruyère + Cherry Pie

With its notes of candied walnuts, dried fruit and spice, Emmi Le Gruyère complements all sorts of berry pies, but cherry is our top pick.

KALTBACH Le Crémeux + Apple Pie

Aged in the legendary Kaltbach Cave, Le Crémeux has a distinctive, complex flavor and a wonderfully creamy texture. Classic apple pie is a perfect pairing.

Triple Source Le Gruyère + Chocolate Pecan Pie

Selected exclusively from three of the premier Le Gruyère AOP creameries in Switzerland for consistent flavor and quality, Triple Source Le Gruyère can be found exclusively at Costco. Pair it with an equally showstopping pie – chocolate pecan.

KALTBACH Le Gruyère + Sugar Cream Pie

The mineral-rich air of the Kaltbach CAVE creates the perfect environment for transforming specially selected Le Gruyère wheels into wondrous depths of flavor. Pair slices of KALTBACH Le Gruyère with luscious bites of sugar cream pie.

Emmi cheese and pie pairings for Thanksgiving
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Easy No-Cook Dinner Solution: A Cheese Board!

A cheese board is the perfect no-cook dinner. It’s great for those hot summer days when you don’t want to turn on the oven, or for movie and game nights at home. Follow these three tips for an easy no-cook cheese board dinner that’s ready in a snap!

1. Choose cheeses that play well with others

Gruyère and Emmentaler are wonderfully versatile. They also pair nicely with a wide range of beverages – wine, beer, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options.

2. Create one composed bite

A perfectly paired bite adds a special touch to your cheese board. Try prosciutto-wrapped Emmentaler and apple slices for a special touch that’s packed with flavor. Experiment with your favorite accompaniments to create your own bite. Crackers and dried fruit slices make a great base for adding slices of cheese and preserves, chutneys, pickles or charcuterie.

3. Dress up your popcorn

Who doesn’t love snacking on a bowl, especially with a few flavorful add-ins. Toss the popcorn with a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt. Top with shredded Gruyère cheese and black pepper. Rosemary or thyme are a great addition if you have them.

IN THIS POST

Emmentaler® AOP

Notes

Nutty, Slight Acidity, Hint of Herbs

Pair With

Oaked Chardonnay Cabernet Sauvignon Gin & Tonic

Learn More WHERE TO BUY

LE GRUYÈRE® AOP

Notes

Candied Walnuts, Dried Fruit, Spice

Pair With

Fresh Apples, Pears And Grapes Almonds Figs

Learn More WHERE TO BUY
Find Emmi Cheese Near You

Five Tips for an Unforgettable Dinner Party

It will come as no surprise that our dinner parties are usually centered around cheese. Whether we’re warming up pots of Fondü for dipping, firing up the Raclette grill or setting out bountiful cheese boards for nibbling, the cheese is always center stage. That’s enough to ensure plenty of prompt “yes” RSVPs, but once the party arrives, we want to make it an extra special experience for our guests. A few small touches help keep good energy and leave a lasting impression long after the last piece of cheese has been devoured.

1. Change Your Perspective
As long as the weather possibly allows, we’re throwing parties al fresco — bundling up in sweaters and blankets, and cozying up by the fire. Whether you’re indoors or out, you can create a totally new environment simply by changing your table height. And no, we don’t mean making permanent changes to your furniture. You can create a custom low “table” with a piece of wood or tabletop surface, and cinder blocks. Layer a few tablecloths or throws over top for a more boho feel (or to hide a less-than-charming surface). For seating, think pillows and cushions. Get creative and cozy!

2. Stretch Your Flowers
A couple pots of mums are easy to find and inexpensive throughout the fall season. Snip off a few bunches to fill small jars and tabletop vases. Place a flower on each place setting. Wrap up small bundles with parchment paper, and secure with twine for sweet little takeaway bouquets. Use whatever is leftover to fill your prettiest pots around the table.

3. Go Monotone
Pick a neutral color palette for your table to ensure the food and florals really pop. Here, we’ve chosen warm tones of brown and gold to complement the dark wood table.

4. Raid the Olive Bar
A plethora of cheese-friendly accompaniments can be found on the olive bar at nearly every grocery store these days. Take full advantage to create bountiful cheese boards with minimal effort. Be sure to look for items in a variety of colors to add visual interest.

5. Get Everyone Involved
A dinner party centered around cheese is enough to make your guests giddy with excitement, but keep them involved throughout the night. A wheel of Tête de Moine adds extra excitement to the table. We love watching guests’ faces light up as they spin the girolle, a tool that curls the cheese into petal-shaped pieces. With other cheeses, keep large wedges on-hand for cutting throughout the night, so guests can see and feel the rinds as they slice off a piece. Of course, fondue and Raclette are wonderfully interactive as well, and our Emmi Fondü is easy to heat and serve.

 

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