Aged Gouda & Fig Board
An aged Gouda and fig cheese board with honey and toasted nuts, ready in fifteen minutes. Includes a Tawny Port pairing guide.
Ingredients
- 8 oz aged Gouda 18 months or older, cut into wedges or cubes
- 6 –8 fresh or dried figs halved
- 1/4 cup honey for drizzling
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pecans
- Water crackers or a simple baguette sliced
Instructions
- Arrange the Gouda and figs on a board, grouped in loose clusters rather than spread evenly.
- Scatter the toasted nuts across the board, filling in the gaps between the cheese and fruit.
- Drizzle honey lightly over the cheese and figs just before serving.
- Serve with crackers or sliced bread alongside.
Notes
Notes and Variations
- If fresh figs are out of season, dried figs work well and hold up better on a board over a longer gathering.
- A small dish of quince paste alongside is a traditional match for aged Gouda if available.
- The board scales easily; double the cheese and fruit for a larger gathering rather than adding new components.
Wine Pairing
This board was built specifically alongside Tawny Port, and the pairing works as more of a mirror than a contrast: aged Gouda’s own caramel notes echo Tawny’s slow oxidative character almost exactly, and the figs pick up the wine’s dried-fruit notes directly. For the full pairing guide, including serving temperature and background on Tawny Port’s style, see this week’s full pairing post. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!