Cheese Board Pairings

Jars that flatter cheese and cured meats

A good cheese board does not have to be complicated. A few cheeses, some sliced meat, a bowl or two of something bright, and a jar that tastes like it came from a real kitchen are often enough. The jars in our Cheese Board Pairings collection were built with that picture in mind. We cook fruit from Ohio and Great Lakes farms into spreads and butters and keep vegetables crisp in the brine, then jar everything on the farm once it tastes balanced. Amish and family partners handle the quiet work of tasting and adjusting so nothing shouts over the cheese.

Many of the fruit jars sit close to our Spreads & Butters and Fruit Preserves & Jams. Apple, pear, or berry spreads bring gentle sweetness that does not feel sticky or heavy. A little dab on a cracker under sharp cheddar changes the bite in a good way. A spoonful beside a wedge of blue cheese, smoked gouda, or a soft goat cheese gives people a chance to build their own favorite combination. Because the ingredient lists stay short, the fruit never feels out of place, even with stronger cheeses.

Pickled vegetables do their own kind of work. Bread and butter pickles, pickled onions, or beets cut through salty cured meats and richer cheeses. A small dish of pickles alongside salami, ham, or smoked sausage keeps the board from feeling too heavy. Many of these jars trace back to recipes in our Great Lakes Favorites selection, where the same pickles appear at family suppers with roasts and sausages. On a board, they simply move into a new role, brightening each bite without much effort from the host.

If you like to build fuller trays with meats, nuts, and crackers, our Charcuterie & Cheese Pairings gather jars that know how to share space. A rustic fruit butter might sit beside sliced kielbasa, while a lively relish tucks near soft cheese and crusty bread. You can start small on a weeknight and stretch into a bigger spread for holidays or neighborhood visits, using the same jars in different ways. A little preserve here, a few pickles there, and the plate looks cared for without feeling staged.

For gifting or stocking a new pantry, the same jars often appear in Giftable Duos, where two jars are packed together for easy giving. One might lean sweet and fruity, the other more savory and pickled, giving the recipient options for both breakfast toast and evening cheese boards. In many Ohio homes, these cheese board pairings come out for holidays, game nights, and quiet evenings when supper turns into a tray on the coffee table. People talk, slice, spread, and pass jars back and forth, using simple, clean ingredients to make small bites that feel like enough.