Natalie Thomson, British food stylist and author of The Grazing Table: How to Create Beautiful Butter Boards, Food Platters & More, inspired us to create this all-Canadian cheese board. Thomson often creates beautiful spreads inspired by locations around the world which include their signature cheese varieties alongside some of the region’s other well-known snacks – her French cheese board, for example, includes a creamy baked Camembert with a selection of Brie, Roquefort, baguette and cornichons.

For our Canadian Cheese Board, we’ve chosen a selection of local cheeses (including curds, of course) served with an easy caramelized onion and maple chutney, bacon-wrapped dates and maple fudge. Below is a list of our favourite cheeses for a Canadian Cheese Board, but feel free to use your own preferred varieties – just remember to slice or crumble the harder ones to add texture to the board.

Canadian Cheese Plate

We created a Canadian-themed grazing board that highlights a selection of artisanal producers across the country.

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Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Canadian

Servings 6

Ingredients

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

12 Medjool dates pitted
6 slices bacon halved crosswise

Caramelized Onion & Maple Chutney

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large onions halved and thinly sliced
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup good-quality maple syrup see note

To Assemble

Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Caramelized Onion & Maple Chutney
Laiterie Charlevoix Cheddar With Black Garlic
cheese curds
Stonetown Artisan Cheese Wildwood
Fromagerie Ruban Bleu Le Charbonnier
Fromagerie du Presbytère Bleu D’Élizabeth
Salt Spring Island Cheese Flower Chèvre
Canada True Maple Syrup Cream Fudge
crostini, crackers and grapes

Instructions

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Wrap each date with one piece of bacon and secure tightly with toothpick.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon-wrapped dates and cook until golden and crispy all over, flipping as needed, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Caramelized Onion & Maple Chutney

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the onions and cook until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining onions and continue cooking until translucent, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until very soft and golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in maple syrup; continue cooking until sticky and caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

To Assemble

Place caramelized onion and maple chutney in small bowls and arrange in central spots on the board. Arrange cheeses, bacon-wrapped dates, maple fudge, crostini, crackers and grapes to fill in any gaps.