Fall Harvest Local Cheeseboard

The following recipe and photography were provided by our partner, Yoko Segawa of Yoko’s Kitchen.

If there’s one way to get conversation started at a dinner party, it’s by serving this cheeseboard decorated with a variety of locally made cheeses available in Heinen’s Specialty Cheese Department.

One of the many things that makes Heinen’s great is their commitment to supporting local businesses. Their buyers are constantly stocking their shelves with the most delicious foods and drinks created by local artisans. No matter which department you shop, you’re guaranteed to find a wide selection of products made close to home.

For this cheeseboard, we’re focusing on Heinen’s selection of locally made specialty cheeses. With more than 20 different cheeses from a handful of local creameries throughout the Specialty Cheese Department, the options for building this board are truly endless. Here are the cheeses I recommend that showcase a variety of different creameries and offer a balance of flavors and textures.

• Marchant Manor Elmstead Ash Triple Cream Cheese: A bloomy white rind with a vegetal ash layer.
• Tulip Tree Trillium Cheese Triple Cream Cheese: A bloomy rind cheese with a soft, buttery texture that’s spreadable when at room temperature.
• Mayfield Road Creamy Markko Wine Gouda: A classic gouda aged with Ohio’s own Markko Vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Mackenzie Creamery Apricot Ginger Chèvre Cup: A traditional creamy chèvre coated in a sweet and tangy apricot ginger sauce.
• Heinen’s 9-year Vintage Cheddar: Not produced locally, this Wisconsin-made cheese is a staple of Heinen’s hand-selected gourmet cheese line.

Interested in learning more about these local creameries themselves? Here’s a quick synopsis.

• Marchant Manor: Born in Wisconsin, Marchant Manor founder Kandice Marchant always loved cheese, but it wasn’t until she traveled to Europe that she developed an appreciation for the artistry of cheesemaking. Kandice began exploring her passion for cheese, which involved traveling the country to partake in courses taught by esteemed cheesemakers and experimenting with recipes at home. She eventually created her own bloomy rind cheeses and currently partners with Paint Valley Farms in Stark County Ohio to source local Guernsey Cow milk. Drawing inspiration from triple cream European-style cheeses, every creation from her Cleveland Heights kitchen pays homage to her husband’s English heritage in the most delicious of ways!
• Tulip Tree: Founded in 2014 by Fons Smits and Laura Davenport, this small Indiana creamery is dedicated to producing handmade, artisanal cheeses made with milk sourced from local Indiana dairy farms that practice Certified Humane standards. Happy cows produce high-quality milk, which makes award-winning cheeses!
• Mayfield Road Creamery: This Orwell dairy farm has been in the family since 1860 and owner Kevin Morris still milks his grass-grazing Holsteins in the same barn his ancestors used six generations ago. Today, their rich, creamy milk is turned into fine cheese by Kevin’s wife, Susan.
• Mackenzie Creamery: A fearless rookie at age 61, Jean Mackenzie started her Hiram creamery in 2007 after taking just two cheese making classes. It turns out she was great at it, and her goat cheese began winning awards immediately. In 2010, her son Rob joined her in running the eco-friendly creamery.

Why You’ll Love This Cheeseboard

• You can switch up the cheeses. Heinen’s has an incredible selection of locally made cheese hand-picked by their cheese experts, so whether you choose the cheeses from this list or opt to adventure through the Specialty Cheese Department on your own, your options for locally made gems are bountiful.
• It’s easy to build. In addition to specialty cheeses, Heinen’s also has incredible selection of charcuterie meat, fresh fruits, crackers, gourmet nuts and dips that will help add flavor, color and dimension to cheeseboard. See below for recommendations and instructions on how to assemble the board.
• It’s a conversation starter. Brush up on a few facts about the local creameries and share them with guests when presenting this board at the beginning of a dinner party. It’s guaranteed to get everyone talking.