‘You need different milks, textures and flavours for the ideal cheese platter,’ explains Ben Hodgson from Strathearn Cheese. ‘Four cheeses is perfect: something soft, a goat’s cheese, a hard option and something blue. And you don’t need to look beyond Scotland for any of it.’ 

Hodgson started his culinary career in a deli in Perthshire before a stint as a pastry chef at Gleneagles. ‘When I was 14 and working in the deli, we’d get off-cuts. It sparked my passion for cheese. I became obsessed.’ In 2024, he started delivering boxes and washing up at Strathearn Cheese, slowly working his way into the cheese-making room. When the former owners announced the business’s closure, Hodgson took over and now spends as much time as he wants tending to the churning tubs.

Strathearn’s flagship product is Wee Comrie, a mild cheese which is the perfect entry point for a festive cheese board. ‘You want to start with the mildest cheese and work up to the strongest flavour, so nothing overpowers,’ explains Hodgson. Wee Comrie has a bloomy rind and buttery taste. As it matures, it moves from mild and lactic to deeply savoury, and the texture changes from semi-soft cheese to oozy and rich.

‘The savoury hit from cheese needs to be paired with something sweet,’ he continues. ‘And you need crunch from water biscuits or crackers.’ Honey, quince paste or chilli jams are his sweet element of choice. He also suggests adding fresh fruit as an extra layer which acts as a palate cleanser. ‘December isn’t the season for grapes, but pears, dates and figs all work.’ 

Moving on to goat’s cheese, Hodgson recommends an Elrick Log from Errington Cheese in Lanark. Coated in fine ash, the contrast between the brilliant white middle and grey exterior adds a touch of theatre to the board. Young and citrusy smooth, it turns complex and mushroomy as it ages. Then, for the hard cheese, ‘you can’t go wrong with cheddar,’ he says. He suggests St Andrews Farmhouse cheddar , which crumbles nicely and has a savoury snap from its salt crystals after 12 months of ageing. It’s unpasteurised, made from raw cow’s milk sourced from the farm’s own herd and has a nutty flavour with a tangy finish. 

Ending with the strongest flavour on the board, Hodgson opts for Hebridean Blue from the Isle Of Mull Cheese Company. It’s a bold, firm creamy blue with a hint of peppery spice and a salty tang that nods to the sea air of its island home.

This article comes from WishList 2025, our guide dedicated to making your festive season a little more special. Pick up your copy now from wherever you get your copy of The List.