Your Festive Hosting Guide
December hosting needn’t be stressful. With a few key techniques and one of our Christmas hampers as your foundation, you can create sophisticated, crowd-pleasing spreads and baked centrepieces entirely plant-based, with minimal effort.
This guide covers:
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Cheeseboard composition & wine pairings
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Baked Camemvert
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Quick canapé ideas
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Thoughtful accompaniments that enhance, not overwhelm
Crafting the Perfect Cheeseboard
Key principles:
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Variety in flavour & texture: Combine bold, creamy, crumbly, and smoked fauxmages.
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Visual appeal: Include colour contrasts (blues, whites, and golden tones) and height variation.
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Balance: Mix intense flavours with mellow options, sweet with savoury, soft with firm.
Board suggestions using the Festive Favourites Collection:
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Creamy centrepieces: Camemvert (truffle-infused, gooey) for melting on crackers or baked in a ramekin.
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Bold & veined: Brixton Blue adds tang and visual drama.
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Mellow & nutty: Balham Blue’s sweet potato and vibrant annatto give softer blue complexity.
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Smoked favourites: Shoreditch Smoked or Camden Smoked bring deep, savoury warmth, the latter a striking charcoal to add extra colour to your board.
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Fruity & festive: Apricot de Noël and Winter Cranberry offer sweetness and seasonal flair.
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Signature spreads: Camden Original & Camden Truffled provide versatility and richness.
Serving tip: Arrange wedges in groups, alternating colours and textures. Scatter nuts, fresh herbs, figs, or seasonal fruit to make the board look abundant and inviting.
Baked Centrepieces
Baked fauxmage is instant party perfection. The warm, molten texture is both impressive and comforting.
An Easy Baked Camemvert:
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Remove packaging and place in a small ovenproof dish.
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Bake at 150°C for 10–15 minutes until the centre is gooey and melty.
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Optional: spike with confit garlic, rosemary, or a drizzle of vegan honey before serving.
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Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or roasted vegetables.
Quick Canapés
Effortless bites that look like you spent hours:
Blue Fauxmage & Fig Bites:
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Ripe figs, halved
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Brixton or Balham Blue
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Drizzle vegan honey, garnish with thyme
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Optional: bake figs 8–10 minutes at 180°C for caramelised sweetness
See our Blue Fauxmage and Fit Bits recipe here.
Other ideas:
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Apricot de Noël on crackers: With crushed pistachios and a drizzle of syrup
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Smoky crostini: Shoreditch Smoked, roasted red peppers, and fresh herbs
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Truffle luxury: Camden Truffled spread on endive leaves for an elegant, handheld bite
Accompaniments That Elevate
Choose accompaniments that enhance without overpowering:
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Sweet: Fig, dates, dried apricots, cranberries, preserves
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Crunchy: Artisan crackers, lightly toasted nuts, crusty bread
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Savoury & fresh: Olives, pickles, roasted vegetables, fresh herbs
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Drizzle & finish: Vegan honey or agave syrup, cracked black pepper, flaky salt
Pro tip: Build your board in layers — cheeses first, then fruits and nuts, finishing with herbs and drizzles — for a visually stunning, Instagram-worthy display.
Final Hosting Tips
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Pair a mix of white, rosé, and red wines depending on cheese variety:
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Soft creamy cheeses → crisp whites or sparkling
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Bold blues → sweet dessert wines or robust reds
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Smoked cheeses → smoky or lightly oaked whites
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Don’t overcrowd your table; allow space for guests to help themselves.
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Keep extra crackers, bread, and spreads on hand
With these tips and the Festive Favourite Hampers Collection, you’re ready to host confidently, impress guests, and enjoy a stress-free festive season.
