Valentine's Day | Cheese Lovers Box: Cheese + PACK3 Jams

Create the Perfect Cheese Board for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a unique occasion to celebrate love and create special memories with the one you love most. This year, instead of a traditional dinner, why not offer a more intimate and sensory experience where every detail is designed to enhance the connection between the two of you? The Cheese Lovers Box: Cheese + PACK3 Jams provides the perfect opportunity to create an exquisite cheese board, accompanied by authentic jams that will transform this moment into a true ritual of sharing, flavour, and passion.

The idea is simple: create a cheese board with the selected ingredients and, using the jam tubes, add a practical and romantic touch. The magic of the moment begins with assembling the board and continues with the way the cheese and jam are served and shared, turning every gesture into a celebration of love.

1. Preparing the Board: The Start of a Romantic Experience

The first step in creating a romantic cheese board is choosing the right base. A good wooden board is essential to give the rustic and welcoming tone that characterises Portuguese cuisine. Choose a light wooden board, such as oak or pine, which will highlight the vibrant colours of the cheese and jams. The wood also conveys warmth and intimacy, perfect for a romantic moment for two.

When arranging the ingredients on the board, think about visual harmony and contrasts. The idea is that every piece of cheese and every jam is visible, creating an irresistible visual invitation to savour. Leave enough space for each element to stand out without overcrowding the board.

2. Slicing the Cheese: How to Achieve the Perfect Balance

The cheese for this experience is the Dom Villas Creamy Cow’s Cheese. With its buttery texture and mild flavour, this cheese pairs perfectly with the jams in the box. Cut the cheese into generous slices, not too thin – the idea is that each piece is substantial and easy to enjoy. You can also cut the cheese into small cubes if you prefer a more rustic and simple look.

When placing the cheese on the board, think about ease of serving, ensuring that every piece is accessible. Then create small spaces around the cheese for the jams, which are the true stars of the board.

3. Decorating with the Jams: The Perfect Touch of Sweetness and Colour

Now, it’s time to add the jams. The tube format allows you to apply the jam in a practical and romantic way, spreading it artistically and accessibly. While serving, you can use the tube to add a generous layer of the Pumpkin and Orange Jam with Rosemary and Eucalyptus Honey, the Bravo de Esmolfe Apple Extra Jam with Cinnamon, and the Fig and Orange Extra Jam with Fortified Wine.

Let each jam spread artistically across the board, creating small points of contrast between the cheese and the jam. This interplay creates a visual moment that quickens the heart, while each piece of cheese is enjoyed with the sweetness of the jams.

4. Final Touches: Creating the Perfect Atmosphere

Creating a romantic cheese board goes beyond the ingredients. The surrounding atmosphere is crucial to setting the perfect mood. To make the moment even more special, add details that bring warmth, light, and elegance to the space.

• Lighting: Lighting is one of the most important factors in creating a romantic ambiance. For your Valentine's Day, opt for candles in soft tones. Tea lights or tall candles in glass holders are perfect for creating a soft and cosy glow. Scatter the candles across the table or around the cheese board, casting delicate shadows and setting an intimate mood. The soft light will contrast beautifully with the vibrant colours of the food, enhancing the romantic feeling.
• Flowers: A small bouquet of fresh flowers can be added to the table to complete the decoration. Choose red flowers, such as roses or tulips, to symbolise love and passion. Additionally, fresh flowers add a natural fragrance that will scent the room, enhancing the sensory experience.
• Background music: Soft and soothing music will complete the atmosphere. Choose a playlist of smooth jazz, bossa nova, or instrumental songs that complement the relaxed and romantic vibe. The music should serve as a backdrop to the conversation and experience, without overwhelming the environment.

5. The Tasting Ritual: Sharing Love in Every Bite

Now that the cheese board is assembled and the atmosphere is perfect, it’s time to savour and share with your loved one. What makes this moment so special is the shared experience. The way the cheese and jams are tasted turns every bite into an opportunity for connection and pleasure.

• The first bite: Start by picking up a slice of Dom Villas Cheese with your fingers or a delicate fork. Add a bit of the Pumpkin and Orange Jam on top and take a bite. The combination of the cheese’s buttery and mild flavour with the sweetness and slight acidity of the jam creates an explosion of flavours that will delight your palate. Don’t rush – each taste should be an opportunity to savour the intensity of each element.
• Serving your partner: One of the most romantic gestures you can make in this moment is to serve your partner. By picking up the tube and applying the jam to the cheese, you create a caring and romantic experience, offering them a small indulgence. This exchange of affection creates an atmosphere of tenderness and pleasure, essential to the spirit of Valentine's Day.
• Exploring together: Throughout the meal, talk, smile, and make eye contact with your partner. Each piece of cheese and jam is an opportunity to get closer, to lose yourself in the sweetness of the combination and the intimacy of the moment. The meal is just the pretext – the most important thing is the bond being strengthened through this shared experience.

✨ 6. Closing the Moment: Celebrating Love with Every Gesture

The final part of the experience is just as important as the rest. After savouring the Dom Villas Creamy Cow’s Cheese with the jam tubes, there’s no need to rush. Continue enjoying your loved one’s company. Sip some wine or sparkling wine as you savour the remaining cheese bites.

• A toast to love: Raise your glasses of wine or sparkling wine and make a toast to love, friendship, and connection. Look into each other’s eyes and celebrate the joy of being together in this intimate and special moment. The toast will mark the perfect ending to this delightful experience.
• Moments of connection: Spend the rest of the evening talking, laughing, or perhaps even dancing to soft music. Valentine's Day is about the meaning behind the gestures, the exchanges of affection, and the pleasure of sharing the moment.

An Unforgettable Experience for Two

Creating a cheese board with Pumpkin and Orange Jam, Bravo de Esmolfe Apple Jam, and Fig and Orange Jam with Fortified Wine is not just a meal. It’s a sensory and emotional experience, where every piece of cheese and every jam becomes a way of expressing love.

This Valentine's Day, take the opportunity to create memories that will be cherished in both your hearts. The simplicity of a cheese board, the sweetness of the jams, and the romantic atmosphere are all you need to transform this date into a magical moment.

1. Pancake with cottage cheese, honey and pumpkin and orange jam with cinnamon and almonds meia.dúzia® - Chef Álvaro Costa
2. Greek yogurt with fresh cheese and pumpkin and orange jam with cinnamon and almonds meia.dúzia® - Chef Álvaro Costa
3. Smoked salmon and cottage cheese toast with pumpkin and orange jam with cinnamon and almonds meia.dúzia® - Chef Álvaro Costa
4. Azevias with pumpkin and ‘Algarve’ orange jam with cinnamon and almonds meia.dúzia® - Chef Gil Pinto
5. Tolosa mestizo cheese with pumpkin and orange jam with rosemary and eucalyptus honey, cinnamon and almond meia.dúzia® por Lígia Santos – 1st Masterchef from Portugal
6. Sheep’s curd with pumpkin, orange and cinnamon jam & almonds and walnuts
1. Cheesecake with ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ Apple Jam with Cinnamon meia.dúzia®, served in small cups - Chef Cristina Manso Preto
2. Pancakes with ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ Apple Jam with Cinnamon
3. Goat and sheep cottage cheese with ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ Apple Jam with Cinnamon, Dates and Mint
4. Goat cured Chévre cheese with ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ Apple Jam with Cinnamon
7. Create a Portuguese cheese board - Perfect matches for 6 of the best Portuguese cheeses!

Pumpkin and Orange Jam with Rosemary and Eucalyptus Honey, Cinnamon and Almond

Pumpkin (35%), sugar, orange (20%), eucalyptus honey (3.2%), almond (3%), cinnamon (1.6%), rosemary honey (1.5%), gelling agent (pectin) and lemon juice. Prepared with 55 g of fruits per 100 g. Net weight: 75 g. Allergens: Contains almond

‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ Apple Extra Jam with Cinnamon

‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ apple (55%), sugar, cinnamon (3.5%), gelling agent (pectin) and lemon juice. Prepared with 55 g of fruits per 100 g. Net weight: 75 g.

Fig and Orange Extra Jam with Port Wine

Fig (45%), sugar, orange (10%), Port wine (1.5%) (contains sulfites), gelling agent (pectin) and lemon juice. Allergens: contains sulfites. Prepared with 55 g of fruits per 100 g. Net weight: 75 g. Contains alcohol

Dom Villas cow cheese

Pasteurized goat's milk, salt, calcium chloride, rennet, egg lysozyme and lactic ferments.

Pumpkin and Orange Jam with Rosemary and Eucalyptus Honey, Cinnamon and Almond

Average nutritional information per 100 g / 3.53 oz: Energy 840 kJ / 201 kcal; Fats 2.0 g / 0.1 oz , of which saturated fat acids 0.2 g / 0.0 oz ; Carbohydrates 45.4 g / 1.6 oz , of which sugars 44.7 g / 1 .6 oz ; Proteins 1.1 g / 0.0 oz ; Salt 0.0 g / 0.0 oz.

‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ Apple Extra Jam with Cinnamon

Average nutritional information per 100 g / 3.53 oz: Energy 673 kJ / 161 kcal ; Fats 0.4 g / 0.0 oz , of which saturated fat acids 0.1 g / 0.0 oz ; Carbohydrates 40.0 g / 1.4 oz , of which sugars 39.3 g / 1.4 oz ; Proteins 0.3 g / 0.0 oz ; Salt 0.0 g / 0.0 oz.

Fig and Orange Extra Jam with Port Wine

Average nutritional information per 100 g / 3.53 oz: Energy 768 kJ / 184 kcal; Fats 0.3g / 0.0 oz, of which saturated fat acids 0.1g / 0.0 oz; Carbohydrates 45.2g / 1.6 oz, of which sugars 44.4g / 1.6 oz; Proteins 0.6g / 0.0 oz; Salt 0.0g / 0.0 oz.

Dom Villas cow cheese

Nutrition Declaration (Average values per 100g): Energy: 1370 kJ / 330 kcal; Lipids: 27 g, of which 18 g are saturated; Carbohydrates: <0.5 g, of which sugars <0.5 g; Proteins: 20.6 g; Salt: 1.5 g.

The ‘Bravo de Esmolfe’ ApplePDO is an apple with unique characteristics, extremely aromatic and juicy, sweet and at the same time acidic. It has an oblong-conical shape, white pulp and its whitish epidermis sometimes has pink spots. This regional variety, known since the 19th century XVIII, is originally from the village of Esmolfe (Penalva do Castelo, Portugal) and would have come from a tree first cultivated from a seed. As its fruits are very popular, grafts were obtained that spread this variety to several fruit production areas, especially in the Beira Alta Region and in part of Cova da Beira.

Depending on the season of production, figs are called lampos (May and June) and vintage (July/September). It is a fruit with well-marked organoleptic characteristics, with great nutritional qualities, being rich in vitamins B and C and mineral salts (especially calcium, phosphorus and potassium). Thin, colorful and shiny skin, high juice content, sweetness and unique organoleptic characteristics are some of the characteristics of orange from the Algarve.

Rosemary and eucalyptus honey, more aromatic than other honeys, has a light brown tone and a more open aroma and palate.

Originating in North and Central America, where it is still one of the mainstays of food, the pumpkin belongs to the same family as the melon and watermelon (cucurbits). The shape of the pumpkin is variable, but it is usually ovoid or oblong. The rind is usually orange, but it can have other colors depending on the species. The bright orange color of the pumpkin contains a high content of carotenes, particularly beta-carotene, with antioxidant action. Beta carotene is then converted into vitamin A in the body.

Dom Villas cow cheese - 190g

Produced with cow's milk by A LACTILOURO - Famalição, Portugal.