A bit of cheese to nibble on by the fire as you play a board game, or while relaxing with a movie, is a Christmas treat. But like all the foods we buy especially for the festive season, you can end up looking at slowly deteriorating leftovers, for several days after the event. If you’ve got the tired remains of your festive cheeseboard staring back at you every time you open the fridge door, we’ve got the very dishes to bring them back to life! 

First up, a retro throwback to times when every home possessed a fondue set, whether it wanted one or not! If that sounds like you, time to get that bad boy out and make use of it. Should you be one of the few who didn’t end up winning a fondue set in a raffle, or having one foisted upon you as a gift, ten thousand Christmasses ago, you can improvise with a cast iron enamelled saucepan on a gentle hob to melt the cheese. Why? Because fondue is back in style.

No better way to use up your leftover hard cheeses like cheddar, than with this baby. Follow this recipe from Ballymaloe Country House, and you’ll soon be in fondue heaven. (Don’t argue. If it’s good enough for Ballymaloe, it’s good enough for you.

A visit to the cinema these days isn’t complete without Nachos with melted cheese. Time to bring that cinema treat to a sofa near you. What?!! Now you’re talking. Melted cheese heaven awaits.

Did someone say ‘Fancy a toastie?’ Yes, we think they did! Knockanore Smoked Cheddar and Tuna Toasties are what up-market cheese on toast is all about! Just the snack to fill the gap between more scoffing of the Christmas goodies. (You’ve really got to start taking this ‘eating the leftovers’ business seriously!)

Recipe from Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese in rural Co. Waterford.

Never mind partridges in pear trees, we’ve got Caramelised Pears with Blue Cheese. This one from the Good Food Ireland® recipe bank kills two birds with one stone. (No partridges were harmed in the making of this recipe.) This a good chance to make use of any leftover Boyne Valley Blue Goat’s Cheese, or other blue cheese you had on the cheeseboard, plus fresh pears you’ve got left in the fruit bowl, for a simple and seasonal light lunch salad. Yummy.

P.S. This also works with slices of caramelised ripe fresh mango or pineapple, if you happen to have bought these fruits and not used them yet.