On a board, fruit gives you something fresh or sweet, and nuts give you crunch.

• Fresh fruit: grapes, pears and apples add freshness and a little acidity, which is welcome next to rich cheese. Apples and cheddar are an easy match.
• Dried fruit and spreads: dried figs, fig spread, jam and honey. Blue cheese with honey or figs is the best-known combination, and soft, creamy cheese does well with fruit and honey.
• Nuts: walnuts go with blue cheese, and almonds and pecans are easy additions to most boards.

Related: Pairing cheese: fruit, nuts, honey and jam · How do you build a cheese board?