If you are like me and have no free time, but occasionally like to be sociable, you like to have your friends over. Between working long weeks and trying to juggle the rest of your life with the overwhelming urge to hide on your couch in your pajamas finding time for friends is difficult but essential. Of course that also means that the capacity of what you have time to make is severely limited. There are rare occasions when I am not running home on a Friday night that I have time to make a well-thought out meal, but that happens about as much as it’s snowed in New Jersey this year.

Enter the cheese board, God’s gift to busy people. A few pre-packaged items, some good cheese, a few bottles of wine, and you have yourself a gourmet spread in five minutes.

The most crucial element in the cheese board is the actual board. This is a classy soiree so paper plates don’t fly here. That does not mean you have to break the bank on the agate cheese board from Antropologie you saw on the Bachelor, a good piece of wood will work wonders. They come variety of shapes and sizes so do yourself a favor go on a Amazon and find yourself a moderately priced one for around $20.

Once you have you go to cheese board the rest is a cinch. Always start by picking out your cheese assortment. Make sure that you have a variety of textures, milks , and flavors. I try to stick to at least one soft and earthy cheese, one sharp firm cheese, and one crumbly cheese of any variety. When in doubt go for the three B’s (blue, brie, boccaccini) and a parmesan. If you cant find baby balls of mozzarella (boccaccini) the full magilla is good as well. Goat, cheddar, and anything Italian are also great choices. As long as you have variety you can’t go wrong.

The rest is all downhill. Just remember that balance is key. Choose items that complement your cheese assortment. Figs and aged balsamic pair perfectly with the creamy cheeses. The acidic sweetness of both offers a bright note that cuts through the richness. For the salty cheeses a local honey for dipping or drizzling will bring out the nuttiness of the cheese.

Don’t forget to accessories. As any woman will tell you, accessories make the outfit. Start with a few good cured meats like prosciutto or it’s Spanish counterpart jamon, a salami, and something with a little spice like a chorizo. Hit up the olive bar to complete your spread. Most olive bars have a large assortment of all things pickled, preserved, and meditaranian. You can probably find the boccaccini over there as well. Pro-tip: They sell by weight so it is budget friendly and you dont have to buy more than you need. My staples are a few colors of olives and some artichoke hearts.

Your last two essentials are a good crusty bread (preferably a baguette, the size lends itself perfectly for spreading cheese and small bites) and a few bottles of wine because cheese without wine is like Batman without Robin. and that my friends is it, how you chose to assemble is entirely up to you.