The Worst Boursin Cheese Flavor Isn't Right For Your Party Spread

Chowhound writer Emily M Alexander is no stranger to rankings. She's helpfully saved us from culinary misery by ranking fast food mac and cheese options from worst to best and which comparing common grocery store barbecue sauces. This time, she's here to spare us from committing an unfortunate food-related party foul by taste testing and ranking every flavor of Boursin cheese and determining which flavor doesn't belong in our party spread. Happily for her and for us, in this instance, no flavor of cheese was actually bad.

If you're familiar with Boursin cheese, the spreadable circle of triple cream cheese loaded with tasty ingredients, you probably already have a go-to flavor you reach for to build a charcuterie board. Crowd-pleasers like Basil & Chive or Garlic & Fine Herbs never miss, and more dramatic flavors like Rosemary & Black Garlic and Fig & Balsamic sound intriguing enough to try. But Alexander's ranking unlocked a few surprises. The top spot went to a sleeper hit, Cracked Black Pepper, while Shallot & Chive was named the last-place finisher.

Emily M Alexander emphasizes that she's never met a Boursin cheese spread that she didn't like and even the lowest ranking went to a variety that she still considers tasty. In her ranking, Alexander was looking for bold flavors that could complement other charcuterie board accompaniments, appeal to the most palates, and be incorporated into other recipes. Sadly, Shallot & Chive lost points for its very subtle flavor. Alexander notes that although the taste builds over time, it's still the least strongly flavored of all the seven spreads when eaten on its own.

If you prefer a milder, more muted flavor, or if you're using Boursin cheese as the base for other bolder ingredients, Shallot & Chive might be a great choice for your own snacking and cooking needs. Unlike the other flavor options, this one has a crunchier texture thanks to the chives and shallots. It could be a flavorful alternative to plain cream cheese for a delightful bagel schmear or add creaminess and crunch to your morning scrambled eggs. It would also work well as a sandwich spread or creamy addition to pasta.

If you are tempted to try this flavor for your next party spread, Shallot & Chive Boursin cheese could serve as one component of an appetizer or pair nicely with a flavorful drizzle of jam like fig or pepper. It's also mild enough to complement a crisp white wine and or bolder red. Head to your local grocery store to see if you think Alexander has it right — your own palate and ranking may differ dramatically. Still, surely we can all agree, any flavor of Boursin cheese is worth buying.