History has not been kind to the cheese ball.

Early on, this classic party food earned an ugly reputation it’s been mostly unable to shake – an orange softball filled with garish industrial cheeses, smacking of an untraceable sweetness, and coated with stale, often soggy, nuts.

Not exactly food to get your guests going – except for going out the door.

But surely they can be more. With cheeses of all kinds getting gourmet treatment in recent years, this is one party food that seems ripe for an update.

To make a cheese ball that is a holiday hit instead of a painful irony, here’s what you need to know.

THE CHEESE

Cheese plays two roles in a cheese ball – structure and taste. Mild, soft cheeses provide a base to which other flavors are added. Firmer, more flavorful cheeses lend deeper, savory notes.

When selecting cheeses, there’s no need to reach for the pricey artisanal stuff; you won’t appreciate it in a recipe such as this. But don’t go to the bargain basement, either.

Cheap cheeses, as well as pre-grated, lack flavor.

Most midrange goat and cheddar cheeses sold at large grocers are fine. Buy block cheddar and grate it yourself.

THE FLAVORINGS

More isn’t necessarily better.

Too often cheese balls suffer from being loaded with contrasting flavors.

While many traditional recipes call for mixing in chopped nuts, this usually results in soggy nuts that taste stale. Instead, we toast them in butter, sea salt and cumin, then use it to coat the cheese balls.

THE SIZE

Large cheese balls have several problems. First, after a few people dig in, a large cheese balls looks entirely unappealing.

Second, because a large cheese ball sits around longer than bite-size versions, there’s more time for the nuts to get soggy by absorbing moisture from the cheese.

So we made tablespoonsize cheese balls. They are easier to make and eat, and lend a touch of elegance to a much-maligned party food.

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Cook’s notes: Use latex gloves or plastic wrap instead of bare hands to minimize sticking. Serve them alone or with crackers or toasted rounds of thinly sliced baguette. To prepare these cheese balls ahead, form the balls up to a day in advance. Arrange on a plate, making sure they don’t touch, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, roll the balls in the coating.

BEST CHEESE BALLSYield: 20-25 small cheese balls1 cup Neufchâtel cheese, softened1/2 cup goat cheese, softened6 tablespoons butter, softened, divided1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese2 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon minced horseradish or horseradish mayonnaise3/4 cup walnut halves1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt1/2 tablespoon ground cumin1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In medium bowl, combine Neufchâtel, goat cheese and 4 tablespoons butter. Use rubber spatula to mix until well combined. Mix in cheddar, garlic and horseradish. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.While mixture chills, melt remaining butter. In small bowl, combine melted butter and walnut halves; toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle in salt and cumin, then toss again.

Spread walnuts over the prepared baking sheet and toast 7-10 minutes, until lightly browned and aromatic. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate to cool.

When nuts are cool, finely chop them. The pieces should be small but not pulverized.In wide, shallow bowl or baking pan, mix together chopped walnuts and parsley.

Once the cheese has chilled, put on latex gloves and use a measuring spoon or scoop to form 1-tablespoon balls. Gently roll the balls between your hands to smooth, then roll each through the nut and parsley mixture. Arrange on serving platter.

When selecting cheeses, there’s no need to reach for pricey artisanal stuff. But don’t go bargain basement, either. Most mid-range goat and cheddar cheeses sold at well-stocked grocers are fine. Photo by (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)