Cheese Platter Perfection
It always seems appropriate to put out a cheese display whether it is just for you or maybe you have some guests stopping by before dinner or cocktails, etc.
There are two main things that people struggle with when it comes to cheese....what to buy and how much to put out for you and/or your guests.
Step 1 : Selection of the Cheese
They key thing to remember is that you want to have a variety of texture and flavor in your display. Most cheeses fall into one of these categories: aged, soft, firm, or blue ....for the ideal mix choose a cheese from each of these four categories. Here are some examples..
AGED - comte, goat gouda, aged cheddar
SOFT - camembert, brillat-savarin
BLUE - gorgonzola, stilton
FIRM - manchego, parmigiano-reggiano
There is one other route you can take as far as variety goes and that would picking your cheeses based on the type of milk used to create the cheese which would give you three main categories : cow, goat, and sheep's milk. I like this method of selection because you seem to get the best range of flavors in your display.
Regardless of how you make your selections there is one major rule you must follow : always serve at least one familiar cheese. I am a lover of all cheese (the stinkier and uglier the better) but when you are serving guests you want to give them one option that is safe and comfortable; there is nothing worse than creating a cheese display that scares away people with simple palates and taste preferences.
Step 2 : How much do you serve?
This is the tricky part for most people because you want to hit that sweet spot where you display just enough cheese to allow snacking but not ruin your guests' appetites for the dinner to follow. To ensure portioning perfection plan on buying 3 to 4 ounces of cheese per guest. If you are not having dinner and cheese is more of the main event plan on buying approximately 1.5 pounds of cheese for 4 guests, 3 pounds for 8 guests, 6 pounds for 16 guests, and so on.
Step 3: Accompaniments and Styling
Offer a selection of bread, crostini, and crackers with your cheese. You want a variety of texture and flavors with these just as you do with your cheese. Also, it is always nice to have fresh or dried fruit (grapes/pear/cherries/berries), nuts (roasted/salted) , and olives (Italian or Greek) to pair with the cheeses. On top of that I always like to have one jarred or homemade condiment like fresh honeycomb, a sweet preserve, tart chutney, tomato relish, or spicy mustard. You can always offer marinated artichoke hearts or roasted peppers as well. The key here is to not over do it; here are some of my favorite combinations:
- marcona almond / Cherries / fresh honeycomb
- walnuts / pear / sun-dried tomato relish
- pistachios / raspberries / grainy English mustard
Sarah Simms