First let us just say we LOVE cheese, very much. Creating the perfect cheese plate is an art form, which we take very seriously. There is nothing sadder than cubes of waxy looking cheese and semi-stale crackers. While pulling together a beautiful cheese platter is easier than you might think, we wanted to share five simple tips for creating a Pinterest worthy cheese plate. We’re pretty proud of this one.
1. Don’t get snobby about the cheese. No one likes a show-off. Stick with no more than five varieties of cheeses, preferably made with different milks, goat, cow etc. You can get great quality without going crazy fancy. People get intimidated if they have no idea what the heck they’re eating.
2. It’s about more than just the cheese. Give guests plenty of options. It’s all fair game. Honey, candied or salted nuts, savory meats, dried fruits, fresh fruits, veggies, olives—think about hitting all of the tastes: sweet, salty, sour, savory. Plus, it makes for a more beautiful looking cheese plate. We used herbs as garnishes as well. They smell amazing and can be used to top off crackers.
3. Slice it! Make sure each cheese has it’s own knife so they don’t start tasting like each other. It’s also helpful to pre-slice the hard cheeses. No one will dig into them if they aren’t sliced. It’s a little tricky to slice hard cheese on a full tray, no one wants to be that person.
4. Don’t serve cold cheese. If you serve cheese right out of the fridge it mutes the flavor and makes soft cheese difficult to spread. Let cheese sit out and come to room temperature before serving.
5. Don’t skimp on the crackers. There’s no point in spending money on fantastic cheese only to pair it with crappy crackers. Buy crackers at the same place you get your cheese and throw some slices of a baguette into the mix as well. Don’t be afraid to ask the cheesemonger to recommend some cracker pairings for the cheeses you’ve purchased.
Be prepared to wow friends and family and most of all enjoy all your cheese pairings. You might want to get used to prepping this plate, it’s a pretty delish go-to signature party dish.
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