Assembling A Cheese Plate

Just as drinking wine become more prevalent during dinner parties rather than the standard beer or hard liquor, having a cheese platter is also replacing the dessert as the perfect after dinner item to substitute the dessert course. This is also very much in vogue with the fitness and health programs for many people who have abstained from sugar.

There are no set guidelines to assembling a cheese plate but like anything else we do, it has to have the right balance and feel to go with the wine and other food items. For example, having a plate filled with different type of blue cheese is definitely too strong for beginners. Therefore, here are some tips you can consider when trying to assemble your own cheese plate.

For a start, your cheese plate should have variety but it doesn’t have to be 12 different kinds of cheese. One of the easiest rules to remember is to try and have a variety of hard, soft and strong cheeses for your plate. In this case, you would want to have a blue cheese variant like Roquefort, a hard cheese like Cheddar and a soft cheese like brie to complete your cheese plate. This is the most basic and easiest way of assembling a cheese plate.

The other way that is popular among cheese aficionados is using the cheese from the same country or region. This creates a theme for your cheese plate. For example, you might want to select all French cheeses so you can have a selection of Camembert, Boursin, Mimolette and Chevre for your platter to complete the French theme.

Once you have decided what to buy, you need to decide how much to buy. This would depend on the number in your dinner party but it is safe to purchase about two to three ounces per person if you have about 4 varieties. You may not need that much if you are serving other items such as fruits or biscuits with the plate. Nonetheless, it is always better to have more than not enough for your guest. Moreover, any leftovers can be kept refrigerate to be enjoyed at a later time.

After you have gathered all the items, you need to present it in an appealing manner. You can make use of your wooden cutting board as the base for your cheeses. The wooden board will make a good cutting surface when your guests are enjoying themselves. Also try to use a separate knife for the different varieties. This is to ensure that the taste and flavor from each variety do not get mix up as you would with just one knife.