A cheese platter is a wonderful way to greet guests and indulge their taste buds – so do you know all the tricks on laying out a perfectly arranged feast?
There’s nothing like arriving at a party, receiving your glass of wine, and finding a decadent and beautifully laid out cheeseboard waiting for you. Filled with delicious garnishes and perfectly arranged morsels, the variety of cheeses are just right for sampling over good conversation. Then when you go to create your own tempting tasting platter for a group of friends, somehow it looks… underwhelming.
There’s so much to consider: should you have a cheese knife for each cheese you serve, which garnishes are going to be the perfect palate cleansers? And the French believe cheeses should be served in groups of odd numbers, and arranged in a clockwise fashion from mildest to most complex. Not to worry, here at Mindful Puzzles we love cheese and have found the best tips on creating a cheese platter your friends will never forget.
1. Talk to your cheesemonger
Even if you have an idea of what you’d like to include on your platter, an expert can help you create the perfect selection. If you’re unsure, follow the rule of 5 cheeses and include: something creamy, something sharp, something fresh, something stinky, and something nutty.
2. Garnishes
Choosing what to place on your platter as a garnish can be a little difficult to narrow down. A lot of usual additions like fruit or quince pastes were traditionally intended to be palate cleansers. However, they also often pair beautifully with the cheeses so serve a double purpose. You can also include nuts like pistachios or walnuts to add a salty element. Just remember when it comes to crackers to choose a mild style – the cheese is the star on your platter.
3. Prep Time
One way to cut down on clutter on your cheeseboard is to pre-slice some of your cheeses, especially any hard or semi-hard choices. You also need to bring the cheeses to room temperature for an ideal tasting experience, so remove them from your fridge one hour ahead of serving and cover with a damp tea towel so they don’t dry out.
4. Eat with your eyes
The key to creating a delicious cheese platter is presentation. Consider not only how it looks but how easy it will be for your guests to actually eat from it. If you’ve placed all your cheeses on your cheeseboard, your garnishes, and your crackers and breads, you might notice it looks a bit cluttered. Put the bread and crackers on a plate to the side and think about whether some of your garnishes could also go in a bowl. After all, you want your guests to be able to cut slices of cheese while talking and potentially holding a drink.
Why not serve some delicious modern cocktails with your beautiful cheese platter? Try these quirky-cool recipes.
This article was originally published in Issue 2 – New Beginnings. You can purchase this issue and enjoy more enchanting content here.
