How to make the perfect cheese plate (or Cheese Board)

We’ve all seen these delicious and inviting cheese platters on Instagram and Pinterest photos. A cheese platter (board) is a set of elite cheeses, which are served as a full-fledged dish, as well as a dessert or an appetizer. Most restaurants include this dish in their menus. establishments, such a plate is not news. But why not create a cheese platter at home? The main thing is to familiarize yourself with the basic rules of its formation and to choose the right cheese. Our tips help you create the ultimate cheese board. 

Assemble The Cheese Platter Ahead

We recommend assembling the cheese plate ahead (about a day before serving). Wrap the cheese in food film or foil and put the platter in the fridge. Half an hour before serving, take them out of the refrigerator, free them from the foil, and leave them on the table at room temperature to let the bouquet of cheese flavor unfold in all its glory. The only problem is that it is extremely hard to wait so long and not to eat cheese selection by yourself as a snack when betting Vave or with wine. 

Think Of The Right Cheese Variety

The ideal cheese plate must include cheese from the following categories:

1. Hard And Semi-Hard Cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Gruyère, Pecorino Romano, Gouda, Parmesan, Cheddar, Emmentaler, Edam, Kashkaval). 
2. Soft And Semi-Soft Cheese (Camembert, Brie, Chaource, Provolone, Havarti, Colby Jack). 
3. Fresh Cheese (Mozzarella, Burrata, Ricotta, Feta, Cream Cheese). 
4. Blue Cheese (Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Cabrales, Blue Stilton, Cambozola, Danablu). 

The cheese board should include noble, high-quality, expensive cheeses such as Camembert, Gorgonzola, Brie, and Parmesan. When buying varieties of cheese, be sure to pay attention to the label.

Assemble And Cut Cheese Properly

You should pay attention not only to the composition of the cheese plate but also to its design! Arrange the slices on the dish in a clockwise order, starting from the most delicate (soft) cheese and ending with the sharpest (hard) kind. Assemble the platter so that the pieces of cheese do not touch each other. Otherwise, you can lay the spicy cheese on the edges of the plate.

Cutting cheese Is usually made with special knives, but some types (for example, blue) experts recommend cutting with a device with a fishing line. Such a device will not damage the mold. Hard varieties are cut with massive knives with handles on both ends. You can cut cheese in different shapes: slices, segments, bars, cubes, and thin leaves. Experienced gourmets recommend slicing in such a way that in one piece it is possible to taste the edges, crust, and core of each presented specimen. 

Choose The Perfect Platter (Or Board) 

It is better to serve the cheese assortment on a wooden base. It can be a plate or a board. If there are no such utensils, it is quite acceptable to make a composition on porcelain, ceramic, or glass. Some restaurants use an earthenware plate with a wooden base to serve the cheese composition. If the pieces are large, knives or wooden sticks are presented with the dish.

Add Some Colour (And Fizz) To Your Cheese Platter

There is a good tradition of combining cheese assortment with other ingredients: pieces of fruit, sauces, and nuts. Blue cheeses harmonize with cherries, pineapple, kiwi, grapes, and nuts, and hard cheeses harmonize with avocado, dates, raisins, and apricots. Camembert and Brie can be well paired with blueberries or strawberries. And some ingredients harmonize with all types of cheese. These are almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pears, apples, marmalade, olives, and coffee beans. And of course, baguette and crackers! A cheese platter and wine is a perfect combination. It’s important to know that certain wine goes with certain cheeses, for example, Camembert, and Brie harmonize with red fruity wines and goat cheese with Sauvignon. 

Now you can create a beautifully looking cheese platter. What are you waiting for?