Basic Cheese Platter

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The holiday season is upon us and it’s time to prepare for this festive time of year, especially if you will be hosting and preparing wonderful meals. Creating a simple, elegant, and delicious cheese platter or a cheese board is a great start to a gathering with friends and family.

I created the “basic cheese platter” illustrations above as a guide to help answer some of the questions as to what could be included on the cheese platter.  Once familiar and comfortable with preparing it, have fun experimenting with other items by changing or adding to it depending on the season or occasion.

Cheeses – The three basic go to cheeses I like to use are brie {mild/buttery flavor}, sharp cheddar cheese {medium/intense/nutty flavor}, and blue cheese {strong/bold flavor}.  Here are the other varieties that might be of interest to include, Gruyère cheese, Gouda cheese, Mozzarella, Goat cheese, Stilton, havarti, camembert, cheddar, Manchego, Pecorino Romano, and Roquefort.

Crackers & Bread –  Offer 2 to 3 varieties of crackers and/or bread {baguette} with different shapes and sizes.

Meats – Preserved meats {salami, prosciutto} and sea food {marinated shrimp, smoked salmon}.  Smoked salmon is a must have for our family.

Fresh/dried fruits – grapes, pears, apples, apricots, figs, dates, and berries.

Nuts – The crunchy and salty texture of nuts {almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, and cashews} just give it another taste and texture to it all.

Others –  honey, vegetables, jams, roasted garlic, and olives

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I like to keep the cheese platter simple with just enough variety, texture, flavor, and color without it looking cluttered and over crowded. To bring out the flavor of the cheese, let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.  When the cheese plate is visually pleasing, everything seems to taste even better.

Here are a few more ideas on how to create an inviting, beautiful, and tasty cheese platter…..

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– via Kara Rosenlund –

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– via Williams-Sonoma –

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– via Jennifer Joyce –

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– via Williams-Sonoma –

 – via Martha Stewart –

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– via Dust Jacket / Once Wed

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A cheese platter takes the guess work out of what your guests might like.  They will enjoy picking and choosing the variety of delicious items from it.

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 Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

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Cheese Plate Sources: Beecher’s Flagship white Cheddar ⎜ Long Clawson English Stilton  ⎜ Trader Joe’s: Double Creme Brie with Truffles  ⎜ Trader Joe’s Smoked Sockeye Salmon {with cracked peppercorns, mustard seed, lemon}  or Trapper’s Creek Smoked Salmon  ⎜ Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Cranberry Crisp  ⎜ Columbus Lite Italian Dry Salame  ⎜ La Panzanella Artisanal Foods Co Croccantini Original Artisan Crackers  ⎜ Grand Central Baking Co Rustic Baguette  ⎜ Olives from Whole Foods/Olive Bar  ⎜ Bartlett Pears  ⎜ Satsuma Mandarins

posted by Kay