I believe everyone in their lifetime had a pleasure to experience what is like to have a lazy late Saturday afternoon when you are finally relaxing after the crazy week, watching some soapy movie cosy wrapped under a blanket and enjoying a cup of cocoa, when suddenly a sound of your mobile phone pierces air like a knife... you force yourself to pick it up and... you hear a joyful news that sets you in a momentary panic - an unexpected guests are on their way!.... and you are sooo unprepared....
This is exactly what happened to us this weekend. I do not complain, the evening was a blast and our friends are always more than welcome to visit us at anytime, but it does not change the fact that there was a moment of panic - what to prepare for snacks within so little time?!
Well, fear not my friends, to spare you a moment like this I would like to share one more trick that I've learned here in France - how to successfully prepare a proper Cheese Platter. It is truly a time-saving dish that always looks impressive and takes no longer than one quick trip to the food store and not more than 15 minutes to prepare.
Moreover, in my experience, there is no one single correct way to prepare this scrumptious selection of snacks. You may choose anything of your liking and you will never go wrong. However, as always, there are few recommended basic guidelines to follow.
Everything begins with the plate
First of all, you will need something to place your goodies on. For that, you can use anything that has a flat horizontal surface: a wooden, marble or glass board. If you do not have any of these a simple big plate will be just as good.
Cheese knives. I found this part a bit tricky. In order not to mix flavors, each cheese supposed to be served with its own knife. However, if you do not have it, you can always cut some hard type cheese in advance and place it on the plate already pre-sliced.
The essential - cheese
There are many brands and types of cheeses out there, but for serving I try to keep it as simple as possible and grab few different cheeses in flavors, textures, and shape.
My favorite choices are:
Soft: Brie, Camembert, etc.
Hard: Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego, Mimolette , etc.
Aged: Aged Cheddar, Comte, Goat Gouda, etc.
Blue: Gorgonzola, Stilton, Valdeón etc.
- If you want to ensure a range of different flavors on the plate you can also try selecting cheeses by the type of milk used: cow, goat, sheep. However, some cheeses has a strong distinctive taste/smell that not everyone might enjoy. So be careful.
Certainly, you can pick anything of your liking, but keep in mind that since we are making a cheese platter it is always better to have a variety, so picking one (or more it's up to you) from each basic type could be a good start.
Accompaniments
As accompaniments should be chosen something that not only complements the flavor of cheeses you have picked but also adds a visually pleasant element to the overall look of the platter.
Bread/Crackers
When it comes to bread it is always a good idea to vary taste and texture as well as use all shapes and sizes.
Suggestions: bread sticks, multigrain crackers, water crackers, Parmesan crisps, baguette, ciabatta.
Sweet extras
Fresh fruits: cherries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, tangerines, pear (goes really well with Gorgonzola), grapes, pomegranate seeds, kiwi, cut pineapple or mango pieces, etc.
Dried fruits: figs, raisins, apricots, cranberries, cherries, apples, pears, etc.
Spreads: apricot spread, honey or my favorite - fig jam.
Salty extras
Cured meats: prosciutto, salami etc.
Nuts: almonds, Marcona almonds, pistachios, cashews, etc.
Seeds: fried corns.
Spicy bits: olives, cornichon pickles, red radish.
Garnish
It is the last bit to your already prepared plate to add that appetizing look. For that, you can use pretty much anything that looks well with your food selection.
Suggestions: rosemary, parsley greens, scallions, edible flowers etc.
Beverages
A cheese paired and served with a specific type of beverage is always the best choice. However, to keep it simple, versatile vines like Sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or any dessert wine, should always be a suitable match with any cheese platter.
Tips
• No matter how many people you will be serving, 90 - 120 g. of cheese per person should be enough.
• No need to go overboard - three to five choices of cheese are enough.
• It is always advisable to serve at least one familiar cheese.
• Remove the cheese from the refrigerator an hour before serving― when cheese is cold it has less flavor.
The final note
Keep in mind that I am not an expert of cheese or making a perfect cheese platter. The ingredients are simply suggestions, something that works well for me. It can be altered, improved and changed at any time or in any way to suit your own taste. Food making is a form of art and by creating your own cheese platter you are the artist :) So let your imagination and taste buds go wild and see where it takes you!
* Bon appetit! *
