Cheese Plate

Different types of cheese can yield a variety of textures, flavors and colors. Cheeses are best when served at room temperature. Any good cheese plate must be accompanied with bread or fresh fruits et al. You could choose at least one or more cheese from a variety of categories of cheese to make your very own plate.

1. Types of milk that are available are cow, goat, sheep and ewe
2. Added flavorings can be found with peppers, herbs, nuts and spices

Textures found can be Brie-style, soft, hard, strong and mild.

You can serve individual cheese plates with assorted variety of cheese as an appetizer or dessert at a dinner party or absolutely at any event at all. You can make them at home; buy it from a retail store or shop to your heart’s content, online. Preparing a very basic cheese plate requires four steps that are:

1. Buying cheese
2. Garnishing
3. Displaying
4. Serving

Cheese plates must be set at least half hour before eating so as to bring them to the room temperature, to be able to get the best taste out of them. A serving platter, tray, a big dish or just a regular plate can be used as a base to these delicious assortments. Bread and crackers is the most liked garnish for a cheese plate. A plain and baguette crackers always go well with cheese. Bread sticks or other types of bread that taste sumptuous and can be used to garnish a cheese plate are bread with dried fruit and nuts, French bread and ciabatta. However, it's always a great fun to experiment with different types of items for garnishing with that irresistible array of cheese on your plate. They can be garnished with a variety of other edible items like, grapes, plums, nuts, olives, mint leaves, or any other green fresh herbs. Besides these, you can also garnish your mouth-watering cheese platter with sliced meat, diced tomatoes, dash of lime et al.

If you still do not feel you have the slightest of time to get your hands on this craft then go over to a retail store or even better, you have great tasting cheese plates in a medley of colors, textures, sizes, shapes and tastes, just a click away, so sit down and browse to your heart’s content and order for some of those tantalizing treats for yourself, your family or your guests.

Types of cheese used on a cheese platter

Different varieties of cheese can decorate your cheese platter. But before that it is important to learn the various types of cheese found in the market. Cheese has become part of our culture and almost an indispensable food item. Depending on the moisture content cheese can be classified into four major types, soft cheese include cream cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta, brie, mozzarella, menuster, bleu, Roquefort and the like. While displaying soft cheese variety on a platter it can be complemented with pasta and fruits. They can form a great accompaniment with breakfast. Semi soft cheeses are American cheese, co-jack and Colby. They are strong flavors and are used commonly with grilled sandwich. The third type of cheese is semi hard cheese variety that consists of provolone, Jarlsberg, Gouda, cheddar among others. They are eaten with crackers or fruits. They melt well and hence can be used for stuffing too. Finally comes the hard cheeses like asiago, Swiss, romano, Gruyere, Parmesan. These varieties can be grated and used as toppings. They also go well with wine, soup, fruits, et al.

Cheese can also be categorized based on the milk. French brie, mozzarella, Asiago, Gouda are all made of cow’s milk. They range from soft creamy to hard varieties of cheese. Cheeses made of sheep’s milk are Manchego, Roquefortblue. The former has a mild taste and the latter has a tangy flavor. Feta is made from goat’s milk. While buying cheese made of goat’s milk check out the label for words like ‘chevre’ which means goat in French.

While decorating a cheese platter ensure that the cheese is cut just on the day the platter is prepared. The earlier you slice them they tend to lose moisture and aroma. Always store the cheese in a cool, dry place. Usage of paper bags to store cheese is advisable as they remove the moisture content. Arranging cheese in a tasteful manner is welcome. Just a handful of varieties will do while designing the platter. The cheese should come to room temperature before serving. Before starting the assembly of cheese on a platter find out how many guests will be arriving for the party. Cheese boards are set to form great appetizer before starting the main course. You can arrange cheese from different countries on a plate and place them on a cheese board. Labeling the cheese and providing a brief description could be informative to the guests. Provide separate knifes for each cheese variety so that the flavors do not mix.

Setting up cheese platters for parties

Cooking great meals is just not sufficient serving them in a perfect manner does matter. How to add glamour to your dinner table with best displays need to be learnt. No dinner table can be complete without a cheese platter. Arranging them to the delight of the guests is what makes your party a grand success. Putting together cheese in an art and could really work wonders for your party. Cheese platter can be organized based on their origin, texture, flavor or milk type. Cheese has to be arranged on a large tray so that they are not crushed into powder. Another characteristic of cheese is that they tend to absorb the flavor of the cheese placed next to it, therefore ensure that cheese of different variety are not put too close to each other. Give each type of cheese some room, this would help retain the flavor and the taste of the cheese. Make sure that the outer rind is cut off so that the cheese remains soft. They should be cut into bite-size pieces, neither too small nor too large to hold in your mouth. Another recommendation is that cheese should not be displayed straightaway on the platter; use some bread to hold the cheese. Here bread is just a display item but the star of the show is cheese.

Serving cheese on a platter depends on what type of cheese you pick for the display. There are many varieties of cheese found in the market and buying cheese based on the milk type is most recommended. Use at least three to five varieties of cheese this could satisfy the guests. Accompany the cheese with olives or almonds so that the taste of cheese is cleared when the guests move to the next variety.

Using hard and soft cheese next to each other on a platter is a good idea. Cut the soft cheese so that the cream is visible at the middle. If the cheese is too creamy you can leave it in the container. Ensure that the pieces of cheese are not overcrowded on the platter. Placing the cheese based on the texture is as important as placing them depending on their taste. Cheese can be soft, creamy, semi hard, crumbly and hard. Likewise the taste of cheese also can vary from mild, medium to strong. Cheese comes in different colors too. When it comes to choosing cheese there are lot of choices, Gouda, Parmesan, Camembert, Brie, Cheddar, herbal cheese and the like. Show variety on the platter to enchant your guests.

How to make and create a Cheese platter

Does the name conjure up pictures of aromatic heaven with delicious luscious cheese in different flavors, shapes and sizes? With so many cheeses to choose from, you’ll want to check out these tips for creating a balanced cheese platter suited to your guests' tastes. (Ask those calorie conscious people not to come to your party!!!)
Traditionally, a cheese platter should include a variety of cheeses, progressing from the very mild to the more pronounced. But tastes vary, so there’s no point serving a particularly tangy Blue cheese (do not worry about the name blue this cheese is edible) to people who prefer their cheese mild. Here are some suggestions to help you match your cheese platters to your guests’ preferences - and to surprise them with palate-pleasing accompaniments!
Plan 45 g to 60 g of cheese per person for an end-of-meal platter. Take cheese out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving, to allow aroma and flavor to fully develop. But, for a change, try serving a single cheese with a variety of accompaniments, such as Canadian Swiss with crusty olive bread, dense multigrain bread and a compote of very lightly sweetened stewed rhubarb, either homemade or store-bought.
Also remember, a cheese platter doesn’t have to be served after dinner! It makes a sensational lunch accompanied by a mixed salad of greens. And when friends or family drop by, bring out a selection of fine Canadian cheese and you’ve got a party! (My mouth is watering!!! All this cheese talk sure has fired up my appetite)
Decorating a cheese platter has always been a heck of a job. But here are some easy ways to decorate it. Choose the platter/plate according to the theme of the party. Like go for a sophisticated platter for a wine and cheese rendezvous or pick a nice flower shaped plate for a garden party.
For a pleasing presentation of the platter, slice the cheese in various shapes and arrange them in an appropriate manner. The complementary food like the olives, the grapes etc must be placed in the center of the plate and arrange the cheese slices around it. Add a bit of color and vibrancy to the platter, with strawberries and cherries.

Suggested accompaniments:
Breads & crackers (not the ones which burst)
Raisin bread, nut bread, sunflower seed loaf, sourdough bread or French baguette, bread with herbs, a fougasse with olives - any kind of bread goes well with cheese, as long as the taste does not overwhelm the cheese. Select bread not only according to tastes but to textures as well. A crisp, salted cracker with a soft cheese provides an interesting contrast in texture. So does dark rye bread with Havarti or Feta, or nut bread with a Blue cheese.
Pickles, fruit, nuts & more
Homemade green tomato ketchup or pickles go great with strong-flavored cheese. Try cranberry and apple jam with Canadian Swiss cheese. Onion and maple syrup preserves with Brie. And add some fresh fruit to cleanse the palate. You can’t go wrong with dried fruits like figs, prunes and raisins which go splendidly with just about all cheeses. Fresh walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts are also delightful.
So all this has got you thinking??? Well what are you waiting for?? Go out there, buy some cheese, and put together some lip smacking cheese platter!
Bon Appétit!!!