Assembling the perfect cheese platter!

No matter how many parties I host, choosing and prepping the foods to serve will always be at the top of my lists of stress factors. I often find myself overthinking about what to serve and changing my menu countless amounts of time. You simply have to think of the perfect dish to suit your theme whilst pleasing ALL of your guest. 

Our brains are hard wired to associate foods and flavours to certain holidays and past events! 

Food is much more powerful than we think! 

A cheese platter is without a doubt my favourite dish to serve as an appetizer at any get-together or dinner party, hands down. It's hard to find someone who wouldn't swoon over a luscious cheese platter. All it takes really, is a trip to your local market and a little bit of creativity; and thats what I'm here to help with :)

1. Choose the perfect cheese!

Understanding cheese and how it is categorized is fairly simple. You've got your soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert), hard cheeses (Gouda, Cheddar, Parmesan) and your Blue cheeses (Roquefort, Stilton).

​If you walk into the cheese hall at your local grocery store  it might be easy to feel overwhelmed by all the choices. But really, you must have a clear idea of what you're seeking as soon as you walk in. The key here is to mix it up. I normally like going for at least one or two of each cheese category. 

2. Add a unique spin

So, what do I mean by a "unique spin" you may ask. Cheese works brilliantly when combined with strikingly opposite flavours such as fruit and herbs. One way to drastically, and easily, upgrade your cheese is by adding a little bit of a fruit chutney (such as mango or raspberry) on top, plus some nuts of your choosing and fresh herbs. When you are about to serve, stick it in the oven for just over 5 minutes to insure your cheese is a little warm and gooey but not melted. This will be an absolute show stopper! I can guarantee it!

3. Choose the right complements 

For the rest of the foods accompanying your platter, you need to go, again, for a wide variety of flavours and textures, just as you would for your cheese! Some components that cannot miss are berries, including strawberries, raspberries, cherries, both green and dark grapes, olives, marmalades, mushrooms, honey, mustard, and at least two-three different types of nuts to give your guest options. 

In a lot of cheese platters, different types of meats are also vastly present, but in this case, as we had a few vegetarian guest, I opted for a meat free platter. However, feel free to add  meats and hams including prosciutto, Serrano jam, and salami. 

And, last but not least don't forget about your bread and crackers to neutralize so many different flavours. 

 4. Putting together your dish + the right utensils 

There are countless different ways to display your cheese platter. If you fancy a little bit of a more laid back and rustic feel, you can opt for a wooden serving tray. Also bear in mind that not all of your components need to be served in one main platter, so don't stress over finding something that is big enough. You can always divide it into "sections" as you wish, but always do make sure everything is within easy reach for everyone. 

For the particular cheese platter I created above, I went for a more classic feel by displaying my main cheese display and crackers in pewter trays. 

​- For the visuals, I suggest spreading your cheeses so that there is about the same space between them on your platter, and then filling in the gaps with the rest of your components. Its all about colours and textures!

For the cheeses, you should have at least four special utensils to cut them (you can find different sets if you look in sites such as Amazon and Ikea). Make sure you have any other utensil such as as forks and toothpicks for the rest of the foods. 

Find some great tray options linked bellow!

TheQuaichCompany -  Large Pewter Tray

Western Pewter Hotel Service Tray

Western Pewter Hotel Service Tray

Bamboo Chopping Board by Harcas

I hope you enjoyed my simple guide to putting together the perfect cheese platter to impress and delight your guest! Always remember, there is no right or wrong way to do this, just follow the simple guidelines and pick what you like and what feels right!