Are you planning to serve a cheese platter for your upcoming dinner, but have no idea where to begin?
You search for
serving trays and beautifully assembled cheese platters on Google for inspiration and think to yourself “it’ll be no problem”. But while selecting cheeses at your local supermarket, doubt creeps in thanks to the sheer number of choices available.
With several types of cheese and arrangements out there, assembling the perfect cheese platter may seem like a daunting task. This is where we come in to say that it really isn’t tough.
From picking the perfect combination of cheeses to the right pairing of wines, our guide will show you that assembling the perfect cheese platter is in fact incredibly easy, and fun too!
Essentials for the Perfect Cheese Platter
1. Types of Cheese for Serving
The best cheese platters generally have 3 to 5 different types of cheese. Before it gets overwhelming, let’s start with a simple rhyme; “
Something old, something new, something goat, something blue”. This narrows down the overwhelming selection, making it easier for you to pick the best cheese for your cheese platter. Finding it hard to believe us as it seems too easy? Read on to see the types of cheeses that are fantastic for cheese platters, all in line with the rhyme!
Firm and Semi-Firm Cheese
Firm and semi-firm cheeses typically fall under “something old” in the rhyme. These cheeses have generally been aged for 6 months and beyond, giving it a drier texture and earthy flavour. Cheeses like Parmesan, Gruyère, Gouda, and Cheddar fall under this type.
Fresh Cheese
Cheeses that have not undergone the ageing process come under the fresh cheese type, and “something new”. This type of cheese is famed for their soft and moist texture and buttery taste. You will surely be familiar with cheeses like Mozzarella, Cream Cheese, and Cottage Cheese – they’re all fresh cheeses!
Soft Cheese
Additionally, under the category of “something new” are soft cheeses. These are cheeses that have been aged up to 2 months. Soft cheese includes timeless favourites like Brie and Camembert, well-loved for their rich flavour and luxurious texture.
Blue-veined Cheese
The famous blue-veined cheese, also simply known as ‘blue cheese’ comes under “something blue”. This type of cheese is known for its pungent odour and distinct flavour thanks to the safe and edible mold within. Blue cheese is best placed at a distance from other cheeses as its strong scent may overpower other cheeses. Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Danish Blue are cheeses that fall under this category.
Goat’s Milk Cheese
Cheese that is made purely from goat’s milk or a combination of goat and cow’s milk fall under “something goat”. Goat’s milk cheeses usually have strong flavours with a tart taste to it. Examples of cheese made from goat’s milk are Chèvre, Ricotta, Garrotxa, and Brunet.
2. Accompaniments for the Cheese Platter
Some of you may have a few guests who aren’t huge fans of cheese on its own. On top of that, some cheeses are best enjoyed with basic accompaniments like bread and crackers to bring out its full flavour. While we do recommend serving accompaniments, just remember not to go crazy and overshadow the cheeses with too many selections. Read on to explore an array of accompaniments for your cheese platter to find the most suitable ones!
Bread and Crackers
A safe choice and usually a must have for all cheese platters. Bread like Rye, Sourdough, and Baguette are perfect for all types of cheese. To include a variety of taste and textures, stick to simple choices like breadsticks or a fruit and nut bread. This will prevent the accompaniment from overshadowing the highlight of the night – your selection of cheeses.
Condiments
Great condiments will elevate the flavour of your cheeses. Popular choices like Fig Jam and Honey with their sweet flavours complement the savoury characteristics of cheese. Spread some Fig Jam on crusty toast with cheese to enjoy a blissful marriage of sweet and savoury flavours.
Fruits
Apart from condiments, the natural sweetness found in fruits makes it a delightful pairing with cheese. You can easily identify which fruits will go well depending on the seasons. For instance, apples and pears pair amazingly well with Camembert during winter. Summer season calls for stone fruit pairings like peaches and Gorgonzola, or Rainier Cherries and Chevre. You can even experiment with olives, strawberries, grapes, plums, and mangoes. The possibilities are endless!
Nuts
Nuts and their crunchy texture are fantastic when paired with creamy cheeses. Not too sure what would go well with your selection of cheeses? If you are following the rhyme then Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds, and Pistachio will be your best bet as they complement each type of cheese in the rhyme! While cheese and nuts do complement each other, we would advise ensuring that your guests do not have a nut allergy before serving.
3. Don’t Miss out on the Wine!
Cheese and wine are an evergreen pair. Most cheese platters are planned around the wine bottles to be opened, or vice versa. Here, we’ll explore a few examples of ideal cheese and wine pairings:
Fresh and Soft Cheese
The light taste and soft texture of fresh and soft cheeses pair best with fruity, tropical, and citrusy wines. Think light and fruity wines like Riesling, Moscato, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc to pair with your fresh Mozzarella or Chèvre. These wines provide you with the flavour to enhance the taste of fresh and soft cheese.
Firm and Semi-Firm Cheese
Do you remember the rich and lingering taste of Gruyère or Aged Cheddar in your mouth long after eating them? This makes tannic reds perfect for firm and semi-firm cheeses. The tannins in tannic reds will cleanse your palate after each sip, allowing you to enjoy the cheese without over-indulging. Wines under tannic reds include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Tawny Port.
Blue-Veined Cheese
Blue-veined cheeses are naturally pungent and strong in taste. What you’d want to aim for is a wine with sweetness and oomph to provide a fine balance in flavours. The best blue cheese and wine pairing example are
Vintage Port and Gorgonzola. For those under a budget, the budget-friendly
Ruby Port is fantastic with blue cheeses too!
One Bottle to Rule Them All
If you only plan to have one bottle opened for your cheese platter, the safest choice is a bottle of Champagne. Champagne pairs incredibly well with almost all cheeses thanks to its bubbly characteristics, but that isn’t the only perk. Champagne is loved by all and will surely add more life to the party!
4. Platters for the Occasion
Now that you have the cheese and accompaniments sorted out, you will need to assemble them on a suitable platter! Do you plan to go for a modernly designed platter, a
Lazy Susan or perhaps a classic wooden one? The easiest way to select your platter is to pair it to the theme of your dinner.
Modern platters are the best for a variety of dinner parties thanks to its stylish construct. These days, modern platters resemble an extravagant afternoon tea set with multiple tiers and premium design. Take a look at this beautiful
Ladelle Serve & Share Acacia Wood Serving Tower;
If you are planning a more sophisticated soiree, classic platters made from wood or porcelain are perfect for the occasion. Wooden and porcelain platters showcase a timeless design which pairs incredibly with cheese, wine, and its accompaniments. Fine wooden and porcelain platters include
Winestains’ Circular Cheese Platter with Handles and the
Ladelle Loop Platter, both pictured below.
Winestains Circular Cheese Platter with Handles
Ladelle Loop Platter 42cm White
5. The Cheese Platter Nitty-Gritty
We’ve now arrived towards the end of the guide, the nitty-gritty of cheese platters. These little details will help to further accentuate your cheese platter and allow your guests to enjoy it to the fullest.
Serving Portions
If you’re serving cheese as an appetiser, the recommended amount is up to 60g of each cheese per person. This serving is just nice to whet your guests’ appetite while keeping them contented before the mains are ready.
For after-dinner cheese platters, you’ll be looking at a serving amount of up to 43g of each cheese per person. Your guests will surely be well fed after dinner, so this serving portion will be the perfect finish to dinner.
One Knife per Cheese
When you use a single knife to slice your array of cheese, you risk eliminating the cheese’s individual flavour. Imagine using a knife to slice blue cheese, then using the same to slice fresh cheese. The remnants of blue cheese on the knife will overpower the taste of fresh cheese, making it no longer enjoyable.
The best way is to have a single
cheese knife for a single cheese type. For instance, a knife for Danish Blue and Gorgonzola is perfectly fine. But a knife used on an Aged Cheddar should never be used on fresh Mozzarella as the Cheddar will overpower the light taste of Mozzarella.
Avoid Serving Cheese Straight from the Refrigerator
The natural flavours of cheese are muted when it is cold. Cold cheeses are also generally tough to slice, and you can’t use excessive force as they will break apart.
How do you overcome this problem? Simply remove your cheese from the refrigerator an hour before serving. This will allow the cheese to settle into an optimal room temperature for a full-flavoured cheesy experience. If you're afraid to have unwanted guests attacking the cheese, you can always use a
food cover to protect your cheese!
Space is Important
We can’t deny that images of cheese platters in an extravagant and close arrangement do look appealing. But this will undeniably cause gridlock when two or more guests attempt to reach for cheese, condiments, and accompaniments.
Easily prevent this by allowing enough space between cheeses, condiments, and accompaniments. There isn’t a hard and fast rule to this, so let your creativity and positioning skills shine!
Now that you're more familiar with the process of assembling the perfect cheese platter for your dinner party, selecting an array of cheese for the night will be seamless. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to try cheeses you've never had before as you can enjoy the cheesy goodness with your guests!
Looking for the perfect cheese platter serving set? Browse Everten's extensive range of Presentation Boards and Cheese Knives to complete your cheese platter essentials!
