This cheese plate includes three types of cheese that are sold in almost every cheese store or in the cheese section of upscale grocery stores: Gruyere (cows' milk), Istara (sheeps' milk) and Humboldt Fog (goats' milk).
Here's How:
- Buying the Cheese
A basic cheese plate should include at least three types of cheese to represent each of the different milk types:cow, sheep and goat. When choosing each cheese for a cheese plate, keep flavor and texture in mind. Serving three mild, soft cheeses isn't as interesting as serving a variety of flavors and/or texures. For this cheese plate, the flavors are all mild-to-meg, ask them to suggests cheese that is similar.
- [
- Garnish
The easiest garnish is setting a cluster of grapes in the middle of the cheese plate or piling dried fruit and/or nuts in the middle of the plate. Consider using seasonal garnishes such as summer or autumn fruit. Many cheese shops also sell fruit spreads to pair with cheese. Olives and sliced meats are also a nice accompaniment to a cheese plate. Always serve crackers and/or a sliced baguette. Other types of bread that taste great with cheese are ciabatta, french bread and bread with dried fruit and nuts baked into it.
- Serve
Cheese tastes best when served at room temperature. Set knives on or near the cheese plate, ideally one for each cheese. Cheese markers are a fun way to identify the types of cheese you are serving. Provide napkins and small plates.
Tips:
- Set the cheese out a half hour before eating to bring them up to room temperature
- Ideally, put out a seperate serving knife for each cheese. Or, put out one knife for the Gruyere and Istara, and a seperate knife for the Humboldt Fog, which is softer and messier.
- If you don't have a serving platter, a regular dinner plate can work just fine.
- As a rule of thumb, plan for each guest to eat 1-2 ounces of each cheese you serve. If you're serving heavy garnishes (sliced meat, olives, fruit) or other food along with the cheese plate, this amount may be a bit less.
- Always have plenty of sliced bread and/or crackers on hand. These items fill guests up so they eat less cheese.
What You Need
- Three wedges of cheese
- Serving platter or plate
- Cheese knives
- Fruit, olives, nuts or sliced meat for garnish
- Sliced bread or crackers
- Napkins
- Small serving plates
