Summer Fruit Garnishes for a Cheese Plate

Besides adding a beautiful bolt of color to a cheese plate, ripe berries are delicious with soft, creamy cheeses. Try pairing berries with triple creme cheeses like Sainte Andre, soft goat cheese, or Ricotta.

Ripe, juicy apricots are almost jam-like in their intensity of flavor. Try slicing apricots into halves or quarters and serve with goat cheese like Selles-sur-cher, sharp white Cheddar, Feta, or Parmigiano-Reggiano. For an after-dinner cheese plate drizzle honey over the apricots and serve with blue cheese.

Wait until summer cherries are ripe and dark and then lavishly decorate cheese plates with them, stems and all. Cheeses that pair especially well are soft, mild cheeses like Ricotta or sharp aged cheeses like Cheddar, Comte and Piave.

Melons aren't the type of fruit most would immediately think to pair with cheese. But a ripe, juicy melon is a tasty contrast to a crumbly cheese. Try Feta with watermelon or Parmigiano-Reggiano with cantaloupe and prosciutto.