When my husband and I were newly married, without kids, we had a holiday tradition of inviting other young couples over for a Christmas get together. Everyone would bring something to eat, usually lots of cookies/candies/baked goods, and warm gooey dips. We’d hang out and play games and stuff our faces. One year, which I still remember clearly, my friend Wendy brought a cheese plate. I thought it was super cool because a cheese plate just seemed, so, grown-up. When I was a teenager, my friend’s Mom Helen (Helen, creator of the infamous Wonton Salad, Helen) often brought cheese plates to baby showers and wedding luncheons and I remember thinking back then, “hmm…I wonder when I’ll be grown-up enough to know what to put on a cheese plate?” Back to the Christmas Party- my one memory of that year (besides some really crazy white elephant gifts) was that we couldn’t pull anyone away from the cheese, including me! It was such a fresh, flavorful, delicious alternative to all of the sugar and carbs that saturate the month of December. And that’s the day I decided I needed to be a cheese plate sort of person.
The whole idea of putting together a cheese board can be overwhelming. “Fancy” cheese sometimes has a reputation for being stinky cheese, and expensive cheese, and even if you aren’t scared of it, you may not have a clue about what sorts of things to pair everything with. So I thought I’d write out some guidelines for anyone wanting to join the ranks of sophisticated adults who bring cheese platters to parties 😉
Let’s talk cheese. You don’t need to go crazy; choose a few different types of cheeses thinking about both flavor and texture. If you have a good grocery store with a specialty cheese section; go there! Local Co-ops and markets are great as well. An educated cheese-monger (yep, totally what they’re called) is so helpful. They can help you sample cheeses and pick out a good variety. I actually reached out to a friend of mine at Whole Foods because they have an amazing cheese department and they hooked me up with some great choices and gave me some really helpful tips.
Remember, you just need to account for little samples for each person, so even if a cheese is expensive per pound you can usually get away with a fairly small amount. Here are some of my personal favorites; and keep in mind I don’t get too crazy with my cheese- I don’t like cheeses that are intense, and if you are serving this at a party it’s better to stay with things that are likely to be in people’s comfort zones! So these are all pretty “safe” bets; try a soft cheese, a hard cheese, and a crumbly cheese, and then add in more if you need to.
Soft Cheeses
Brie: A soft, mild, creamy cheese generally sold in either a wedge or a round. It has an edible rind; we use brie in our Baked Brie with Pepper Jelly recipe.
Camembert: Very similar in taste and texture to Brie. Many people feel it has a slightly stronger taste, in both the cheese and rind. Brie is so widely available that I almost always choose it over Camembert.
Chèvre/Goat Cheese: Honestly? I don’t love goat cheese. I actually don’t even like goat cheese. But a lot of people do, and it’s widely available even at not-so-well stocked grocery stores so that’s a good choice if you enjoy it.
Boursin/Gourney: You can find Boursin in most grocery stores now too, and my Costco carries it. If you haven’t tried it, it’s a must. It’s like a flavored cream-cheese-ish cheese fantastic spread on crackers or fresh french bread. I could easily eat an entire little bundle all my myself. Seriously. Rondele is another name you’ll see; they taste almost identical.
And for hard cheeses, I love
Gruyere: This is one of my favorite cheeses to cook with. It comes from Switzerland (which makes me love it even more as I have some ties to Switzerland). The flavor is distinct, but not overpowering. We use it in our Zucchini Quiche, and a lot of baked pasta dishes. It is sold in a block or slice, usually with a rind on one side that you do not eat. It kind of reminds me of a cheese that would result from Parmesan and Swiss Cheese having a baby.
Parmesan Cheese: Fresh Parm is always a good bet. It’s familiar and distinct and you know you can use leftovers if you end up with any! I’d link some recipes we use Parmesan in, but there are like, 400 of them. Just visit our pasta section.
Aged Cheddar: A really good, aged cheddar is fantastic. There are lots of varieties, so try to sample some for a flavor you love.
Gouda: Smoked gouda is one of my very favorite cheeses; it usually has a waxy rind with a creamy, sweet interior. The smoky flavor is strong enough to really impart the flavor; it’s great to eat plain.
and then there’s…
Blue Cheese (Roquefort/Gorgonzola/Stilton): I know, I know…they can be scary. I will admit I am very timid with blue cheeses; they have a very distinct flavor and odor. I have a hard time eating them plain, but I can eat 6 of these Blue Cheese Stuffed Potatoes in one sitting (seriously, those babies are amazing). So when combined with the right things, they can add a great flavor combination to the plate.
Labeling
Labeling the cheese is really important; people need to know what they’re trying! Cheese sets (like this one I borrowed from cheese-plate-Wendy) often come with little name tags, but a toothpick with a label on it will do just as well.
You’ll also need a little knife for each cheese. Again, you can get a set of cheese knives that comes with different forks and knifes for the different varieties. You could also just use a few sharp paring knives. Just be sure to have a knife for each cheese; you want to avoid mixing the knives as they’ll mix flavors.
What to serve?
Try a variety of crackers and a fresh baguette. I love 34° Crispbread; have you guys all tried those? My grandma introduced me to them (the rosemary flavor is to die for) and I always eat up her stock pile when I visit her in Utah. She buys them at a little local market, so I was totally surprised when I saw them a few months ago at my local Walmart of all places. Anyway, tangent over. Try some interesting crackers and toasts. And seriously- gotta say I love me some Wheat Thins!
Also, grab a couple of jams or preserves. Sour cherry is especially great with cheese and fruit, and one that I was surprised by was fig jam. It was SO amazing with brie and an apple slice. Pepper jelly is fantastic with cheese as well. I’ve found a really great assortment of specialty jams and preserves at both World Market and Whole Foods. If you have a local Co-op or Farmers Market, that’s a great place to check out as well. And as for cheeses, while specialty cheese counters are wonderful; I’ve found great selections at Costco and Sam’s Club as well. If you know what you want, that’s a great place to check.
Lastly, set out some fresh fruit. Pear and apple slices are a must, and some berries and grapes are great too, as well as some nuts.
It might help to have some little cards out suggesting what people pair together. Blue Stilton with Sour Cherry Spread, for example
or as I mentioned, fig spread with brie and apple.
And then just let people have at it.
I promise it will be such a great addition to your next party spread! One last tip is to set your cheeses out at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving; that way they’ll be at their best.
While this is not a sponsored post, my friends at Whole Foods did supply me with some cheeses and we want you to enjoy some too! Don’t worry, they’ll send ya cash, not cheese. Better, right? Then you can go spend it on whatever you want. Listen carefully folks, this is not the giveaway post. If you enter here your comment will be deleted. Comments here should be all about the love of cheese! Seriously, let’s talk cheese plates. When you’re done with that, and if you’re reading this via email, click here. Don’t email me. I say that in the most loving way 🙂 I hope you all have a happy, and *safe* New Years! Please don’t hop in your cars if you’ve been celebrating the night away with bubbly 🙂 We’ll see you again in 2012!!
A very well done break down! I know exactly what to add to our new years eve spread!
Blues of any kind are my fav., and smoked is Devine.
cheese is not one of my favorites because it seems to overpower the food I am eating, but I do love the more milder cheeses, but after reading this information, it will give me new tools to find correct ways to use and eat cheese. Thanks!
Best cheese ever is some hard cheddar….Cougar Gold. Made by WSU students…my mother introduced me to it years ago and has been my favorite since!
This is helpful… Maybe it will help me like cheese more if I eat higher quality cheese 🙂
I was introduced to ‘good’ cheese from a couple in grad school. He had gotten a masters degree in Ireland and they were so knowledgeable about cheeses that I would have been afraid to go out and buy. They are still my go-to people about cheese.
I feel the same way about bleu cheese… But I found I LOVE it paired with walnuts. 🙂 Thanks for the tips!
I love cheese and I wasn’t always a cheese lover! Brie is definitely a great soft cheese. I also love, love, love goat cheese on bread, in salads and Quinoa dishes. Havarti is soooo delish too.
Thank you for some great information. I have to say that I am especially fond of Havarti and just about any kind of smoked cheese. I now know what I am going to serve at my next party! Thank you, thank you.
My husband would love me (even more, of course!) if I was good at this sort of thing. I’ll have to try it some time!
Manchego is a must for any cheese plate of mine, as is smoked gouda w/ triscuits!
I come from a large Italian family and we have a cheese plate at every gathering. But, mostly Italian cheeses. Your post has some great new ideas I can’t wait to try.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh cheese. It makes me happy!
Cheese is my favorite food! I could live without any other food but I could never give up cheese!!! For Christmas Eve I put a package of cream cheese and about a 1/3 – 1/2 C roasted red pepper strips in the food processor and served it with Milton’s crackers and salami. Huge hit and about the simplest appetizer I have ever made! Thanks for all your brilliant ideas!!!!
Thanks for the tutorial! I think suggesting combinations would be really helpful. That’s an excuse to try a bunch of combinations yourself first, right? 🙂 Yum!
I love this post!! We have a family tradition of doing this for a family meal. Fruits, cheeses, crackers and breads. Strangely we’ve never added spreads (ie jellies or preserves) to our spread, lol. that is going to have to be a must. I think i’m gonna make this a new years tradition with my husband and kiddos. And we’ll have to add nuts too. Thank you for the ideas to add to one my favorite family traditions growing up!!
Havarti is by far the best cheese. Great with anything or just by itself. I hope I win!
Thanks for the tips! I love those Raincoast Crisps-all flavors. They are so addicting.
Happy New Year! Excited to see all the new recipes that you two will be sharing!
We just had an amazing Cheese Day party just yesterday. I wish I could remember all the cheese we tried. I tend to be on the safe/boring side with cheese, but I have changed my mind after yesterday.
Could be cause I’m expecting but I’m a little obsessed with cheese. Of all kinds, but especially the kinds that are hard to get where I live (Chedder, Gouyere) Cheese plates may be one of my favorite concoctions…. Thanks for the post and the great pictures!
I am planning a house warming party in a couple weeks and was trying to think of something really nice to serve. This is it. I hope I am grown up enough and cool enough to pull it off 🙂 Thanks!
Thanks for all the great tips regarding different cheeses. I cannot wait to try some of them!
Love the details about the different cheeses! Having a cheese spread is one of those things that say, “Man, that girl has it together!” I’ve never done one though 🙂
I love cheese boards for a get together. I always add the tall, skinny breadsticks to give it some height. I also put some some olives nearby.
Oka is a nice smooth mild cheese. Also if you go to a deli store you can get hundreds of variations of different cheeses that have other things already added to them. We went to one this summer on Vancouver Island (Canada) and got a dozen to put a platter together… amazing! Lots of cheeses have additions like jalapenos, olives, or spices or even minced vegetables. My favorite was a mild but salty cheese with truffles that was just out of this world and I can’t remember what it was called! Anyone know?
Recently I have seen an idea on Pinterest that I like, which is a slate serving board on which you can write the names of various cheeses with chalk to label them. There is also a “recipe” for making your own chalk board paint (2 TBS non-sanded grout to a cup of latex paint), so in theory one could make any color chalkboard paint that they like, paint a tray with it, write out the names of your cheese selection with chalk, cover with a piece of glass, place cheese, you get the idea!
Why is cheese so scary? Maybe my new years resolution should be to try new cheeses!
I used to work with a gal who said “cheese comes from God” – you’ve got to love cheese! Cheese and crackers is one of our fave watching football games snacks. This article has some good suggestions.
I’m not crazy about cheese plain– but love it baked in different dishes. However, a friend of ours last year dropped off some soft cheese, apricot preserves and crackers and it was divine! So maybe I should just try making a cheese plate one time and see what happens. 🙂
We have the cutest little Cheesemonger at our local Harmons store. He knows his cheese, and I always search him out when I want to try something new. He never steers me wrong!