Entertaining Tip: Presenting the Perfect Cheese Platter

If you are having people over this weekend, a nice starter to get everyone in the mood is a nice well presented cheese platter with a glass of wine full of entincing bouquet.  Moms' Buzz is cheese lover so here we are giving you easy tips on creating the perfect cheese platter. Have fun displaying your cheeses!

1. Feature three-to-five different cheese varieties and plan on about two-to-three ounces of cheese per guest.
2. Serve the cheese on a flat ceramic platter, flat wicker tray, wood cutting board or slab of marble or granite.
3. Vary the heights of the cheese pieces to give them a terraced effect and visual interest.
4. Present the cheeses in a variety of shapes. Semi-soft cheeses, such as brick, are best displayed as chunks. Hard cheeses, such as Parmesan, are best crumbled into bite sized pieces or served from a wedge with a shaver. Firm cheeses, such as provolone, lend themselves to slicing.
   Include some bold cuts - rectangles or wedges look best - along with cheese that you have already sliced or cubed.
5. Try to offset the cheeses' colors and tastes with beautiful curly greens, grapes or whole strawberries. Do not garnish with any wet food that will "bleed" into the cheese.
   Cheese is best served at room temperature. Bring your cheeses to room temperature approximately an hour prior to serving.
6. Space cheeses far apart or separate them with garnishing or fruit to enhance the beauty of the platter's apperance and preserve each cheese's unique flavor.
7. Serve the cheese course with proper utensils. Sharp edges are required to cut hard cheese servings; rounded-edge utensils work well with soft cheeses.
8. Accompany a variety of Carr's crackers or other brands with the cheese platter.
9. Serve a great wine!

Below is a short and sweet table that will guide you through the different categories of cheese for a quick reference and selection:

Category	Novice Platter	Intermediate Platter	Connoisseur Platter
Soft cheese	Brie Camembert Triple crème	Bleubry La Sauvagine Providence Oka	Borgonzola Empereur Le Saint-Damase
Semi-soft cheese	Fontina Havarti Monterey Jack	Cantonnier Gruyère Noyan	Bénédictin Blue Classic Oka Le Douanier
Firm cheese	Canadian Swiss Colby Friulano	Gouda Miranda Raclette	Aged Provolone Extra Aged Gouda Extra Old Cheddar

Now that you are an expert on cheeses and its presentation, get them all on board!

- The Moms' Buzz

source: www.elcomercio.com.pe

Comments

[Lara Hayes]

It was my father's 60th birthday and we were having a little get together, so I brought along the cheese platter and a beautiful chablis. It was fantastic. Thanks for the tip.

[Stephanie Dobson]

Ok, here it goes! My first cheese platter for my fiances most valued private equity investor!! Thanks for the info!