Preparing a Cheese Platter

Last week my mom and dad planned a party at their house for my grandpa Eddie’s 96th birthday.   Because my mom knew I’ve been busy at work selling homes, starting my blog,  studying for the brokers exam, and Isabelle’s volleyball games, she asked me to bring cheese, crackers and some fruit.   I LOVE cheese!  Jerry, my husband,  often comments that at any given time, I will have 15 different types of cheese in the refrigerator.    I called him out on it once.  We pulled all the cheese out and I only had 11 different cheeses – hah, take that  Jerry.  I do admit that count of 11 included cream cheese and Kraft singles, which I actually didn’t think should have been counted.  Jerry once even tried to put me on a cheese buying ration – that didn’t last long.  He’s now gotten over my cheese hoarding.  He said as long as it makes me happy.  What a great guy!

Tips for assembling a proper cheese platter:

• Choose  a theme for the cheese platter: a variety of textures & flavors (hard, soft, semi-soft, mild, sharp), by countries (USA, Spain, Italy, England, Greece), by different states, by type (from goat, sheep, cow milk)
• Serve at least one familiar cheese and one unfamiliar cheese
• Serve cheese at room temperature.
• Provide a different knife for each cheese
• Serve on a large wooden cutting board, marble slab or platter
• Label each cheese
• Arrange cheese on the platter clockwise from mild to strong
• Precut hard cheeses
• Consider the accompaniments.  Sliced baguettes, crackers, artisan bread, cornichons, preserved meats, sundried tomatoes, apricots, plums, pears, apples, figs, grapes, a thick balsamic vinegar, honey, spicy mustard, jams & jellies can be perfect pairings for cheese.

 

From a posting on abeautifulesss.com, I found inspiration for my cheese platter.  I served the following:

• Stilton Blue Cheese with Honey and Figs
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese with Spicy Mustard
• Dubliner with Granny Smith Apples
• Creamy Brie with Champaigne Orange Marmalade
• Goat Cheese with Candied Cinnamon Almonds

I purchased most of the cheese from Trader Joe’s.  They have an excellent assortment.  Other great spots to purchase cheese in Indianapolis are The Cheese Shop, Whole Foods and The Fresh Market.