4 Tips for a Perfect Cheese Plate

There’s nothing like those first ooh’s and ah’s from your guests when they catch sight of a beautiful cheese spread. Once you know the basic rules of building an impressive cheese platter, they’re actually very easy to throw together. Here are 4 rules to help you build a beautiful cheese board every time.

1. Choose 3 - 6 kinds of cheese

This will give you enough variety, without overwhelming your palate. Look for a variety of milk-types, styles, ages, and textures. If the cheese plate is an appetizer, you want to feed each person 1 - 2oz of cheese total. If it’s the main course, aim for 3 - 4oz.

2. Add a variety of accompaniments

Get creative and pair your cheese with a mix of sweet, savory, juicy, and crunchy items. One accompaniment per cheese is a great rule of thumb. Keep messy things like olives and jams in a separate bowl to keep it from contaminating the cheese.

3. Bring everything to room temperature

Refrigeration dulls the flavor and changes the texture of cheese, so let the soft ones sit out for 20 minutes, and firmer wedges for up to an hour. Accompaniments taste better at room temperature as well.

4. Cut the cheese just before serving

You don’t need to break down every wedge, but slicing off a few pieces will help guide your guests and keep your platters pretty. Check out our guide to cutting cheese here, and remember to use a different knife for each cheese so you don’t mix flavors  

Got some leftovers? Just wrap each wedge of cheese in Formaticum.