How to Serve Cheese
Consider a three-cheese platter for your dinner party or cocktail hour., Buy a nice cheese one at a time., Decide your drinks before you choose your cheese., Experiment with different accompaniments for cheese., Remove portions of a cheese wheel...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider a three-cheese platter for your dinner party or cocktail hour.
Many experts like the combination of a soft creamy cheese, a blue cheese and a hard cheese.
For example, Camembert, Stilton and Manchego. -
Step 2: Buy a nice cheese one at a time.
One wheel of aged or traditional cheese is perfect for surprise guests or a snack before going out to dinner., Once you know what type of wine, beer or spirits you’ll be serving, go to the local cheese counter and ask for suggested pairings., Try to use the cuisine of the country where the cheese is made as a guide.
For example, a Spanish cheese might pair well with roasted peppers and a feta might go well with olives.
Other common pairings include quince paste, fruit, jam, salt, pickled items and butter or oil.
A good pairing will bring out the flavor of the cheese.
However, you should taste test to ensure a good match., They should be served at room temperature.
Keep the climate in mind before you serve.
If it’s a hot summer day, your cheese may only need 10 or 15 minutes.
If your refrigerator is particularly cold, your cheese may take an hour to come to room temperature., Keep the rest of the wheel in a cool room or refrigerator. , Wipe the knife, then score the cheese rind.
Apply pressure to the section of cheese you want to cut off by rocking the knife back and forth. ,, Good etiquette dictates that guests shouldn’t leave the rind on the board, whether or not they follow that rule.
Most rinds are edible. , Unless your crowd recognizes cheese by sight, a small chalkboard, a serving card or a label will help them navigate.
You are less likely to have people select a cheese that they won’t like and refuse to eat if you label everything. , of cheese per person.
For a light snack or appetizer, plan for 30 to 60g (one to two oz.).
For a party where cheese is the highlight, plan on 100 to 120g (3.5 to
4.2oz.) per person.
Multiply the number of people you are hosting by the number of oz. you want to provide and shop accordingly. , Cheese platters or trays should be large, so that a person can cut off a piece of cheese without it touching other types of cheese with their hands or utensils. , Cut two, lay them perpendicularly to the cheese wedge and lay a sharp knife nearby.
Avoid cutting all the cheese into slices or cubes.
It will dry out more quickly, especially if it is left out in the open air. , Use a different knife for each cheese, so that the flavors don’t get mixed.
Use knives with prongs at the end, if possible, so that guests can easily transfer the cheese to their plate. ,, Don’t place them around the cheese plate or parts of your platter may get covered by the crackers. -
Step 3: Decide your drinks before you choose your cheese.
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Step 4: Experiment with different accompaniments for cheese.
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Step 5: Remove portions of a cheese wheel from the fridge approximately 30 minutes before you plan to serve them.
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Step 6: Cut a portion of cheese before serving if you have a whole wheel.
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Step 7: Create a clean cut from the wheel by dipping a sharp cook’s knife in hot water.
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Step 8: Consider plating the cheeses separately if you don’t have large platters or plates on which to display them.
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Step 9: Leave the rind on the cheese when you serve it.
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Step 10: Label your cheese before you serve it.
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Step 11: Serve between 20 and 120 g (0.7 to 4.2oz.)
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Step 12: Keep the cheeses separated from each other.
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Step 13: Cut a few pieces of hard cheese in advance to guide your guests on how large an ideal slice would be.
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Step 14: Provide a butter knife or pate knife to cut and serve soft cheeses.
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Step 15: Serve marinated cheeses with a spoon or a small fork.
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Step 16: Keep crostini
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Step 17: bread slices or crackers in a bowl.
Detailed Guide
Many experts like the combination of a soft creamy cheese, a blue cheese and a hard cheese.
For example, Camembert, Stilton and Manchego.
One wheel of aged or traditional cheese is perfect for surprise guests or a snack before going out to dinner., Once you know what type of wine, beer or spirits you’ll be serving, go to the local cheese counter and ask for suggested pairings., Try to use the cuisine of the country where the cheese is made as a guide.
For example, a Spanish cheese might pair well with roasted peppers and a feta might go well with olives.
Other common pairings include quince paste, fruit, jam, salt, pickled items and butter or oil.
A good pairing will bring out the flavor of the cheese.
However, you should taste test to ensure a good match., They should be served at room temperature.
Keep the climate in mind before you serve.
If it’s a hot summer day, your cheese may only need 10 or 15 minutes.
If your refrigerator is particularly cold, your cheese may take an hour to come to room temperature., Keep the rest of the wheel in a cool room or refrigerator. , Wipe the knife, then score the cheese rind.
Apply pressure to the section of cheese you want to cut off by rocking the knife back and forth. ,, Good etiquette dictates that guests shouldn’t leave the rind on the board, whether or not they follow that rule.
Most rinds are edible. , Unless your crowd recognizes cheese by sight, a small chalkboard, a serving card or a label will help them navigate.
You are less likely to have people select a cheese that they won’t like and refuse to eat if you label everything. , of cheese per person.
For a light snack or appetizer, plan for 30 to 60g (one to two oz.).
For a party where cheese is the highlight, plan on 100 to 120g (3.5 to
4.2oz.) per person.
Multiply the number of people you are hosting by the number of oz. you want to provide and shop accordingly. , Cheese platters or trays should be large, so that a person can cut off a piece of cheese without it touching other types of cheese with their hands or utensils. , Cut two, lay them perpendicularly to the cheese wedge and lay a sharp knife nearby.
Avoid cutting all the cheese into slices or cubes.
It will dry out more quickly, especially if it is left out in the open air. , Use a different knife for each cheese, so that the flavors don’t get mixed.
Use knives with prongs at the end, if possible, so that guests can easily transfer the cheese to their plate. ,, Don’t place them around the cheese plate or parts of your platter may get covered by the crackers.
About the Author
Joshua Ward
Committed to making practical skills accessible and understandable for everyone.
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