I allow about 3 ounces of cheese per guest if we are just tasting or it's an appetizer plate before a meal. If I want these as a main course I allow 6 to 7 ounces per person.
The other thing I like to do is select ones that combine styles, textures and colors (see "pairings" below). I like to offer different looks, tastes, and feels such as one soft-ripened, one hard and probably a blue. And if I am serving more than three, I like to add one or two with different flavor and color.
Occasionally I'll have a theme tray, such as all blues or all local ones.When I have guests coming I realize some are great cheese lovers and some are "beginners." I try to offer a variety of flavors, with enough mild ones available so everyone can be accommodated. If my tray offered all "stinky" selections, some of my guests would have to stop at a fast food place on the way home.
I usually have a couple kinds of artisan breads or baguettes and interesting crackers, as well as apples, pears, nuts and dried fruit as part of the tray.
I arrange my tray at least an hour or two before my guests arrive. Cheese needs to sit at room temperature for full flavors to be enjoyed. I provide one knife for each selection so flavors don't mingle.
· Serve all soft ripened cheeses in wedges
· Serve fresh soft cheeses like Brie, in the entire form and have a knife to cut and spread it onto crackers or bread
· Semi-soft cheeses should be served pre-cut in the size you desire
· Semi-hard cheeses should be cut into wedges or cubes that expose the cheese to the air
· Hard cheeses should be pre-cut into pieces
· Bleu cheeses should be served in chunks created by your cheese knife
· Arrange cheeses with seasonal fruits cut into bit size pieces (this is also an opportunity to have a few nuts as part of your Fruit and Cheese Tray as well.
· Don't forget your tongs, cheese knives, cheese forks, utensils and/or wooden picks and serving plates and ...don't forget to have a great time!
No comments:
Post a Comment