Goat milk cheeses, walnuts, homemade crackers and onion jam
Sometimes a platter of swiss, monterey jack, and cheddar all cut up into neat little cubes makes for a perfect(and perfectly yummy) cheese platter.
At other times, the cheese plate can be more of a conversation piece. When this is a goal, then give your guests something to talk about! These days, we have incredible access to a large assortment of imported and domestic artisanal cheeses, and it’s very likely that the 3 or 4 cheeses you select for your presentation will be familiar to your guests. This means that the cheese plate can be both entertaining AND educational, just like a good wine tasting.
When we assemble a cheese plate at Beekman 1802 we always choose a theme for the plate. This makes choosing the cheeses easier whether you have the help of someone behind the cheese counter or not.
Sometimes the theme is local cheeses (which of course includes Beekman 1802 Blaak). or if there’s a specific cuisine on the menu for the night, we might choose cheeses from one country or region. For the 2009 Harvest Feast, we highlighted a trio of milks (goat, cow, and sheep).
If you’ve come up with a great theme for a cheese plate, please share it in the comment section below.
For a great overview of cheese plate basics, check out artisanalcheese.com
Hi, PJ
Almost every grocery store now has at least a couple of gluten-free cracker options. This is probably your best option. You can also serve some salty nuts if you need that extra “crunch”
Hi Josh and Brent,
I would love to serve a selection of cheeses as an appetizer for an upcoming dinner party, but have a guest with a gluten-intolerence. Do you have any suggestions for cheese/accompaniment pairings that could be eaten sans-bread or -crackers? Thank you so much!
PJ
Hi, Mari
We think simple is best and the most elegant. Choosing your serving board will dictate a lot. A slate cutting board is much more sophisticated and elegant. A wooden board is more rustic and marble can be somewhere in between. In terms of deciding what cheeses to serve, a good rule of thumb is “something old (and aged cheese like Blaak), something new (a fresh, soft cheese) and something blue (a pungent bleu cheese). For pairings, just remember that opposites attract. Pair a salty cheese with something sweet and a dry cheese with something juicy or moist.
I am giving a dinner party for eight mid-August, and would like to include a very ‘sophisticated’ looking and tasting cheese tray to begin. Can you give me any ideas as to what to serve and how to present? Are there any websites that might have pictures of cheese/fruit presentations to see that I might be able to (sort of) copy ?? !!! ?? Thank you sincerely ~~
Hi, Patricia
That sounds like a fun evening! Stop back by with any juicy details
Good morning
I am hosting a “Julie & Julia” dinner party next Sunday based on the movie/book and Julia Childs’ Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Everyone is bring a dish, etc to share based on Julia’s recipes. We will of course, have a French cheese plate so your ideas on cheese platters is very timely.
I love the website too on Artisanal Cheese. Ideas for an interesting, delicious French cheese platter welcome!
Bon appetit,
Patricia
Hi, John
You just made me really hungry for a late night snack!
Glad you like the cheese
Whoa, the Beekman Blaak just arrived and it is delicious. I had a nice little pre-dinner wedge and the mind started thinking about grating it onto a couple of scrambled eggs; or eating it with some fresh pear and pecans; or putting a few slices onto a biscuit with some ham!
You’ve got a winner. Excessively effusive thanks post-tasting.
John
Hi, Josh and Brent:
A few years back, a friend taught me that a few squiggles of balsamic syrup or glaze onto a chunk of parmesan really sends the cheese’s flavor into the stratosphere. I now drizzle or dot some form of balsamic reduction around the edges of the plate when serving parmesan or similar cheeses and instruct my guests to drag a piece of the cheese through it before eating. Try it.
And I can’t wait for the arrival of my Beekman Blaak, due any day now! Excessively effusive thanks in advance.
John