Hospitality Business
Food Solutions
Beverage Solutions
Catering Equipment
Hotel Solutions
Furnishings & Decor.jpg)
Anybody can purchase a selection of cheeses from the supermarket and arrange them on a plate with some crackers. But this will neither do justice to your hospitality nor your style. A good cheese board has five components that are easy to bring together and which will not only complement the occasion but also satisfy the varied tastes of your guests.
1. The Platter
Let the event decide what type of patter should be used. A summer lunch on the patio or under the trees will call for a rustic-looking wooden board with enough space for a number of cheeses and their accompaniments. Place a few green vine or spinach leaves under the cheese to complete the Mediterranean look. A white porcelain platter would be ideal to place in the centre of the table after a dignified Sunday lunch at which your daughter introduced her new parents-in-law. The visual appeal of cheeses increases if they are stylishly placed on a white background. Finally, if you are hosting a posh dinner where you would like to impress your guests, it will be best to place your hand-picked cheeses on a light-coloured marble slab to substantiate the praise your cheese board will most certainly attract.
2. Variety and Texture
Although it is considered trendy to use only artisan handmade cheeses because of their novel value and rustic appearances, one should remember that some of your guests may be traditionalists for whom you should include a good old Vintage Cheddar or Gouda. For this reason, it is wise to balance the board between old and new varieties. Washed rind cheeses with their bright orange rind, Brie with a snowy white rind and blues with their greenish-grey moulds are just the sorts that will make your cheese board special. Be sure to include fresh, soft, semi-hard and brushed-rind cheeses as well, as they all have very different textures and thus mouth feel.
3. Flavour
The answer to the question of flavour is in variety, though it must be a balanced variety, as one cheese should not overpower the rest. The answer lies in, for instance, having a milky fresh cream cheese, a mild brushed-rind Raclette, a Vintage Welsh Cheddar and a perfectly-ripe Pont L’ Eveque. Do not forget to include a good goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese to stretch the taste buds of the traditionalists – they need it to make the gastronomic jump to more flavourful cheeses!
4. Shape and Colour
Different shapes and colours add an extra dimension to your cheese board, while simultaneously complementing one another. Do not just select wedges or blocks but be sure to include rolls, balls, heart-shaped and oval types – they attract attention and add variety. Your cheese board will be a feast for the eyes and the palate if you have chosen different shapes and colours such as pure white, creamy, straw and yellow cheeses.
5. Accompaniments and Serving
Whatever you do, do not serve the cheese with sandwich or toasted bread and butter. This is a Victorian habit that we should bury. Use, if you must, some rustic French bread or a nutty whole-wheat loaf. The tried and trusted water biscuit remains the best, however, as it does not interfere with the flavour of the cheese.
Fruits such as fresh green grapes, red apples and figs give extra authenticity to your cheese board. For the traditionalist one can add a few preserved figs, though you are likely to receive more compliments if you add a handful of pistachio nuts to the board. Carrots and mushrooms do not do much for cheese, though small pieces of very fresh celery as well as olives do add to the enjoyment of many cheeses.
Do not serve the cheeses direct from the refrigerator. Rather, give them at least an hour to warm up until they are at around 15°C. You should ideally have a knife for each cheese, but make certain you have no less than three at the ready, aiding the ease at which guests can help themselves. This also prevents the same knife being used for the blue as for the fresh chèvre.
User Login
