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Serving Cheese
1. When putting together a cheese board, to be served before or after dinner, remember to limit your selection to no more than five different cheeses. Serve cheeses of different sizes, shapes, and flavor or texture profiles to create diversity and add interest to your cheese board. Strong, pungent cheeses shouldn’t be placed next to delicately flavored cheeses, and try to have individual knives for each cheese.
2. Even modest cheese trays can be elegant when attention is given to the presentation. Try serving cheeses on a wooden board, marble slab, straw mat, or flat wicker basket. Do not to overcrowd the serving tray, as your guests will need room to slice the cheeses. Serve bread and/or plain crackers on a separate plate, or in a wicker basket.
3. Apples, pears, grapes, strawberries, fresh figs and melon add variety to a cheese board, especially if cheese is being served with cocktails. Additional accompaniments can include nuts, such as walnuts or Marcona almonds, fig cakes, and any manner of condiments, such as floral honeys, wine jellies, and Italian mostarda.
4. When designing a menu, consider when you want to serve cheese. Serving cheese after the main course, prior to or in place of dessert, adds an elegant touch to casual dinners. If served with cocktails, before dinner, remember that cheeses can be filling. Serve in limited quantities and variety.
5. For best flavor, serve cheese at room temperature.
6. Remove cheese from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes prior to serving. Large cheeses require a longer time to reach room temperature than soft-ripened cheeses.
7. Only remove the amount of cheese you will be using from the refrigerator.
8. Keep the cheese wrapped so it doesn’t dry out. Unwrap it just before serving.
9. If you are serving individual portions, it is easier to cut the soft cheeses while they are still cold. Bring them to room temperature after they are cut.
10. If you are presenting cheeses on one cheese platter, do not cut them into individual servings in advance. It is best to let guests slice their own portions.
11. Be sure that cheeses on a platter have sufficient room between one another to allow for easy cutting or slicing.
12. Try to have individual knives or serving tools for each cheese served.
13. Avoid placing strong, pungent cheeses right beside delicately flavored cheeses.
14. Wrap and refrigerate any leftover cheese as soon as possible.
