Recently I held a class in my home through a program our synagogue created featuring a series of cooking demos.
The subject was the presentation of a cheese and fruit board for entertaining. It was a lot of fun, and everyone went away having learned something, me included!
A few have already put their newfound knowledge to work and created their own cheese boards!
We all mingled afterward enjoying the cheese and fruit with a glass of wine.
My passion for cooking and baking has always included presentation as well.
I have always believed food should look as delicious and inviting as it tastes. It’s the cherry on top, so to speak.
Sometimes it is as simple as careful placement, and scattering of herbs and some grilled lemon halves to turn the grilled chicken into a work of art…case in point, this brick chicken platter below… (check the recipe out for this summer
But I digress from the topic at hand…so getting back to the cheese and fruit board…
I did some research myself and came up with some very helpful tips to aid you in preparing a display which will wow your guests.
The goal is to make it as inviting as possible and easy for your guests to manage.
Here are a several rules to help you get there…
1. Serve the cheese at room temperature (take out of fridge an hour before)
2. Too many choices can be overwhelming. Serve 3 to 5 different cheeses so there’s a varied selection and everyone can find something they like.
3. Choose a variety of milks. At least one of each…cow, sheep, and goat. Today you can even find combos.
4.Choose a variety of textures, which can range from young, soft, spreadable and creamy to firm, semi-hard, hard, crumbly and aged. (lots of choices)
5. It is very important to have a separate utensil for each individual cheese so one cheese won’t take on the flavor of another.
6. This tip deals with the ease of your guests serving themselves. To make it less intimidating for them, especially if they are the first at the cheese board, have a few slices precut, and they can follow your lead.
For example, a soft creamy cheese can simply have a spreader in it, a semi-firm cheese can be cut into batons, or slices, and a hard cheese can be chunked, or broken into shards.
Assembling the Cheese Board
Begin with the cheese.. evenly space the room temperature cheese on the platter or board, allowing space for you to cut and to fill in with all the goodies. Leave a larger space in the center to mound grapes or berries, for example.
If you are doing a large display with a lot on the board it makes sense to place the cheese rind facing the center and the part to be cut facing outward for the ease of getting to it.
Add structure to the board with little cups or bowls to anchor the arrangement and help contain the loose items such as nuts, olives, honey or jam.
Fill in the gaps with the rest of the goodies…
Place extra bread and crackers in serving pieces nearby if there’s not enough room.
Add some edible flowers and/or herb sprigs for a finishing touch. I used those nasturtium and some mint sprigs. Add cheese markers if you choose.
Think taste, color, and texture! Most of all, have fun with it! And pass the champagne or wine!
The empty canvas, my notes, and some lovely edible nasturtium from a friend’s garden.
The cheeses… A goat cheese from Spain, a Triple Cream Brie from France, a Manchego from Spain, a Gouda from Holland, and a Blue cheese from Point Reyes, California!
The accoutrements, crackers, candied walnuts, Marcona almonds, candied ginger, dried apricots, honey, fig jam.
The fruit
