(Bloomberg Businessweek) -- Cheese board: Two words that have come to mean much more than the sum of their parts. The go-to appetizer platter has become a competitive sport among hosts, driven by a fanaticism for curds from around the world, from supremely creamy to challengingly funky. But even though these plates have inspired Instagram pages with hundreds of thousands of followers, like @ThatCheesePlate, creating your own photo-worthy selection is as simple as following these six rules—and bending them when you need to. Because the true joy of filling up a fantastic cheese board is watching it empty out as people dive in.
① Variety Is Key
Besides a mix of base milks—cow, goat, sheep—consider textures. Arrange crowd-pleasing classics such as Camembert and the goat cheese Bucheron alongside adventurous, full-flavored cheeses like the blue-veined Red Rock cheddar and the bloomy-rinded Italian buffalo cheese Casatica. Plan for 1 or 2 oz. per person per cheese.
② Your Plate Should Be Crowded
Ignore the rule of thumb that food needs space to look appealing. “Cheese plates are impressive when they’re full,” says thatcheeseplate.com founder Marissa Mullen. Create a wave of folded cured meat, such as salami or prosciutto, to intersect the board, and fill any gaps with nuts and fresh and dried fruit.
③ Sweet Sides Are Mandatory
Fig jam and quince jelly have become staples to balance the richness and accentuate the saltiness of cheese. More advanced options include hot honey, cabernet pepper wine jelly, and pungent apricot mostarda, an Italian preserve made with mustard.
④ Vegan Is Not a Crime
For the inevitable dairy-free guest, there’s an expanding category of well-crafted options from companies such as California’s Vromage (try the truffle brie or “picorino,” with ash), French-style nut cheese from Treeline, or Dr. Cow’s Cajun-aged cashew cheese.
⑤ Timing Counts
Cheese should sit out for about 45 minutes before serving to optimize the texture—wait for it to come to room temperature before cutting. Serve small-format fresh and young cheeses (i.e., chèvre, burrata, robiola) whole; chip firmer ones (cheddar, blue) from a large piece; and cut semi-hard varieties (Alpine, natural rind) into wedges or chunks. The goal is to create a tapestry, according to Cheese Boards to Share, by Thalassa Skinner (Ryland Peters & Small; $21). Cut soft cheeses with a thin knife, or one with holes in the blade, which stop the cheese from sticking to the metal.
⑥ Themes Are a Wow Factor
If you’re serving wine from, say, France’s Jura district, try cheeses with a similar, complementary terroir (local source). Advanced cheese lovers might create a “vertical tasting plate” made with Gouda or jack from different age profiles, or seasonal, limited batches. Theresa McNamara, Head of Salumi and Formaggi for Eataly North America, recommends cow’s-milk selections from different Alpine valleys made by farmers who migrate their cattle seasonally.
What Cheese Is on Our Board?
1. Senneri Huban Alp Blossom — Austrian cow’s milk, coated with herbs, marigolds, and lavender
2. and 5. Aged white cheddar
3. Caseificio Quattro Portoni Casatica di Bufala — creamy buffalo milk cheese from Italy
4. Roelli Red Rock – orange Wisconsin cheddar with veins of blue cheese
6. Vermont Creamery Coupole — aged goat’s milk cheese
7. and 10. Christian Oberli Red Witch — Paprika-rubbed semi hard cow’s milk cheese from Switzerland
8. Queso Fresco — fresh Mexican cheese
9. Burrata — ubiquitous, cream-filled mozzarella
11. Pitou-Chevre Delice de Poitou — ash-coated French goat cheese
12. Goat gouda — semi-firm goats milk version of the French classic
13. Cabrales — potent Spanish blue cheese
… And to Fill it Out?
Carbs: Sliced baguette, crackers (olive and regular)
Meats: prosciutto, Serrano ham, chorizo, soppressata
Nuts: Marcona almonds, pistachios, corn nuts
Vegetables: pickled okra, cornichons, sun-dried tomatoes, radishes, Peppadew peppers (cheese-stuffed and plain)
Fruits: pomegranates, crab apples, tiger figs, cherries
Olives: Castelvetranos
Sweets: candied ginger, honey, basil
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