Dinner Party, Guides, How To

A How To Guide: Dinner Party Cheese Platters

Cheese platters

For people hosting upscale dinner parties, it’s all about the food! Instead of the standard sliced cheeses from the ready-made section of the local grocery store deli, sophisticated foodies are opting for high-quality cheeses that are conversation pieces.

There are several questions people should consider before purchasing cheeses for a dinner party.

  • How many people will be attending?
  • Will the cheese course be an appetizer or an after-dinner treat?
  • Are there any particular must-try cheeses or ones that should be avoided?
  • What is the overall budget?

The average hors d’oeuvre course should accommodate one to two ounces of each cheese for each person. If the cheese is an after-dinner course, one to one-and-a-half ounces of cheese per person should suffice. One high-quality cheese is enough for an appetizer, but if hosts want the cheeses to stand out as a conversation piece, it’s best to showcase three to six select cheeses.

When choosing cheeses, consider the following tips:

  • If the cheese is an appetizer course, consider serving lighter cheeses. Fresh mozzarella and herb-coated goat cheeses are excellent choices.
  • After dinner courses can accommodate a single rich cheese or more full-flavored robust options, such as blue, aged Gouda, Manchego or rich cheddar.
  • Consider selecting a cheese theme, such as Italian, French or Spanish.
  • Opt for selecting one cheese for each type of milk – sheep, cow and goat.
  • Select cheeses with different textures. For example, Brie is a creamy cheese, cheddar is firm and Parmigiano-Reggiano requires grating.
  • There are additional options that hosts may consider. A cheese theme may revolve around choosing a single type of cheese – sheep, cow or goat – and sampling a variety of cheeses within this subtype. Another option is to try three of four different cheeses from the same category. For example, try several varieties of Camembert or Brie.

Arranging a cheese platter is part of the presentation. Select a large wooden cheese board or arrange the cheese on a dinner plate with a stunning charger plate underneath. This elevates any dishware pattern, as charger plates come in a variety of styles, including mirrored charger plates, gold charger plates and even circle charger plates. It is advisable to avoid crowding a cheese platter, using a different knife for each cheese. Cheeses should be served with neutral flavored crackers or bread.

Most importantly, cheese should be served at room temperature to allow the full, robust flavors to ripen. To accomplish this, cheese should rest at room temperature for an hour before serving.

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