Cheese Plate Perfection

Get to know your cheesemonger

It might seem overwhelming trying to choose what cheese is right for your needs. Fear not! Your local cheesemonger is there to help you! A cheesemonger is the person who manages your local cheese shop (or the cheese counter in some stores) and has extensive knowledge about different cheeses and their flavor, production, and pairing ideas. Don't be afraid to ask questions- they are there to help!

                                                              

Variety

It is important to have a variety of textures and flavors on your cheese plate, but you also should consider having a familiar cheese (such as cheddar) available. An easy place to start is to purchase one of each of the following: an aged cheese, soft cheese, firm cheese, and a blue cheese. You might also consider varying your cheeses by the type of milk used to create it (goat/sheep/cow). 

Amount

The amount of cheese on your plate should depend on a few different factors. Is it for an appetizer, a main course, or a dessert course? How many people will be eating? I found a few different answers to this question online and they seem to vary a little bit. For the most part, if you are serving cheese as an hors d'oeuvre thank most recommend serving between one and three ounces of cheese per person. If cheese is the main course, plan on about four ounces per person.

Tips

Sounds simple enough right? Well in my research I found that most people had the same suggestions to make serving your cheese plate as smooth as possible. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Set out cheese an hour ahead of time
• Pre-slice hard cheeses so your guests won't have to
• Keep smelly cheese separated from more delicate cheeses
• Label each cheese variety