Updated: May 30, 2019
There are SO many choices when it comes to building your cheese plate – and there’s really no right or wrong way to do it! Here’s an outline on the basic guidelines below and some ingredient lists for inspiration, but don’t be afraid to make it your own!
CHEESE (CHOOSE 3-5)
Variety is your friend when it comes to cheese! Choose a mix of soft and hard cheeses, flavors, and milk types (cow, goat, or sheep’s milk cheese).
As a general rule, include the following categories on a cheese plate (keeping in mind that it should be about a 50/50 mix of hard and soft cheeses, and that some cheeses might hit two of these bullet points!)
1 familiar flavor (like a sharp white cheddar or a parmesan)
1 exciting flavor (like an extra-tangy goat cheese or an off-the-wall flavor like ash ripened cheese, flavor-infused cheese, or whatever grabs my eye at the store!
2 varieties of milk cheeses (usually cow’s and goat’s-milk cheeses)
1 aged cheese (to mix up the flavors and get something with a lot of depth on the board)
Here are a couple of options to choose from:
Grandor Brie
Grandor Camembert
Grandor Original goat cheese
Grandor Danish blue cheese
Grandor Edam
Grandor Mozzarella
Grandor Gouda mild
Hotos feta
Begader Cremosissimo
Aro Gorgonzola
Old mil
Edam
Gouda
Blue Stilton cheese semi hard
Queso Manchego
Halloumi
Swiss cheese
Grandor Cheddar mild cheese
Grandor cheddar mild cheese colored
Dairylea cheddar
Baby bell
But enough about cheese! Let’s talk accompaniments! This is a short(ish) list, because this post is getting long – refer to the how-to instructions and the seasonal cheese plate lists for more ideas and suggestions!
FRUIT & VEGETABLES (CHOOSE 1-3)
Add fresh fruit or veggies to a cheese plate for a burst of color and flavor. Some of our favorites:
FRUIT
Fresh berries (pro tip: slice strawberries in half lengthwise THROUGH the stem and leave the greenery on for a fun presentation)
Grapes (leave the stems on!)
Apple or pear slices (put these out at the last minute and drizzle with a splash of lemon juice to keep them from browning!)
Fresh figs
Sliced Peaches or Plums
Cherry tomatoes
VEGETABLES
Pickled veggies (carrots, cucumber, radishes, etc.)
Baby carrots
Radishes
Roasted red peppers
NUTS (CHOOSE 2)
Walnuts
Almonds
Pistachios
Macadamia Nuts
Hazelnuts
Pecans
BREAD OR CRACKERS (CHOOSE 2-4)
Toasted baguette slices for crostini (slice a baguette, drizzle it with olive oil, and bake at 375 for a few minutes until lightly browned)
Water Crackers
Whole Wheat or Butter Crackers
Breadsticks
COLD CUTS (CHOOSE 2-4)
Salame Napoli
Bresaola
Salame Milano
Pancetta
Mortadella
Prosciutto
Speck
Jamon serrano
All there’s left to do now is to plate it and enjoy!
**All cheese and cold cuts available at Park Street Gourmet