Has there ever been a party dish more crowd pleasing than the cheese platter? It’s relatively easy to put together, versatile and has the ability to awaken and please all of your taste buds. In short: it’s a winner. Below we will breakdown how to put together an unforgettable plate of delicacies for your next event.

Start with the Base

Before we get into what you should be serving, let’s talk about how you should serve it. We have a variety of trays that are ideal for displaying any and all types of food platters. If you’re going for something timeless and classic, we recommend the heavy duty wooden tray or the large bamboo leaf serving platter. For a modern and sleek offering, try out the the samurai wooden serving tray. For individual servings (if you prefer not to share), we recommend our pin up wooden square  plates, which come in a variety of sizes.

Choosing the Cheese

While cheese may come in a variety of ages, textures and colors, the food can be drilled down to one common denominator and that is pleasure. Eating cheese elicits feelings of indulgence, richness and happiness. Because the food is able to make such a strong statement on its own, it requires no alterations or enhancements. Real Simple offers the following examples:

Aged: Aged Cheddar, Comte, Goat Gouda

Soft: Constant Bliss, Camembert, Brillat-Savarin

Firm: Manchego, Mimolette, Parmigiano-Reggiano

Blue: Gorgonzola Dolce, Valdeón, Stilton

Tip: Before serving, leave the cheeses out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes so it will be easier to cut.

In the Mood for Meat?

When choosing the meats for your cheese plate, we recommend sticking with well known cuts such as prosciutto di parma, salami and serrano ham. If you want to learn  more about which meats pair well with certain cheese, this Serious Eats How-To is the only reading material you need.

Add Some Crunch

The verdict on adding bread and crackers to your cheese plate is still open. Some advise against pairing the two together and recommend to use it solely as a palate cleanser, while others enjoy the combination. Whatever your preference, make sure to pick neutral flavored breads and crackers such as crusty French or Italian bread, crostini crackers or plain bread sticks. For a gluten free guest, rice crackers are a great options.

The Compliments and Condiments

Once you’ve got the base covered with the cheese, meat and bread, you can start to fill in the leftover space with the fresh fruit, dried fruit, olives, nuts and condiments of your choosing. If you’re anything like us, the excitement of creating your cheese plate will literally spill over onto the plate itself, which is why recommend using the mini wooden cup to hold any additional goodies you want to pair with your plate but can’t fit in.

Check out our mini creations and let us know what you like to include in your cheese plates!