An elegant cheese tray must always include accompaniments.
In France, cheese is traditionally served after the main course, but in North America it is often served at a buffet table or before dinner as an appetizer. There are hundreds of delicious cheeses from all over the world. A beautifully arranged cheese tray with an interesting selection of cheeses, fruits, breads or crackers, and utensils will impress your guests and make them feel like royalty.
Instructions
1. Choose a variety of cheeses so your selection includes different textures, tastes and countries of origin. A nice touch is to put a label in front of each cheese because your guests will appreciate knowing which ones are their favorites.
2. Arrange the cheeses on trays with space between them for serving. Put some fruit and nuts on each tray. Each cheese should have its own knife so the flavors don't get mixed up.
3. Make some cuts so the guests follow your lead, and cut the cheeses properly. Round cheeses should be cut like a wheel in sections. Hard cheeses can be cut parallel to the crust with a knife for a thick slice or sliced across with a scraper for paper-thin slices. If you prefer cheese cubes, be sure to have toothpicks on hand for individual servings.
4. French bread (baguette) is the best thing to accompany your cheese if there's a nearby bakery where you can get it. Cut some pieces off the loaf and put them in a basket or leave the whole loaf right on the table where guests can cut their own. A choice of crackers is always welcome too.
5. Serve a selection of red and white wines. Cheeses with a more complex flavor like Camembert go better with red, while some mild cheeses like Jarlsberg can go well with white.
Tags: cheese tray, your guests