One of my favorite things to make when I’m hosting is a cheese plate. It’s simple, looks great, and is super easy to customize based on the number of guests and what type of party you’re hosting. I know there are a million different articles and Instagram accounts that can tell you how to build the perfect and prettiest cheese plate, but I wanted to share the basics of how I build mine and what I always include.
First, cheese. Obviously. I like to pick three cheeses (I’ll put out larger or smaller amounts depending on the size of the crowd, but I love cheese so I’m fine having leftovers if it’s a smaller crowd–still buy three types). My rule of thumb is to go for a hard cheese, a soft cheese, and a fun cheese. Usually this means something like a goat cheese or brie, aged cheddar or parmesan, and then a flavored cheese or a cheese I haven’t tried before that looks interesting (or a fun-looking cheese that’s on sale at the store). I’m usually shopping for cheese at Trader Joe’s because it’s so much more affordable and cheese is expensive, so my go-to cheeses there are the blueberry goat cheese (seriously, buy this for every party you have and then one for yourself), the unexpected cheddar (that’s what it’s called, not what I’m calling it), and then whatever seasonal type cheese they have. If I’m making a large cheese plate I’ll cut some slices of each cheese to start them off and then leave the rest of the block or log whole on the board so people can cut their own slices. If I’m making a smaller plate, I’ll cut the slices and then put away the rest–you can always restock the cheese plate.
Meat is next. I tend to buy the mix pack of sliced meat at the grocery store. It usually has three to four different types of cured meats so everyone can find what they like. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll also buy some prosciutto and tear it into smaller pieces so it’s more bite-sized. Just like the cheese, I’ll put out the slices of meat on the cheese board (usually next to the cheeses I think they’ll go best with) and then save the rest for leftovers/restocking.
I like to include some spreads on my cheese plate because I like being able to build different bites. My favorite spreads to add are bacon pepper jelly, fig jam, and a pineapple habanero spread I got from Apple Hill. I put these next to the unflavored cheeses on the board, along with small knives to spread them with.
Because I love bread, I always have some type of bread or cracker to create little cheese-spread-meat bites on. The easiest way to do this is to grab some crackers at the store when you’re shopping for the cheese. Trader Joe’s has excellent crackers that pair well with cheese, especially the fig-something crackers. (I can’t remember the name but the box is purple if that helps at all!) But if you’re really trying to impress you should make the rosemary focaccia bread. Seriously, it’s so easy and it impresses everyone and it tastes great with cheese. An easy win. If you’re looking to do something in the middle I’d grab a baguette at the store and slice and toast it with olive oil to make crostinis.
Finally, some finishing touches. I like to add some fruits to the cheese plate. This can be something as simple as a cluster of grapes or some sliced apple, or as fancy as fresh figs and strawberries. If you’re not feeling like fresh fruit, grab some dried apricots and dried dates and figs to add. Throwing some nuts onto the cheese plate is also a good finishing touch. I tend to go for almonds and walnuts to give a little extra crunch and texture.
Now that you have all of your ingredients, you can pop over to Instagram and look at all the cheese plate pictures to get some serious styling inspiration. Uncork a bottle of wine (or two) and get to enjoying your gorgeous cheese plate.
xoxo,
J
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