Cheese Platter
- Dec 16, 2016
- 4 min read
Mazzie's Party Essential
As much as I try, we all know I can't cook anything but bomb ass sandwiches ,homemade pizza, and I am the best baker(excuse my language). However, I do take pride in knowing good food. And for that i am most thankful for my parents and in specific my dad, who has traveled basically the whole world... like i honestly wish to have the traveling streak as him and visit all those place (but that discussion must be for another blog post) one of the things i am obsessed and so happy to have knowledge of is the whole cheese platters situation. I am seriously obsessed with creating cheese platters for any visitors that come to my home or parties.
Granted, I am obsessed with everything that I post on this blog. But to start off my "Chic Eats" segment on my blog, I thought it was perfect to actually share with you all my "Cooking not Cooking Obsession" as to start it off with a restaurant post/review (Coming Real Soon)
I LOVE cheese platters because they make the vibe feel so relaxed but at the same time elegant. I consider myself a cheese platter extraordinaire! I love to set the tray with all the different types of cheese and apart from the beautiful marble trays, my favorite is too show off the cheese knifes lol. Growing up, my parents loved to prepare these cheese platters for almost all occasions, even if there were no visitors or parties being held it was always a good time for cheese platters. We would be watching movies on a Saturday or something and they would prepare them as our pre-meal food if dinner was not ready or if we had an early dinner.
Apart from all that, I think if you are like me, horrible at cooking, that you can achieve to create this plate. It soooo yummy and honestly the best crowd pleaser. Pair it with White Wine or Red Wine and you are a pro! Even if you are in a rush this will take less that 20 minutes to set it up.
What You Need
To begin, it is a must to have specialty utensils. There are a variety of stores such as Crate & Barrel and William Sonoma that carry all the go-to's for creating the perfect cheese platter. Having a good tray and cheese knifes are key to a successful cheese platter. I love to have cute utensils/tools for the kitchen. I think the kitchen should also incorporate a little about your style and that it matches with your home decor. At home, I love to have chic tools that are copper (rose gold), marble, and even gold! I love mixing metallics and the marble print. These sets are my favorite and they are from one of my favorite stores William Sonoma their price is $49.95
Another important thing is to have the perfect cheese board, depending on the amount of cheese and other goodies you will incorporate you will have to choose the right size. This is completely up to your preferance since there is a lot of boards and also my favorites are the cheese domes. The above picture is from William Sonoma, you can choose a monogram and the price is $39.95
I like cheese domes because they help maintain the consistensy of the cheese while they are out of the cold. Specially for holiday parties where there is so much food that the cheese might be out for long not being touched. So, it is best to keep it covered if in the case. Cheese Dome Crate & Barrel $59.95
Something that makes your cheese platter skills a bit more fun is definitely adding cheese markers. They are ideal for guests to know the different from Camembert and Cheddar, it is so simple yet makes a statement. There are a wide variety of cheese markers from many store however, i find that Crate and Barrel make them so sophisticated and perfect for any occasion at a price of $12.95 for a pack of 6.
The Perfect Cheese Platter
I always try to incorporate a variety of textures and flavors for cheese platters simply because there are many people that don't like the taste of cheese by itself and like to combine it with something else. Also, combinations of textures and flavors make the platter seem more filling.
Accompaniments are a must to my cheese platters. My parents thought me to always include almonds, grapes, strawberries (any fruits and dry fruits as well), crackers, bread, sliced baguettes (offering a selection of breads its great because it varies the taste between cheese and the bread itself), nuts, pistachios, olives, salami, and my favorite cured meats such as prosciutto.
I do not recommend purchasing any other type of crackers other than the Carr's Table Water Crackers. They are THE BEST IN THE WHOLE WORLD. They are a high end food item but they are the most delicious crackers for cheese platters. I am pretty sure they are sold in a variety of places but we buy ours at Bj's, Costco, or even Publix sometimes. However, i recommend purchasing it at either Bj's or Costco just because it is a greater amount for a better price. I suggest getting the Variety pack $50.00 because it provides all of their crackers that have different ingredients; either wheat, pepper, natural, etc., smaller packs range from $4.00 (Publix) to $18 and more.
Mazzie's Cheese Platter Essentials
Gouda: Semi-Hard, Yellow, Creamy, Nutty
Cheddar: Hard, Pale Yellow, Creamy, Sharp
Goat: Soft,, White, Creamy, Mild, Great with a seasoning or spread
Comte Cheese: Aged
Constant Bliss: Soft
Camembert: Soft
Brillat-Savarin: Soft
Manchego,: Firm
Minimolette: Firm
Valdeon: Blue
Stilton: Blue
Gorgonzola Dolce: Blue
Triple Cream: Soft, White, Buttery, Rich
Parmesan: Hard, Strong, Nutty,Sharp
Olives: Green and Black, Savory & Salty
Almonds: Smooth, Great salted or with truffle oil
Jam: Apricot or fig, Great with Triple Cream
Prosciutto: Dry cured ham, thinly sliced, salty and rich
Crackers: Carr's Table Water or La Panzanella Crostini Original
Fruits: Strawberry, Grapes,
Jam: Honey, Apricot
The last part of creating a cheese platter is definitely to set it up in a nice space. Decorate the table with some coffee books if visitors are stopping by or if there is an important meeting. (My parents usually create cheese platters when they have an important person coming over for a quick meeting and they love it!) or if its a party decorate the table with themes that are incorporated into the holiday or festivity.
XO-MazzieMeetsWorld
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