Beautiful design of cheese slices on the festive table - photos and videos with ideas. Cheese plate: design, composition, recipes How to lay cheese beautifully

The ideal cheese plate, as I imagine, with its splendor should remind of ancient Roman bacchanalia, where senators and hetaeras in weightless tunics reclined around endless dishes, seductively putting amber grapes into their mouths and, probably, allowing themselves many other unbridled excesses. This snack still life simply has to look plentiful, luxurious and light, like an impressionist sketch - as if it suddenly occurred to you to invite guests, and you quickly picked a handful of olives in your own garden, and then took out several varieties from a beautiful basket fragrant cheese and a jar of fresh honey. The right cheese plate is the way I dream of being myself, and I'm afraid I'm still far away: sophisticated and elegant, cool and relaxed.

For inspiration, it makes sense to look at about a hundred thousand pictures with the #cheeseplatter tag, read a dozen articles from eminent culinary specialists and watch several YouTube videos on the same topic. Then draw up a plate plan and go to the store. As we understand, the task became more complicated a few years ago - now we have to improvise with what is on the shelves and what has survived from the last trip to Europe.

The traditions of advanced countries imply certain rules in the selection and serving of this product. The French, for example, insist on an odd assortment of varieties: three, five, seven - and there is no pity. Another postulate is that cheeses should be ordered clockwise from softest and youngest to hardest and aged. But whichever approach you choose, the most important thing is to take the cheese out of the fridge at least five minutes before serving.

WHICH TYPES OF CHEESE TO CHOOSE

I agree, there is something to worry about. What if, out of ignorance, you choose blatantly incompatible varieties ?! And, returning home after the party, the guests will come to criticism: “My God, she flopped Camembert with feta on one plate! It's just insulting!" No panic. Remember the expected result: cool and relaxed.

I usually follow three principles:

  1. I buy cheeses from two types of milk - for example, cow's and goat's.
  2. I choose different types - aged (parmesan, grano padano, cheddar, maasdam, gouda, Kostroma, Poshekhonsky), pickled (mozzarella, suluguni, Ossetian, feta), soft with white and / or blue mold (goat, camembert, roquefort, brie, gorgonzola, dor blue), smoked (smoked gouda, chechil).
  3. I prefer to buy two or three really good cheese instead of a dozen mediocre ones. There is a practical trick here: the more cheeses you have, the more difficult it is to guarantee their combination with the drinks you have.

WHAT TO ADD TO A CHEESE PLATE

When laying out the cheese in a beautiful and only you driven sequence, leave gaps between varieties to fill them with additives - for additional flavor accents and decoration.

Dried fruits and berries look good on a cheese plate (dried apricots, pears, figs, cherries, cranberries, raisins), nuts (I love pistachios, pecans and macadamia, but you can use any you like), olives and gherkins, grapes and kumquat, as well as several bowls with dips (what you can dip a piece of bread or cheese into) - hummus, honey, jam (my favorite is fig jam).

As for crackers, many cooks speak disapprovingly, and they even offer to give cookies to the neighborhood children. The right option is a good one: a baguette, ciabatta, or something multi-grain and very healthy.

HOW TO SERVE CHEESE

The plate is me, of course, figuratively. Best of all - a wooden cutting board or a special board for cheese. Now it is terribly fashionable not to use any plates at all, but simply to cover the table with a sheet of parchment, spread everything that is, and, in general, is on it. If you like this approach, find a place for the cheese and nest it there, using the above principles.

For those who still love the classic serving, it is recommended to spread the cheese (cut into slices or cubes - as it turns out) on a board or a beautiful dish, adding everything that seems appropriate and pleasing to the eye. If guests are late for half an hour, it is not necessary to clean the refrigerator, just cover your stunning cheese plate with a clean towel.

The role of accompanying tools will be played by knives for spreading soft cheese, forks, toothpicks and napkins, which are usually on the table by default. Bread, respectively, should also be nearby. Ready! We send photos to Instagram under the tag #cheeseplatter - and it's time to go to the table.

The cheese plate has long turned from a mysterious phrase into a rather shabby appetizer offered in almost all restaurants and cafes of the middle level. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for one “but”: behind the line on the menu denoting a cheese platter of high-quality and expensive cheeses, anything can be hidden, and, as a rule, it’s “anything , has nothing to do with what should really be called a cheese plate.

Let's see? The first task is to find out what these words mean, the second is to understand general principle forming a cheese plate, try to assemble it yourself at home, fill your hand, and then invite your friends to amazing cheese parties, which cannot be equaled!

So what is a cheese platter? Most often, we are talking about the method of serving assorted noble cheeses, beautifully, breathtakingly beautifully and appetizingly laid out on a round or rectangular board made of hardwood. Sometimes special flat chinaware or a cupboard acts as a board, however, this is not a completely traditional option.

Do not confuse a board with cutting - the latter includes, as a rule, 3-4 types of cheese, cut into thin slices and beautifully served on a porcelain (faience, glass) plate, while we are talking about fairly common sandwich varieties that we most often and buy in supermarkets.

So, let's deal with the general principles.

10 rules for shaping a cheese plate

1. A cheese plate is an assortment of expensive, high-quality, noble cheeses that are usually not eaten in everyday life. A piece of melted "Amber" can be insanely delicious, however, let's leave it for other occasions, while we form a cheese board with exquisite brie, multifaceted parmesan, Roquefort blue-blooded, playful gorgonzola, most tender camembert.

2. A cheese plate is usually prepared in advance, wrapped in cling film and hidden in the refrigerator. Before serving, the film is, of course, removed, the cheese is left on the table at room temperature - it is believed that the cheese aroma and bouquet are best revealed if the plate stands for about half an hour outside the refrigerator.

After the refrigerator, hold the cheeses for half an hour at room temperature and only then proceed to the design of the plate.

3. Cheese board is formed from five or more varieties of cheese. More - you can, less - no longer a plate, but just slices of cheese, even if they are beautiful. However, moderation should also be observed in the question with “more”: if there are too many cheeses, you simply will not be able to arrange them nicely, neatly and freely on the board.

4. When laying out cheeses on a board, you should remember that these are rather delicate and delicate products that easily absorb extraneous tastes and aromas, including cheese ones. It is for this reason that attention should be paid to ensure that different varieties do not come into contact with each other.

5. Following the unspoken rule, the cheeses on the board (plate) are laid out in a circle, starting from the most tender and soft and gradually moving to sharper and harder ones. At the very end of the conditional cheese "dial" are the most saturated and bright varieties. At the same time, aesthetic issues should remain in the first, priority place: laying out cheeses so that it is both beautiful and correct is a great art.

6. An alternative way of laying out cheeses is also allowed: hard cheeses are placed along the edges of the board, softer ones are placed nearby, closer to the center, and so, gradually reducing the saturation of taste, all prepared varieties are laid out, placing the most tender and delicate cheese in the center of the plate.

7. As a rule, round cheeses are cut into segments, all the rest - into cubes, cubes. This is done so that every gourmet can enjoy both the middle part, and the one that is closer to the crust, and the crust itself - after all, it is known that the taste in each of the listed pieces is completely different, and it is absolutely worth it to feel it, taste it and understand it. all places.

8. Hard cheeses are best served on wooden plates - this way they look completely harmonious and even slightly careless and brutal. You can lose your head! Mild varieties are usually served on porcelain or glassware, which is placed on a wooden board if desired and beaten as part of the composition.

9. It is allowed to serve individual types of cheese without pre-cutting - in this case, the board should be accompanied by a sufficient number of knives, one for each individual type. If neatly cut pieces are laid out on a plate, it is advisable to serve wooden sticks.

10. The issue of cheese “accompaniment” should be given no less attention: firstly, it is these additional products that help shape the plate so that the pleasure of admiring is no less than the satisfaction of tasting, and secondly, all types of cheese require different accompaniments, and, by the way, as a rule, this moment depends on the personal taste of each particular person.

It is believed that grapes and nuts are best suited for soft blue cheeses, while hard and saturated ones require dates, dried apricots, raisins, avocados, however, there are no strict rules, and therefore it is worth approaching the task of choosing cheese-related treats quite seriously.

Sliced ​​accompaniments are grapes, dried fruits, nuts, crackers, olives, fresh fruits. Pear pairs amazingly with cheeses. Not bad "sings" raisins. Harmoniously "behave" almonds and cashews. Jams and marmalades sound amazing, including not sweet ones. Sometimes it is worth pairing cheeses with honey. Be sure to try some figs, perhaps this combination will become your favorite.

They do not offer bread, they do not clog the taste of cheese, they allow its spirit to completely “spread its wings” and present itself from the most favorable side. Balsamic vinegar is considered a rather controversial, however, quite acceptable accompaniment to a cheese plate - in this matter, it all depends on the individual taste of the board-former.

In addition, you can decorate a cheese plate with completely edible elements, which, however, are usually not eaten - herbs, mint, coffee beans. Cheese goes well with arugula and other spicy salads.

To get figuratively sliced ​​cheese, they use special knives with a “wave” blade - ordinary cubes and rhombuses with their help turn out to be especially attractive and presentable.

Another simple but effective way to serve cheese is to cut figures from thinly sliced ​​​​slices using cookie cutters. Classic hearts, romantic stars, non-standard fish, autumn leaves - in fact, it is quite difficult to beat this way of serving cheeses, but the efforts spent are more than paid off.

Obviously, it is better to buy cheese for forming a plate not in supermarkets, but in small specialized shops - they will advise you what to choose, and let you try, and guarantee the freshness and quality of the goods.

Buy cheeses in specialized shops - you can try them there.

Cheese plates are an excellent treat at buffet tables. In addition, this is a great way to organize a theme party and spend a wonderful evening with friends - tasting cheese, drinking it with wine, snacking on fruits and nuts. Beautiful plates and soulful gatherings for you!

A cheese plate is not just an element of table setting or a set of cheeses served with wines, or as an addition to main courses.

The composition of the cheese plate, its appearance, serving and tasting - all this is strictly regulated by French chefs. Needless to say, the creators of Camembert, Brie and Mimolet know a lot about table setting with cheese sets?

In France, assorted cheeses serve as a main dish, served with wines, and also often act as a dessert. Fortunately, the abundance of cheese varieties for every taste allows you not to limit yourself to the feast format.

The culture of cheese consumption is gradually developing in Russia as well. Today, to enjoy the taste of noble European cheeses, you do not have to go to a restaurant at all. You can assemble a French cheese platter yourself, according to your taste. About what tricks and rules exist in the layout of cheese sets and table setting - read our post.

Cheese table setting

Laying out the cheese is a real ritual. Pieces of cheeses of various varieties are placed on a dish clockwise according to the principle: from the most tender, literally melting in your mouth, to the most savory, with a rich, harsh taste. To emphasize their taste originality, pieces of fruit and nuts are added to cheese sets. But more on that later.

This order is not accidental: cheeses should be eaten in the same sequence.

Another significant nuance: the number of cheeses on the plate is odd.

Tip number 1: buy cheeses on the eve of a buffet or dinner

Cheese should not be stored for too long before it is on the table. Cheese sets for a buffet or banquet are prepared just a day before the planned event.

When buying, carefully read what is written on the labels. Choose cheeses labeled AOC, PDO, DOP. If you take cheese not in a store, but in a market, ask the seller to let you taste the product.

Different types of cheese should be divided into separate containers, and then placed in a separate container of the refrigerator compartment. This must be done in order to preserve the own aroma of the cheese, and foreign odors do not mix with it.

Don't take the cheese out of the fridge before the buffet starts.

Make the composition of the cheese plate varied and memorable so that your guests have plenty to choose from.

Required Ingredients:

  • tender, curdled (for example, goat) cheese;
  • white cheese with a soft texture (or);
  • semi-soft cheese (we give preference to cheeses made from cow's milk), for example, Brik;
  • blue cheese (including cabral and gorgonzola);
  • hard cheese (, fleeting).

Tip #3: Slicing Cheese Before Serving

Different types of knives are used to cut different types of cheese.

So, blue cheeses are cut with a knife with a wavy sharpening and risks so that the mold remains intact. Hard cheeses are cut with large double-handled knives.

There are also various methods of cutting cheeses. The cheese is cut into slices, cubes, or thin strips, twisting them into rolls. The best option is when each type of cheese is clearly visible in the section.

By the way, along with cheeses, do not forget to serve two different blades to the table so that the tastes of different varieties do not mix during tasting.

Tip #4: Fruits, Nuts, and Honey with Cheese are an Important Addition

The French are not limited to cheeses. Together with them, fresh fruits are always served on the table, for each type of cheese - different.


Camembert cheese with grapes and crackers

For example:

  • cherry, pineapple are combined with blue cheeses;
  • to soft cheeses - pears and apples;
  • celery is served with blue cheeses;
  • any nuts are suitable for absolutely all types of cheeses;
  • bunches of grapes - it's always a win-win addition to cheese.

Additives such as apricot jam or honey are appropriate for cheeses. At the same time, honey should be too thick so that it is convenient to dip pieces of cheese in it.

Pay special attention to bread. The choice should be varied: crispy baguettes, rustic, rye bread with nuts and dried fruits. A light cracker will also come in handy.

Tip #5: Choose the right cheeses for your wine list

Cheese plate and wine - this duo is inextricably linked. In Russia, wine is chosen at random with a cheese plate. However, different types of wine pair with different types of cheese.

In particular:

  • goat cheese served with sauvignon;
  • Camembert and Brie are good paired with Chardonnay, red wines, varieties with a pronounced fruity taste.

The most difficult thing is to choose wine for hard cheeses. There is no such type of wine that would suit absolutely all cheeses. There can be only one recommendation: the brighter and richer the taste of cheese, the stronger and richer the bouquet and taste of the drink should be.

Tip number 6: you also need to serve cheese on the table correctly

The best option - this is when cheese platter served on a wooden board. But if there is no such board, then faience plates with a wooden bottom, as well as ordinary ceramic and faience plates, will do.

If the pieces of cheese are too small, they will quickly weather and lose their taste. It will be more practical if you put one large piece, and several small ones around it. Count so that each person has 50 grams. each type of cheese.

What to do in a situation when you bought and served too much cheese on the table, and it remained uneaten to the end?

Goat cheese is the least stored - it must be eaten in less than two weeks.

Semi-hard cheeses are stored for more than a month, and hard may be stored in freezer up to 3 months.

Cheese sets with delivery in Moscow

If you don’t have the time or experience to prepare a cheese plate, and a buffet or other event is just around the corner, Canape Bar will come to your rescue! Our catalog contains a large selection of cheese sets from cheeses of European and Russian production. All sets are made from fresh, high-quality cheeses in strict accordance with the requirements for serving cheese tables. With us you can also choose with delivery in Moscow, ready to serve.

We also have a large assortment that is well suited to any buffet table.

In the next post, we will tell you how to choose the right cheeses: what taste and aroma should a real Camembert, Brie, Gorgonzola, etc. have.

A cheese plate, the photo, composition and design of which we will consider in our publication, is an essential attribute of any feast, buffet table and just home gatherings. But if cheese can be cut and served at the home table in any order, then it is better to prepare such a dish for a feast and a social event in accordance with established rules. What is the correct way to serve cheese slices?

Before we talk about how to arrange a cheese platter, let's figure out which types of cheeses are best combined on one dish.

It’s worth saying right away that, first of all, it is necessary to think over the main menu, because the composition of the cheese dish largely depends on the main dishes - meat, chicken or fish, types of alcoholic beverages and national cuisine characteristics.

Cheese platter №1

When it comes to European cuisine, then a combination of the following types of cheeses is best suited to such a table:

  • expensive semi-hard blue cheeses with mold - Roquefort, Dorblu, Danablu;
  • soft cheeses with a white moldy crust - Camembert and
  • hard varieties -

As an addition to them fit:

  • fresh fruits and berries: pears, apples, grapes, strawberries, plums;
  • figs;
  • dates;
  • spinach;
  • berry jam;
  • onion marmalade.

Well, the addition of almonds and walnuts always advantageously emphasizes the taste of cheese, regardless of its variety.

Cheese platter №2

The following set of cheeses goes well with Slavic and Russian cuisine:

  • hard and semi-hard varieties - and Edam;
  • brine varieties - and
  • smoked cheeses - suluguni or

As a delicious decoration, you can use:

  • cilantro;
  • dill;
  • parsley;
  • green onions;
  • thin pita chips;
  • crackers;
  • walnuts.

Cheese platter №3

This option is more versatile. But gourmets note that it is best to serve such a cheese plate with fish dishes, lean meats, and vegetable salads.

The cheese plate consists of the following types of cheese:

  • brine varieties -
  • hard and semi-hard varieties - Cheddar, Comte, Emmental, Gruyère;
  • French cheeses prepared with their piquancy: Chevre, Shibacho, Brunost.

You can supplement such a cheese plate with cherry tomatoes, peppers, peaches, grapes, dried apricots, figs, raisins, olives, walnuts. From greens to cheeses, arugula, rosemary are perfect. Well, honey will be useful - it always emphasizes the taste of cheese.

On what and how to serve cheese

In addition to carefully selected varieties of cheeses for the formation of a cheese plate, it is also necessary to pay special attention to the dish on which the product is served and the form of its cutting.

How to cut cheese beautifully

When designing a cheese plate, it is necessary to pay special attention to how the main product of the dish is cut, because each variety of this dairy product is cut according to its own specific technique.

Advice! The delicate texture of the cheese, like a sponge, absorbs the tastes and smells of foreign products, especially those that have a sharp aroma - onions, garlic, meat, smoked foods, etc. Therefore, it is advisable to cut the cheese on a separate cutting board.

Chefs in restaurants try to compose and decorate the dish in such a way that it contains 5 different tastes: fresh, neutral, sweet-tender, pronounced and spicy.

And it is imperative that at least one variety of cheese, which all guests know, participate in the process of decorating the dish. It's great when a cheese plate is filled with cheeses that the hostess herself likes, then she could safely advertise the dish she served. But do not be afraid to decorate a cheese plate using untasted varieties of cheeses.

For each type of cheese, it is desirable to make a stylish label with the name of the product. This is not particularly difficult, but guests will be able to quickly make a choice without guessing where which cheese lies. And besides this, they will easily remember the variety that they liked the most.

When decorating a cheese plate, be sure to make sure that the main product is served with an accompaniment. Cheeses are tasting with something! Therefore, it is extremely important to choose the most suitable set of products with which one or another type of cheese will be combined.

We discussed the most profitable options earlier. In addition to products, cheeses can also be served with sauces: honey, wine, jams, etc.

Don't be afraid to lead by example. Not all people are gourmets, and few people know how and with what they eat cheese. Perhaps someone simply does not dare to completely unexpected combinations of cheeses.

For example, this combination will be very interesting: cracker, avocado, goat cheese, mustard, hard cheese. Perhaps some of the guests will even be able to come up with an original cheese set that impresses with its exquisite and incredibly interesting combination of flavors.

If a cheese plate on the festive table is exactly the dish that will be presented throughout the evening, then you should not immediately cut all the cheeses.

This milk product has the ability to ventilate, which spoils not only its appearance, but also its taste. Therefore, it is better to cut fresh cheese from time to time and put it on a dish.

Cheeses with mold, the mass of heads of which does not exceed 300 grams, are usually served as a whole piece, and each guest, if desired, will cut off the piece he needs.

Drinks for a cheese plate

So, we have already figured out how to decorate a cheese plate beautifully. Now let's talk about what drinks are best suited for such a dish.

Red wine

Red wine goes best with cheese, regardless of the variety. This is, so to speak, a classic of the genre. But even here there are some conditions. In order for the taste of a cheese snack to wine to be the main one and not to be interrupted by a drink, you must adhere to the following rules:

  1. Cheese and wine should be approximately the same flavor intensity. For example, the refined taste of Gruyère cheese will be lost against the backdrop of a powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. This variety is best served with a delicate Pinot Noir wine.
  2. Be sure to consider the alcohol content of the drink. Wines with an alcohol content of more than 14.5% are best served with mature cheeses that have bright taste. Whereas wines with a degree of less than 12% perfectly emphasize the taste of young and tender cheeses.
  3. Aged wines are served with aged cheeses.
  4. It is advisable to combine cheeses and wines from the same area. For example, soft cheeses goat milk Chevre-like blends perfectly with a light, fruity Cabernet. But sheep cheeses are best paired with Spanish wine such as Garnacha.
  5. If there are doubts about the combination of cheese and wine, then it is better to opt for hard varieties with a sweetish nutty flavor - Gouda, Emmental, Swiss. These varieties go well with many wines.

White wine

Dessert varieties of white wine go well with many cheeses. But dry wines are better not to serve with a cheese plate - their excess acid will only interrupt the taste of the main product.

Champagne and sparkling wines

This type of drink is suitable for cheeses with a creamy taste - Brie, Munster, Reblochon, etc. In combination with champagne and sparkling wines, the taste of the cheese will be brighter.

Mostly soft and delicate beers are suitable for a cheese plate. Whereas drinks with more pronounced and aggressive notes can interrupt the delicate and refined taste of the main product. Rich beers are best served with mature cheeses.

Vermouth and fortified wines

Vermouths together with cheeses give an interesting combination of flavors. Against the background of vermouth herbs, the taste qualities of exotic varieties of cheeses with spices and additives are revealed in a special way.

But fortified wines are more suitable and also harmonize well with semi-hard and hard cheeses - Cheddar, Gouda, Swiss.

Outcome

Cheese slices are a versatile type of snack that fits perfectly into any event, whether it's a social evening or a friendly home party. But in order to fully enjoy the taste of cheese, you need to know how to properly arrange the dish.

By adhering to the recommendations suggested above, any housewife will be able to create a delicious and beautiful cheese plate that will certainly surprise guests, relatives and friends with a stunning and incredibly exquisite combination of cheeses. Well, don't be afraid to experiment. Sometimes, it helps to make something original and interesting!

In everyday life, we most often use cheese as sandwiches. But cheese can also become a full-fledged dish, if it is served correctly.

On the festive table it is also unacceptable to simply cut several varieties of cheese. It is necessary to correctly compose a cheese plate and arrange it according to the rules.

It is an assortment of cheese of several varieties. Usually cheese slices are served on a large plate or wooden board and are additionally decorated with fruits and nuts.

Cheese is sorted into varieties - first cheeses with a mild, delicate taste, then sharper varieties. This is done in order to distinguish between tender and savory cheeses, since soft varieties absorb the smells of sharper and more spicy cheeses, and this is absolutely not allowed. That is why it is necessary to leave space between them on the cheese board.

We recommend sending soft cheeses for several hours in the refrigerator, and also avoid contact with spicy cheeses. That's why in a cheese platter there should be a gap between the last and the first slice.

In order to compose and decorate a cheese plate, it is enough to use five or six types of cheese for a cheese platter, but they should be varied in taste. Cheese appetizer is usually an addition to the main course - as a rule, it is an appetizer or dessert with wine. Cheese slices should weigh in this case about 30 grams.

However, nothing prevents the cheese platter from acting as an independent dish and decorating any holiday table. Each cheese slice must weigh at least 150 grams. Delicate varieties of cheese are complemented by apples, pears, grapes, it is good to emphasize the taste of blue cheeses with a slice of avocado or pineapple, and almonds and walnuts are most suitable for fatty cheeses.

Since the “plate” is primarily a platter, it should contain cheeses with different flavors: fresh (white cheeses), neutral (reblochon, tomme), tender (young goat or sheep cheeses), pronounced (, brie, shaurs), spicy (aged hard cheeses) and very spicy (blue cheeses). It is important to remember that there is no place on the plate for processed and spreadable cheeses.

How to make a cheese plate

A properly composed and decorated cheese plate looks like a clock face. Cheeses are laid out in a strictly defined order: clockwise from more delicate varieties to cheeses with a brighter and more pronounced taste.

Since tender cheeses begin the “circle” and savory ones close, it is important to arrange the pieces so that there is a sufficient distance between them. Otherwise, sharp and seasoned aromas will irrevocably mix with delicate creamy notes. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that hard and semi-hard cheeses are laid out along the edges of the plate, and soft ones in the center.


If you try to build a chain, you get something like this:

  • mozzarella, ricotta or feta (fresh);
  • shaurs, nechatel (soft);
    camembert, brie (soft with a pronounced taste);
  • edam, gouda (semi-soft);
  • maasdam, emmental (hard);
  • parmesan, gruyère (hard, savory);
  • pecorino, chevret (goat, sheep cheese);
  • , gorgonzola or dor blue (with blue mold).

How to decorate a cheese plate

In addition to cheese, the cheese plate is decorated with additional ingredients, which should correctly shade and emphasize the taste of each of the varieties.

Almost any kind of cheese is suitable for fresh fruits and berries - figs, figs or ripe strawberries. Also very good - especially for soft cheeses- pears and grapes.

Blue cheeses are accompanied by honey or jams. Spicy varieties are in perfect harmony with dried fruits: dates, raisins, prunes and dried apricots. Fatty cheeses are ideally complemented by walnuts and almonds. However, nuts will decorate any cheese plate, also playing a decorative function.

Greens lovers can complement the cheese platter with spicy herbs like cilantro and arugula. The mint will come in handy too.

How to cut cheese

There are knives for different types of cheese. For example, Roquefort and other blue cheeses are cut with a special tool with a fishing line so as not to damage the mold. For hard cheeses that are difficult to cut, there are special massive knives with handles on both ends.

When serving, do not forget to put two different knives on the table so as not to mix the tastes of delicate and sharp cheeses.

Cheeses can be cut into slices, thin layers, rolled into tubes, cubes. The most ideal cut is when the edge, crust and core of each species presented is visible.

On what and how to serve cheese

Usually, a special board made of quality wood acts as a cheese tray for a classic French appetizer. This special board can be made of porcelain, faience or ceramics, bought separately or as part of a service.

The large cheese slices that make up the main dish should be served with a special knife-fork or an ordinary knife and fork, as the guest may want to try all the pieces of cheese.

Wine to cheese

Red wines are perfect with hard cheeses. Creamy, soft and fatty cheese perfectly complement dry or semi-dry wines. If you want to emphasize noble, tart blue cheeses, buy sweet fortified wine.

Brut is ideal for all cheeses with a moldy crust, as are sparkling wines in general. A classic sauvignon is the best addition to goat and sheep cheeses.

In general, it is difficult to choose wine for the whole cheese plate, so we recommend using a universal and proven option - light wines with fruity tones.