Cheeseboards or platters have always been a favorite at any party or when cooking big meals seems too time-consuming after a long day. A delicious cheese ensemble beats a heavy plate of food anytime, plus you can share it with others.
A cozy evening with a drink in hand, huddling around a lovely plate of cheesy goodness seems like a good idea. It’s not as challenging to arrange and saves a lot of valuable time, which you could rather spend with those you care for the most. So, blow friends and family away with a well put together cheeseboard by following the quick and easy steps below.
1. Gather Everything You Will Need
This step of the process is probably what takes the most effort. Gathering everything needed to present a beautiful cheeseboard may lead one to different stores to find all the right ingredients.
For an elegant display that’ll wow everyone, one would have to gather these items:
- Small bowls to hold the sauces
- A wooden cheeseboard
- Small plates and spoons
- Cheese cutters or knives to slice the cheese with
- A cheese selection box or a variety of soft and hard cheeses
- Sauces of your choice, like sweet chili
- Garnishing to round it off
- Fruits that are dried or fresh
- Jams, like onion or fig
- Syrups to add more flavor, or honey for the sweet tooth
- Processed meats because they complement cheese so well
- Crackers or pieces of bread to put all the other ingredients onto
- A variety of nuts and olives to make everything look sophisticated and fun
Feel free to add any other items that strike your fancy—cheeseboards are not an exact science. As long as all the guests enjoy themselves, the actual items on the board are open to choice.
2. Start Arranging The Items On The Board
There isn’t a specific way to pack a cheeseboard, but, typically, the bowls are added to the middle or scattered around the board and the other items packed around it. Use creativity to add a little of everyone’s favorites onto the wooden board.
A rule of thumb would be to place the bowls, then the cheeses, and after that, all the other ingredients would fit into the open spaces. Roll up some cold meats and place them next to the cheese while adding smaller fruit and nuts.
3. Make Sure To Cover The Whole Board
A cheeseboard is known for how packed it is with all that’s nice, so don’t hesitate to add items until the whole board is covered. Place the cheeses onto the board first as they’re the show’s superstars, then add all the other ingredients to make up the different fresh, preserved, and dried elements.
The Egyptians have enjoyed these types of platters since 1200 BCE, and they weren’t shy about loading them with only the best ingredients they could find. The wide range of tastes and textures will tingle the tastebuds, just like they did all those years ago.
4. Add Sauces To The Bowls
The small bowls are for keeping the sauces and jams together. Put sauces into them, and use different flavors to complement the cheeses. Some people may prefer their cheeses to be a little sweet, while others want a savory flavor. Remember to add small serving spoons for hygienic and safety purposes.
5. Garnish The Board To Round It Off
Fresh springs of cilantro, rocket, parsley, mint or other herbs make for an excellent garnishing for a cheeseboard. The bright green eaves add more color, and they’re all edible, which means people can combine them with the cheeses.
The more natural and fresh ingredients added to the platter, the healthier. Most herbs have medicinal properties and provide numerous health benefits. So, not only will the cheeseboard look inviting and taste delicious, but it’s a healthy food option, too.
6. Serve It To Awaiting Guests
Cheeseboards are best served chilled and immediately after they’re packed. If this isn’t possible, ensure to keep the platter wrapped in plastic and in the fridge until the guests arrive or everyone is ready to dig in.
Packing It In
If there’s one meal with which you can never get wrong and one that you can easily whip up in the kitchen, it’s a cheeseboard. Cheeseboards are versatile that you can include them in basically any occasion, they’re composed of many scrumptious ingredients, and they’re great for gathering family and friends together. By adding everyone’s favorites, no one leaves the party dissatisfied.
So, now, find a nearby store that sells a wide range of cheeses and ingredients, and put together a cheeseboard that everyone will love and never get over with!
