Assembling a cheese course need not be daunting – as long as one starts with exceptional cheese, the rest pretty much takes care of itself. Here are some suggestions for putting together delicious, compelling and beautiful cheese plates.
The rule of thumb is to start with the milder cheeses at 12 o’clock on the plate, and progress to the strongest, most assertive cheeses clockwise to 9 o’clock. For example, choose a fresh or soft-ripened cheese like Seal Bay Triple Cream Brie for 12 o’clock, a semi-firm cheese like Pecorino Nocino for 3 o’clock, an aged goat cheese like Tomme Cabrioulet for 6 o’clock and a rich, robust blue like Blue del Moncenisio for 9 o’clock.
You may also consider themed cheese courses. Arrange a selection of 3 or 4 goat cheeses, starting with a mild, fresh goat cheese, such as Redwood Hill Fresh Goat Cheese, add something with a little age on it, such as Garrotxa, and finish with a show stopper like Gravenstein Gold, an aged, washed rind goat’s milk cheese. Or focus on blues, aiming for variation (strong vs. mild, sheep’s milk vs. cow’s milk) so your guests can learn about and appreciate the subtleties between each variety.
And finally, remember to accompany your course with little tastes of complementary flavors, such as fresh and dried fruit, quince paste, wildflower honey, toasted walnuts and sliced breads and flatbreads. These will compliment and accentuate the flavors of the cheese. GreenLeaf is your go-to source for all manner of artisan cheeses and accompaniments. Call us today and plan your first fall-inspired cheese course!