When entertaining guests, we think it’s imperative to have something for people to nosh on upon arrival. That way there is something for them to focus on while you prepare their cocktails. Unlike most appetizers, the cheese plate is super easy to throw together quickly, looks elegant and appeases appetites of all ages.
Courtney's Cheese Board
Why it's on our list
If you’ve ever been entertained at my (Courtney’s) home, there's a 99% chance that a huge cheese board was awaiting you on my kitchen island when you arrived. I like to use any combination of cheeses, fruit, nuts, olives, crackers and sometimes even potato chips. Any variation of the below ingredients can be mixed and matched on a beautiful wooden board. Play around with different cheeses every time. It’s important to select a variety of cheeses with different textures.
Courtney & Whitney
APPETIZERS
Courtney's Cheese Board
Ingredients
Good for a party size of 8 people
2 hard cheeses like a manchego, Old Amsterdam, Cheddar
1 soft cheese such as a Camebert or Brie
1 Blue such as Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort
1 plain goat cheese
1 jar jalapeno jelly to spoon over goat cheese
Few handful of cup of Marcona Almonds
Blend of Mediterranean olives
1 sliced apple
Grapes on the vine
Truffle potato chips
Side of truffle honey to pour over everything on the plate if you desire
Slice of raw honeycomb or quince paste
Dried fruit or fresh berries to fill in little gaps
2-3 varieties of crackers or sliced baguette
The Good Part
There are no rules when it comes to putting the ingredients on the board but you should select a board that is big enough to accommodate your cheeses and accoutrements. Below are some things to consider
Not all cheeses need a cheese knife as they takes up too much space on the board. You can serve some cheeses, like a cheddar, crumbled into chunks or a Manchego, pre-sliced.
It’s always nice to have some type of a sweet element, such as a flavored honey, jam or quince paste to spread on a nice salty bite of cheese.
The more bountiful the platter, the better! Get creative and fill in empty spaces with colorful items like red grapes, berries, or dried fruit.
I like to serve 2-3 varieties of crackers that pair nicely with the different flavors of cheese. A simple sliced baguette is always a crowd pleaser, paired with a crunchy fig & rosemary cracker.
I also think it’s nice to throw on a gluten free option so you have ample choices for your guests. There are so many beautiful and delicious GF crackers these days that I always like to have one for those who try to stay away from gluten, myself included.
This should be pretty stress free so don't over think it and know that everyone will be excited about cheese... because honestly who isn't?!
Now let’s cut some cheese!!
Serve it up!
What kind of cheeses do you love or despise? Send us a note!
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