Observations
How to replace the cheeses on the board?
-For hard cheeses (Comté, Beaufort): Abondance, Tomme de Savoie, Cheddar...
-For blue or blue-veined cheeses (Bleu d'Auvergne): Fourme d'Ambert, Roquefort, Gorgonzola...
-For soft cheeses with bloomy rinds (Brie): Camembert, Chaource...
-For soft cheeses with washed rinds (Munster): Patachouffe, Vacherin Mont d'Or...
-For goat's cheeses (Saint Marcellin): Chabichou, Crottin...
-For sheep's milk cheeses (Ossau Iraty): Petit Basque, Folie Bergère...
-For semi-hard cheeses: St-Nectaire, Petit Livarot...
You can also create a regional cheese platter (for example, with cheeses from the Pyrenees) or, depending on the type of milk used, a goat's cheese platter.
How much cheese should I allow for my platter?
Whether you want to serve a platter at the end of a meal or make it your main course, the quantities required will vary. Follow this guide:
* Cheese platter at the end of a meal: 60 to 100 g per person
* Cheese platter as a meal: 200 to 250 g per person
* Cheese and charcuterie platter as a meal: 150 to 200 g per person
Do cheeses have seasons?
Yes, a cheese's season depends on when the animals are born, as this is when they begin producing milk. For example, a goat will only produce milk from spring to autumn. However, you also need to take the cheese-maturing process into account, as it can take some time! Don't hesitate to ask your cheesemonger for advice on choosing the best cheeses ;-)
What should I serve with a cheese platter?
Here, we've garnished our platter with white grapes, dried apricots, black cherry jam (ideal with sheep's milk cheese), truffle honey (though you can of course use regular honey), and, of course, slices of bread to go with everything and make delicious open-faced sandwiches!
You can also add charcuterie to make a generous mixed platter!
I'm entertaining a pregnant woman. Which cheese should I buy for my platter?
The cheeses that pregnant women can eat are pasteurized cheeses.
The cheese board: dessert or aperitif?
Both! You can serve your cheese board as an aperitif, accompanied by charcuterie, for example, or as part of a meal: after the main course, just before dessert.
