How to make a cheese platter?
For an aperitif or after the main course, a generously garnished cheese platter is always a hit with guests! But which cheese to choose for a worthy platter? And how much cheese do you need? We explain it all in this recipe ;-)
Ingredients
To accompany :
Materials
- 1 board
- 1 cheese knife
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Platter of garnished blinis, the varied aperitif perfect for parties
Preparation
Cut the Beaufort into small triangles.
Cut Comté cheese into small sticks.
Cut the Ossau Iraty, Bleu d'Auvergne and Brie cheeses into large triangles.
Cut the Munster and Saint Marcellin into triangular slices.
Arrange on a board, then add the truffle honey (or classic honey), black cherry jam and spoons.
Arrange the white grapes, dried apricots and bread slices in the interstices. And voilà! The board is ready!
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 rind (Brie): Camembert, Chaource...
-For soft, washed-rind cheeses (Munster): Patachouffe, Vacherin..: Patachouffe, Vacherin mont d'or...
-For goat cheeses (Saint Marcellin): Chabichou, Crottin...
-For ewe'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 or, depending on the milk used, a goat's cheese platter.
How many cheeses should I use for my platter?
Whether you want to present a platter at the end of the meal or, on the contrary, make it your main course, the quantities required will change. Follow the guide:
* End-of-meal cheese platter: between 2 oz/60gr and 13.5 oz/100gr per person
* Mealtime cheese platter: between 7 oz/200 gr and 9 oz/250gr per person
* Cheese and charcuterie platter: between 5 oz/150gr and 7 oz/200gr per person
Do cheeses have seasons?
Yes, the season of a cheese depends on when the animals are born, when they start producing milk. For example, a goat will only produce milk from spring to autumn. However, you also need to take into account the maturing process, which can take some time! Don't hesitate to ask your cheesemonger for advice on choosing the best cheeses for you ;-)
How to accompany a cheese platter?
Here, we've decorated our platter with white grapes, dried apricots, black cherry jam (ideal for accompanying ewe's milk cheese), truffle honey (but you can of course use classic honey) and of course we've added slices of bread to go with it all and make the best toasts!
You can also add charcuterie to make a generous mixed board!
I'm entertaining a pregnant woman, which cheese should I buy to make my platter?
The cheeses that can be eaten by pregnant women are pasteurized cheeses.
The cheese board: dessert or aperitif?
Both! You can prepare your cheese board for an aperitif, accompanied by charcuterie for example, or as part of a meal: after the main course, just before dessert, etc.
