I fell in love over a mimolette.
I ate the rich, carrot-colored cheese with a rind the shape and texture of a porous stone while reclining in Golden Gate Park on a rare sunny afternoon, the man I would later marry reclining in the grass by my side. I loved him already, but the mimolette didn’t hurt.
Being young and poor, we savored every morsel of the slice, which was about as thick as a sheet of paper, its rough gray edges barely perceptible though its rich flavor seared into my mind.
From then on, when either of us uttered the word “mimolette,” it conjured images of lazing about, wandering the park’s botanical garden, drinking wine and listening to jazz on Fillmore Street.
Cheese does that for me. It is evocative and laden with memories.
While living in Chile, I routinely folded hard gamey goat cheese into my suitcases to share with my parents back home, imbuing my luggage with its potent farm smell. In Colombia, my husband and I ate quesito for breakfast while watching colorful hummingbirds in the wilderness outside Medellin. Each of these creamy, crumbly, waxy and salty morsels could be a course unto itself.
I know I’m not alone in being a fiend for fromage – far from it – and when throwing a dinner party or planning a more intimate meal, an arrangement of cheeses can be easily assembled as a popular hors d’oeuvre. Or, if you’re following the French tradition, it can be a perfect capstone to a meal when served as a final course.
Picking your types of cheese
To start, go for a variety of cheese types.
“You want to take into consideration the flavors, the textures and the appearance of the cheeses,” said Sarah Spira, content manager for the Denver-based American Cheese Society who is also a cheesemonger. “I always try to get a nice mix of textures – from softer, semi-soft, firm cheeses – and also an array of milk types.”
Cheese made with sheep, goat, cow and even buffalo milk create an interesting array of flavors, textures, and visual variation.
Don’t overdo it though. Go for a varied but limited selection. Sometimes even one showstopper will suffice.
“I tend to think less is more,” Spira said. “I tend to serve maybe one, if it’s one amazing cheese, or three cheeses or four cheeses. My upper limit is five, though some people like to have a whole spread.”
A selection of accoutrements can accent a cheese’s flavor, sometimes winning over guests who are more cheese-averse.
“A piece of cheese on its own, when combined with a dry fruit or jam, it just elevates it to the next level,” said Dawn Provence, co-owner of the Cheese Shop at the OC Mix in Costa Mesa. “Adding an accoutrement to the cheese might be a gateway to the non-cheese people.”
With a hard salty cheese, celery or radishes can be a palette cleanser. Honey, jam, preserves, fresh fruit, olives and dried fruit also work well on platters, and a cheesemonger can help you make an ideal pairing.
What to serve with the cheese
Also, pick the delivery platform that best suits your selection. Fresh white bread or plain water crackers can act as an ideal vehicle when more mild flavors are featured because they don’t detract from the nutty, aromatic and sharp flavors that can otherwise be overpowered by a cracker coated in a garlicky powder. Other crackers with nuts or dried fruit can accentuate cheeses with less subtle flavors.
Before buying, sample. Know what is going on your platter before putting it out for your guests so there are no surprises. Always buy what you like. Chances are your guests will like it too.
A few go-to hits for Provence include goudas and the Fromager d’Affinois her store sells, which is best described by her wholesaler as “like whipped cream and butter.”
“People love that with a salty marcona almond and honey,” Provence said.
While it may seem counter-intuitive to leave a milk product out of the fridge, allow the cheese to reach room temperature so your guests experience the full scope of flavors. It also makes the cheese easier to slice, but that’s just an added benefit.
With the small matter of assembling the perfect cheese platter resolved, you have more time to focus on making memorable moments with those you love.
Things to remember for cheese platter presentation
Cutting boards: Slate cutting boards can be a fun presentation and allow you to label the types of cheese with chalk. For larger portions, stacking wheels on a wooden block works well. Stack figs or drape grapes over the side of the wheel.
Cover your bases: Get different textures and milk types: sheep, goat, buffalo and cow. Also display a range of textures, from creamy to hard. A good rule of thumb is three to five cheeses on a platter.
Know your audience: For the less adventurous, buy more mild cheeses. Dawn Provence, co-owner of The Cheese Shop at the Mix in Costa Mesa, recommends Fromager d’Affinois, a popular cheese. Gouda and cheddar are also crowd favorites. If someone is lactose-intolerant, sheep and goat milk cheeses are still on the table. The lactose-averse can also enjoy harder, aged varieties. Remember, some vegetarians will not eat cheeses made with animal rennet.
The accoutrements: marcona almonds, membrillo paste, honey and jams, figs, and dried and fresh fruit all work well with cheese. Crisp vege-tables like radishes and celery can provide a refreshing break for your palate. Ask your cheesemonger for the best condiments to complement the cheeses you select.
Platter suggestions
Need some ideas on what cheeses to combine for your platter? Here are two platter suggestions, from Sarah Spira of the American Cheese Society.
Goat, cow, sheep and buffalo
• Bollie’s Mollies, Pennyroyal Farm, soft ripened goat cheese
• Mt. Tam, Cowgirl Creamery, triple cream cow cheese
• Bandage-wrapped cheddar, Fiscalini Farms, cow cheese
• Pepato or San Andreas from Bellwether Farms, sheep milk
• Buff Blue, Bleating Heart Cheese, buffalo milk
Goat and cow
• Truffle Tremor, Cypress Grove, soft ripened goat cheese
• Dry Jack, Rumiano Cheese Co., cow cheese
• Point Reyes Original Blue, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., cow milk
• Red Hawk, Cowgirl Creamery, triple cream cow milk with a washed rind
• Goat Gouda, Central Coast Creamery, goat cheese
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
