How to put together the perfect cheese platter

Who doesn’t love cheese? And cheese platters? It’s impossible to hold back. If there is one thing I wish I could eat every single day it would be a delicious assortment of cheeses. Take a look at the photo below, of a nice creamy brie topped with a sweet chutney. Tell me that doesn’t make your mouth water?

Cheese platters are a good old classic when it comes to party appetizers, but it can be a little daunting to put them together if you are new to it. Below you’ll find 6 tips that will help you make the perfect cheese platter for your next get together.

How to put together the perfect cheese platter

1. Choose your cheese

There are so many cheeses to choose from, it can sometimes be a little intimidating. An easy rule of thumb that you can follow is to choose at least 3 cheeses, all with a different consistency – 1 hard cheese, 1 soft cheese and 1 cheese somewhere in the middle. Also try to get different flavours – For instance, one strong flavoured, such as Blue Cheese or Stilton, one medium cheese such as Cheddar or Gouda, and one mild cheese such as Brie or Camembert.

2. Choose your crackers

If you are going to the effort of putting together a nice cheese tray, spend a little time and effort on the crackers. They don’t have to be the most expensive ones on the shelf, but something a little unusual is preferable. Water crackers are a gentle yet crispy choice. Or crostini or even fresh baguette are another tasty option.

3. Add something sweet

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a good cheese tray without grapes? They are a pretty good staple when it comes to serving cheese. Some kind of chutney in a small dish is also a nice companion. The photos above and below show a sweet onion chutney that was to die for! It’s always nice to offset the strong flavour of the cheese with something sweet.

4. Pick a platter

You don’t need a dedicated cheese tray to put together a beautiful platter (although it certainly helps!). Just use a plain white serving plate, or even better, a clean wooden chopping board, to display your cheeses. Don’t forget you’ll need something nice to serve the crackers in as well.

5. Timing is key

Cheese tastes the best at room temperature. If you can, put together your cheese tray about an hour before you plan to serve it. It isn’t the end of the world if you serve it straight from the fridge – cheese is always delicious – it will just be better if it’s had time to sit.

6. Optional – Choose your extras

That is pretty much all you “need” when putting together a cheese tray, but there are certainly lots of extras you can consider! Kielbasa or sausage is a nice accompaniment. A small dish of crunchy nuts adds some extra texture. Apple slices can offset the richness of the creamy cheeses.

How to put together the perfect cheese platter

Here’s another picture below that’s making my mouth water. I didn’t really need to include it in this post, except it looks so darn delicious I felt like I had to! To tell you the truth, I have absolutely no idea what kind of cheese this is – probably some kind of cheddar, judging by the colour! How to put together the perfect cheese platter You don’t need to be a cheese connoisseur to buy (and eat for that matter) delicious cheeses. Buy what looks good to you. If nothing else, you get to eat the leftovers!