Whether served as an hors d’oeuvre before dinner or as a sweet-savory treat after the meal, a cheese plate adds an elegant touch to any occasion. Stock your refrigerator with a few “special occasion” cheeses, flavorful nuts and fresh, seasonal fruit, and you’ll have an almost instant crowd-pleasing course.
About 2 hours before serving, remove cheeses from the refrigerator, unwrap them and allow them to come to room temperature. When you’re ready to serve, arrange cheeses, fruit and nuts on a cutting board, marble slab, or 1 or more platters. Include a spreader for each soft cheese and a sharp paring knife or cheese plane for hard cheese. Offer a bread basket or board with baguette rounds, thin slices of dark bread, or crackers.
 Italian Cheese Plate
6 to 8 ounces hard sheep’s milk, such as pecorino When ready to serve, arrange cheeses, grapes and almonds on a cutting board, marble slab, or 1 or more platters. Serves 4 to 6. |
 Farmhouse Cheese Plate
6 to 8 ounces aged goat’s milk cheese When ready to serve, arrange cheeses, apple slices, chutney, dates and pistachios on a cutting board, marble slab or 1 or more platters. Serves 4 to 6. |
 Late-Harvest Cheese Plate
6 to 8 ounces semisoft blue-veined cheese, such as Blue Valdeon When ready to serve, arrange cheeses, figs, honeycomb and walnuts on a cutting board, marble slab, or 1 or more platters. Serves 4 to 6. |
 Winter Cheese Plate
6 to 8 ounces ash-coated cheese, such as Humboldt Fog, Valencay or Selles-sur-Cher When ready to serve, arrange cheeses, pear slices, jam, fig bar and hazelnuts on a cutting board, marble slab, or 1 or more platters. Serves 4 to 6. |
