With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, many of us might have been planning the “big meal” for weeks or even months -- but what are we going to eat before dinner? You know, the time when all your guests have arrived and are mingling and everyone is starving but the turkey is still in the oven? You pass around a few cocktails and BAM, everyone’s buzzed. You need something hearty to snack on - and something easy to throw together! You have done enough work planning your meal, no need to add on some fussy appetizers.
Enter, the cheese plate.
Now, I love those “cheese and meat platters” you pick up at Walmart that are all nicely sliced, overly processed and come with crackers. How much easier does it get, really? But there is a time and a place for these platters {tailgaiting, camping, etc} and Thanksgiving isn’t one of ‘em! The good news is this: creating a cheese plate is easy and quite beautiful, and your guests will love it! Here are some tips for putting one together:
Use different textures: Select cheeses from different categories such as Aged, Firm, Blue, and Soft. This will enable you to have a range of different flavors on your plate. If you are in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store and you don’t know what to do, just ask someone working in the deli, they are more than happy to help and love to share their knowledge.
Offer accompaniments: Bread, crackers, and breadsticks are all happy on a cheese plate and allow your guests to mix and match according to their taste. Also, adding dried fruits and nuts adds texture and beauty to your plate.
Throw some meat on there: Not much pairs as well with cheese as meat does -- try adding prosciutto or some specialty salami, mortadella or capicola.
Condiments: Add some mustards or jams to the board. I personally love fig jam with my cheeses.
Hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving and a safe Black Friday if you venture out into the crowds! Happy Holiday Season!
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