HONEYDEW, CUCUMBER & MINT COOLER
Having guests over? Here’s how to build the ultimate cheese board, writes Becky Krystal
HOEVER first decided it was not only acceptable but classy to throw cheese bits and snacks on a board deserves credit for simultaneously pulling off what may have been both the greatest scam and invention in the history of entertaining.
Sure, you might want to invest in fresh cheese if you’re having friends over, but you can pull together the rest of a great board using mostly what you already may have in your fridge or freezer.
Shelly Westerhausen, who recently released Platters and Boards: Beautiful, Casual
Spreads for Every Occasion with her partner, Wyatt Worcel, unsurprisingly says that any time is a good time for a cheese board.
Small party, big party, cobbledtogether dinner for one or two: you can’t go wrong.
Here are tips to help you put together a cheese board, geared particularly for feeding a party.
WHAVE A PLAN
Deliberately building a cheese board can be intimidating because of how many choices there are, Westerhausen says.
She suggests starting with one item you absolutely want, and go from there. That probably means your favourite cheese, or one cheese and one meat.
With regard to quantities, it depends on when you want to serve the board. As a starter, Westerhausen recommends:
28g of cheese per person
1 to 2 tablespoons nuts
1 to 2 tablespoons condiments 4 pieces of fruit 1 honeydew melon (about 1.8kg), peeled and chopped
1 English cucumber, ½ chopped and ½ thinly sliced 1 cup fresh mint leaves
½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 8 limes), plus 1 lime, thinly sliced, for serving splash of gin (optional) Purée the melon, chopped cucumber and mint in 4 to 6 vegetables 28 to 56g of meat. As a main, the amounts increase:
28-56g cheese (others recommend up to 112g)
2 to 3 tablespoons nuts
3 to 4 tablespoons condiments 4 to 5 pieces of fruit
6 to 10 vegetables
56 to 85g of meat.
It’s better to buy more than not enough.
VARIETY OF FLAVOURS
Fill in the rest with a variety of a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher.
Add the lime juice and sliced cucumber. Chill for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
Stir well before serving. Serve over ice, garnished with lime slices. Add a splash of gin, if desired. ● Recipe supplied by Jenni Jackson. flavours and textures. It helps to think about categories of cheese when building a board. Three or four cheeses is a good number, hitting on several different types.
Among the categories you can choose from: firm (cheddar, Parmesan); semi-soft (Gouda, fontina); soft and/or ripened (brie, Camembert, mozzarella, goat cheese); and blue (Gorgonzola, Stilton, Roquefort). If you need help picking, go to a speciality cheese shop or the cheese counter at your grocery store and ask.
The accompaniments fall into categories as well. Try to include crunchy (crackers, nuts); salty (meats, crackers, nuts); sweet (honey, jam, chocolate, fresh or dried fruit); and tangy (mustard, olives and anything pickled).
MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF
“I don’t think you should feel bad about putting together stuff you pick up from the store,” Westerhausen says.
This is part of the beauty of the cheese board. It lets you enjoy the party yourself, with a little restocking.
If you want, you can focus on making one thing in advance – say, a dip. Then buy as high-quality items as you can find or afford.
Westerhausen says there are so many producers making excellent artisanal food (probably better than the rest of us can) that you can easily wow your guests with unique local specialties they may never have had before, rather than worrying about impressing them with your own cooking prowess.
ARRANGE THOUGHTFULLY
Wood is a classic choice for the board. Go for hard, non-porous woods that won’t draw moisture out of cheese.
You can buy cheese boards relatively inexpensively at home goods stores, but your large wooden cutting board makes for an attractive display as well.
Other options include slate or ceramic trays or any large serving platter. Provide knives, spoons, small tongs, toothpicks and other tools to let people serve themselves. Runny foods such as honey or jam should be placed in ramekins or small bowls.
Labelling the cheese can be helpful – cheese flags are sold at some stores, or you can DIY with toothpicks and paper.
A good approach is to start by placing your cheeses 1 to 2 hours in advance so they can come to room temperature. Try to avoid letting them touch so flavours don’t mingle (this is also why you want separate knives for each cheese). Then start filling in the gaps with your other items.
Meats should be taken out just 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to serve, and if you are hosting vegetarians, serve charcuterie on a separate board or platter.
You can go for a more sparse look or choose the cornucopia, things-spilling-onto-the-table look popular on social media.
“I personally like the way it looks when it’s overflowing and inviting,” Westerhausen says, though she admits she’s probably in the minority. Just try not to make your board look too pristine, pretty or fussy, or people might not feel comfortable diving into it… for a minute or two, at least. – The Washington Post