Assembling a Perfect Cheese Plate
There I was: standing in the Whole Foods off Lincoln Blvd in Venice, CA, holding an empty shopping basket and staring blankly at the mountains of pasteurized milk that make up the vast cheese section. My mission was simple: assemble a cheese plate for my friends and I to sample that Saturday night at an outdoor moving screening. As someone who considers herself pretty familiar with food on the whole, cheese is not a specialty of mine (YET—this is 2017, okay?).
I obviously have my everyday favorites—fresh chèvre (THAT’S FANCY FOR GOAT CHEESE BY THE WAY), St. Andre with dates, and raw grass-fed sharp cheddar—pair those with my Hot Honey Spiced Nuts and Simple Mills Sea Salt cracker, and usually I’d call it a day.
Yet…. I knew at my core, I needed to branch out. I am clueless when it comes to cheese. What is the right combination of cow vs. goat vs. buffalo vs. sheep, hard vs. soft, and fresh vs. aged, and what pairs well with each type? After some googling and some shameless dissecting of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ideal cheese plate, I made a tentative list and took the plunge. These are my results, and I am very happy with them.
And yes I bought enough for a family of 8 (there were 3 of us). I don’t regret anything.
SOFT:
While I am not a fan of blue cheese, I felt it had a place on my board. Plus, picking a variety was simple—every article I read agreed on one thing: Point Reyes Original Blue. Done. (I will say—in hindsight, nobody touched the blue. Nix next time).
I can’t resist my mainstay: the fresh goat cheese. I got the Laura Chenel Orange Blossom goat cheese which was completely amazing—only lightly sweetened with honey and no sugar. I avoid most flavored goat cheese as they have a lot of added sugar. If I hadn’t come across the Orange Blossom, I would have gotten a plain chèvre log to pair with dates, honeycomb, and crackers.
I ended up getting two other soft cheeses, and I'm glad I did because I wouldn't have wanted to go without either.
St. Andre because I love it with dates.
Camembert di Bufala. My friend requested this specifically as it is her personal favorite and usually hard to find outside of Italy. I was stunned to see it at Whole Foods. Next time, screw the St. Andre and just get this—it blew us away. Like a much more flavorful brie that is creamy and a little sweet. It was divine.
Another excellent option: Caseificio dell’Alta Langa Robiolo Bosina. This delicious Italian cow and sheep milk’s cheese is perfect for people who love Brie but want something a little different and more interesting. I love every cheese they make.
HARD-er
Marcel Petite Fort St. Antoine 24-month Comte. I took a risk on this one. Gwyneth told me I needed comte; apparently it’s a crowd pleaser and goes with everything, and she was correct. This turned out to be the most balanced cheese; it went perfectly with everything. Just the right consistency, neutral yet very smooth, nutty, and not too rich or too soft.
24-Month Aged Local Cheddar. The woman behind the counter recommended. It was great to have, but the other cheeses were so amazing and interesting that we found we touched this one the least. I tend to find this happens with cheddar, just like blue. Next time, I’d skip.
ACCOMPANIMENTS:
MEATS—2 types of salami, prosciutto.
DRIED FRUIT—dates.
BREAD—a baguette.
CRACKERS—Simple Mills Rosemary and Sea Salt crackers.
In the end, although I certainly went off-book and overboard for three people, it was an elite spread. I look forward to continuing my cheese education moving forward. You don't have to be a cheese connoisseur to assemble an amazing cheese plate. Just include what you like, add some variety, try new kinds, and ask the person behind the counter. If they don't have exactly what you're looking for, they can almost always find something very similar. Good luck!
