Serving the Cheese Course
The transition between the main meal and dessert is often best served by a curated board. The goal is to provide a palate-resetting finish that balances salt, cream, and structure.
Temperature is the single most important factor.
Pull your cheese from the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before serving. Cold cheese is muted and firm; room temperature reveals the true characteristics of the curd.
- Marble or wooden board
- Multiple knives
- Small tasting forks
What goes in.
- 5 ozaged hard cheese, such as Comté or aged Cheddar
- 5 ozbloomy rind cheese, such as Brie or Camembert
- 5 ozblue-veined cheese, such as Roquefort or Stilton
- 1 cupmarcona almonds or toasted walnuts
- 1 bunchfresh grapes or sliced pears
- 1 loafcrusty sourdough bread, sliced thin
Separate by style, not by force
Arrange cheeses in a circle or a slight arc, starting from the most delicate and moving toward the most pungent. Provide a separate knife for each cheese to prevent cross-contamination of rinds and pastes.
The method.
Temper the cheese
Remove the cheese from its wrapping and place it on your serving board. Keep it in a draft-free spot for 45 minutes.
Arrange the board
Place the softest cheese at the edge. Place the hard, aged cheese at the opposite side. Arrange the blue or pungent cheese away from the others so the aromas do not bleed.
Add anchors
Scatter nuts and fruit in the gaps between the cheeses. Keep them distinct so the moisture from the fruit does not seep into the cheese rinds.
Prepare the bread
Toast the sourdough slices lightly until the crust is crisp but the center remains supple. Serve in a basket alongside the board.
Other turns to take.
The Regional Flight
Select three cheeses from the same province or country to highlight local terroir.
The Texture Focus
Serve only cheeses of one milk type, such as three different ages of sheep's milk cheese, to highlight the change in character over time.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a wire cutter for soft, sticky cheeses to keep the shape clean.
Label the cheeses with small cards if the board is crowded.
If you have a small wedge of something especially strong, keep it on a separate small plate to avoid overpowering the rest of the selection.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I remove the rind?
Only if it is plastic, wax, or cloth-bound. If it is a natural, bloomy, or washed rind, it is intended to be eaten.
How much cheese per person?
One to two ounces of each variety per person is sufficient for a post-dinner course.
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