Cheese and Wine Platter

I believe there is nothing better than a cheese platter and a glass of wine to start off any dinner or party. Plus, it is extremely easy to prepare and keeps guests entertained while you prepare the main course. Last Christmas I bought my friends and family each a slate cheese board and chalk set (of course I had to gift myself one as well) pictured above. I love mine because you can arrange your cheese, label each one with the chalk and then use the rope handles to carry with ease.

When it comes to purchasing  and arranging the cheese for your platter, here are a few simple tips I follow:

• For dinner parties, offer at least two different cheeses from the three different categories: ranging from mild, medium to strong cheese.
• Do not be afraid to ask for assistance while in your grocery store. I always ask for suggestions and end up learning more about unique cheeses in the process.
• Leave rinds on to keep the cheeses from drying out. All rinds are edible, except for waxed rind cheese.
• Provide enough distance between each cheese when arranging, so the flavors do not mix.
• Provide a knife for every cheese on your platter.

I always like to spice up my platter with a  variety of options to accompany the cheese. Some of my staples are rice crackers, baguette slices, pepperoni and grapes.

Another option for your platter that is especially delicious during the colder months is a baked Brie. It is extremely creamy and it just melts in your mouth! There are many recipes you can follow to achieve this, but I follow a very simple process. 

For the ingredients I buy a round Brie cheese (usually Presidente brand) and a can of Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Unroll the crescent dough sheet and place the Brie in the center of the dough. Optional: you can spread your favorite jam on the Brie before placing it on the crescent dough. Then wrap the dough around the Brie to enclose the cheese completely, place on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven for 20 minutes. Viola! 

When pairing wine with the cheese I follow this simple rule: start with light wine with milder cheese and more full bodied wines for the stronger cheeses. With those guidelines you can really pair any varietal depending on your cheese selection. 

Have a great weekend!