Fall Entertaining.. Tips on Creating a Beautiful Cheese Board in the Rough Luxe Style

style me pretty
Who doesn’t love cheese? A cheese board or tray is a no fail  go to when you need a quick appetizer. I think they are particularly beautiful this time of year paired with seasonal fruits.

image source unknown
If you’ve ever stood in the cheese section in any grocery store,  or better yet in front of the case at a fine cheese store, you’re well aware that creating a  cheese board can be quite an art. There are literally thousands of cheeses to choose from.  I am certainly not a cheese expert.  How do you narrow it down , what cheeses go well together, and what do you accompany them with ?
Your local chain supermarket can create this, right?


 If you want yours to look more inviting try these simple guidelines

image source unknown
Selecting the Cheese

• Include a variety of textures and flavors. Choose aged, soft, firm, or blue. For a good variety, select one from each group. Serve between three and five cheeses.
• Aged: Aged Cheddar, Comte, Goat Gouda
  Soft: Constant Bliss, Camembert, Brillat-Savarin
  Firm: Manchego, Mimolette, Parmigiano-Reggiano
  Blue: Gorgonzola Dolce, Valdeón, Stilton
• You can also try selecting cheeses by the type of milk used (cow, goat, sheep). This will ensure a range of different flavors on the plate.
• Serve at least one familiar cheese.

image source unknown
Find a platter or wooden board that is flat and large enough to hold the cheeses without crowding them.

Label cheeses so your guests know what they are eating

bradshawstyling.blogspot.com
Serve cheeses at room temperature. Allow one to two ounces of cheese per guest and be sure to use a separate knife for each cheese. Eat cheeses from mildest to strongest.

Accompany the Cheese with

• Fruit ,  nut breads, unflavored crackers, thin slices of French, white or wheat bread  
• Dried dates, raisins, figs, apricots
• Fresh seasonal fruits: grapes, pears etc.
• Nuts: pecans, almonds and hazelnuts
• Olives, and cured meats

 
elorablue.tumblr.com
Serve with beautiful knives…

george briggs

potterybarn.com
Add some wonderful wine

Cheeses & Wine Guidelines: There are certain classic pairings that are universal, such as Port with Stilton. After that, you will find varying opinions about which wine(s) go best with different cheeses. 

• Young milky cheeses (Goat Cheese, Fromage Blanc, Crescenza, Robiola, Fontina): Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir
• Strong-flavored cheeses (Parmesan, Provolone, Gouda, Pecorino): Chianti and Shiraz
• Aged mellow cheeses (Dry Jack, Blue Cheese, Feta, Parmesan, Stilton, Camembert): Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel
• Pungent Cheeses (Jarlsberg, Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Roquefort): Merlot, Late Harvest Riesling and Sauternes
• Soft-ripened cheeses (Camembert, Creamy Goat Cheese, Brie): Full-bodied Chardonnays
• Blue cheeses (Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Bleu d' Auvergne, Stilton, Cabrales, Danish Blue, Maytag Blue, Cambozola): Pinot Noir, Burgundy, Port, Sweet Dessert Wines and Sauternes
• Another option is to choose wine from the same region as the cheese, such as Chianti with Pecorino or Amontillado sherry with Manchego.    

…Construct a simple centerpiece of fall foliage and vintage hydrangeas ….

And the party is on!!