When did arranging cheese become an artform unto itself? We’re not entirely sure when pre-dinner bites like cheese, charcuterie, fruits, and pretzels gained an air of sophistication and class, but we’re glad it happened. A cheese board or platter can be a staple at your next social event, whether it be a dinner party, birthday celebration, or holiday gathering.
Certainly, with the platter’s rising popularity (thanks, Instagram), there is no shortage of bespoke pre-assembled boards out there to order in. But what about the host or hostess who wants to emphasise individuality and flair? Or the one who seeks a challenge? Or perhaps you or a guest have particular tastes that only self-assembly can fully satisfy? In that case, there’s never been a better time to try building your own platter.
While texture, strength, colour, and shape should all be factors considered when assembling the elements that make up your cheese platter, what will ultimately reign supreme is taste, according to Chloe Lee. A co-founder of artisanal cheese and handmade dip company Cheeselads, Lee knows her stuff when it comes to the subtle art of the platter.
“Some may say the key to creating the perfect cheese board would be to have an aged cheese, a soft cheese, a hard cheese and a blue,” Lee says. But forgo traditional if you feel like it. “Forget the rules, there’s no point putting something you don’t love on a cheese board just for the aesthetics if you’re not going to eat them. You do you. When you include things that you like, that cheese board will become your favourite cheese board.”
If you’re getting fired up to host your next shindig, and to attempt a cheese platter of your very own, you’ve come to right article. Here, we’ve compiled just a few starter items that will get the ball (or, with apologies, the wheel of cheese) rolling.
