Make a Simply Delicious Cheese Plate

By Hklbrries

Cindi Leive, editor-in-chief of Glamour and author of 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know, on how to create a crowd-pleasing platter:

Choose Your Cheeses: Shop for three types that will appeal to different palates. My top picks: a French Camembert (soft, mild), an aged Gouda (hard, mild to sharp), and an American blue. Or goat cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Gorgonzola. Figure on two or three ounces per person. Leave the cheeses out on the counter for at least an hour before serving; they taste better at room temperature.

Prep Your Platter:

1. Arrange the cheeses on a large plate in whatever way the shapes fit together best, or line them up from mildest to strongest. Put a knife beside each, and precut a few slices. Leave the rest of the cheese whole.

2. Arrange crackers and bread on the platter. Stick with walnut, raisin or plain varieties. Avoid anything with seeds or herbs - the flavors are too distracting.

3. Garnish the plate with sliced pears, red or green grapes, or toasted nuts. Dates are lovely, too. If you have a jar of chutney in your fridge, add a little dollop near the edge of the dish. You'll have a decadent-looking platter - but you won't have to buy 10 different cheeses to fill it out!

Ingredients

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Preparation

Step 1

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