When you want to impress guests with a selection of delicious cheeses, you might be inclined to create your own cheese plate. Now, while this sounds relatively simple, there are a few common errors that you should avoid in order to give your guests the best cheese tasting experience.
The first thing to remember is that you should avoid flavoured cheeses. Any cheese with additional flavours like herbs can affect the delicate nuances that make each cheese special. While you should steer clear of these additional flavours, it’s perfectly acceptable to add cheeses with stronger flavours.
Another common mistake is adding too many varieties to the plate. While you want to give your guests a variety from which to choose, you should not add more than four or five types of cheese. Offer textural as well as flavour variety by choosing hard, soft, mild, and strong flavoured cheeses.
Thirdly, many people are tempted to serve straight from the fridge. When cheese is served colder than room temperature, the true flavours are lost. Your guests will get so much more out of their tasting experience when cheese is left to warm slightly before served.
Don’t forget about the importance of cutting different types of cheese appropriately. Different types of cheese require different kinds of knives. You also need to take extra care when cutting soft cheese.
Finally, plan your pairings properly and don’t overdo it. You only need a select few pairings like fruit and various breads to help enhance the flavour of these cheeses.