Spring Cheese

Spring is springing (sort of) and Daffy Day is right around the corner, and while I like to think of cheese boards as a year-round staple, this picnic-style setting is where they really shine. If your goal is to contribute something that realistically takes almost no culinary skill or cooking but still steals the show, the cheeseboard is your best bet.    It’s a nearly meditative practice that allows you to flex your creative muscles and show off to your friends & fam; no equipment necessary, just a bit of time and a vision.

1. Use a plate or tray that is almost too small for what you’re serving.  This key trick of the eye ensures that your board seems full, plush, and abundant.
2. You don’t need a TON of cheese – I know, I can barely accept that myself.  But really, this is an app not a meal.  Our guideline is three cheeses for up to 10 people, four for 20, five for 30 and so on.
3. My baseline for selecting cheeses: one hard, one soft, and a wild card.  So, this could be cheddar, brie, and blue.  Or maybe it’s Challerhocker, Delice de Bourgogne, and bucheron.  Play around a bit! And don’t be afraid of blue cheese! More people like it than you think.
4. Accouterments!  I like to think of grapes and nuts as staples, but really in this space the world is your oyster and you are the pearl.  Fresh fruit, dried fruit, candied nuts, flavored crackers, gherkins, olives, crostini are all fair game.  Toss in a cute & teeny jar of jam or honey if you’re feeling inspired.
5. Meats honestly are optional in my view.  Maybe rope somebody else in to be the Charcuterie Chair of your picnic.  That being said, if you’re feeling generous or working with a larger space, they’re great to fill in through the center or tuck into naked corners of the board.
6. Slicing and chunking up your cheese before you place it on your board gives you more control over where it goes & how much space it takes up, and makes it easier for grazing.