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Cheese Plate 101

Three cheeses makes for a lovely presentation for a 1-2 hour party. If cheese is your main course for a cocktail or win party, present two trays and replenish each with the same cheeses over the course of the party. Place your pungent "stinky" cheese alongside your hard cheese with some fruit. Serve your soft and firm cheeses with crackers and perhaps nuts nearby.

Selecting cheese. There are so many varieties and price points that you will want to ask your cheese monger for taste test. Or, to narrow down your selection, select among regional cheeses that will complement your wine selection.

Following is a list of very popular cheese selections today: Hard, aged cheeses such as Cheddar, Goat Gouda. Soft, creamy cheeses such as Capra Goat, Camembert, Brillat-Savarin. Firm, tangy cheeses such as Manchego, Mahon, Parmigiano-Reggiano. "Stinky" blue cheeses such as Taleggio , Valdeon, Stilton.

Remove the cheese from the refrigerator an hour before serving. Arrange the cheeses on cutting boards, saucers, platters, or plates. Set out a separate knife with each cheese.

For a more in depth introduction to The Cheese Board, including how-to's for:

Selecting Your Cheeses, Select by Grouping, Serving Your Cheese, Savoring Cheese, and Best Matches

Visit The Gilded Fork: The Cheese Course for a wonderful article.