We had a little 'meet and greet' for work yesterday and guess who was in charge of planning it? This girl! I am always up for an excuse to get together with interesting people eating delicious snacks and sipping on adult beverages. Doesn't sound like a bad way to cap off the work day! I had been in a meeting with Jen Crowley earlier in the week and since we were hosting the 'meet and greet' at her company (The Highland Group) she offered a few suggestions on where to grab some snacks. I use the term 'snacks' lightly because when I think of a 'snack' my mind jumps to something like Tostitos chips and Chi-Chi's salsa (which I love, but they have a time and a place, more specifically: in my bed, after the bar, in college). I'd prefer to think of the chosen selection for this particular event as a delightful sampling. Jen suggested that I check out Art of the Table on Wealthy Street where I could get some cheese and crackers along with an assortment of beer and wine. I had never been in their before and I immediately fell in love. I am sure I loved it a little bit more since I wasn't having to actually fork over my own hard earned moolah to pay for the tasty treats I picked out. (It's amazing how easily a few blocks of cheese and a 12 pack of microbrews can add up!) I got the schpeal de fromage from the "cheese lady" Kate on how to pick the best cheeses for a well balanced platter.
According to Kate: What You Need to Consider to Create a Well Balanced Cheese Plate
- What type of milk are the cheeses made from? It's good to have a variety. Cheese can come from cow, goat, sheep or a blend.
- Do you have a variety of textures? It is good to have cheeses on your platter that range from soft to hard. Some people like to spread, others prefer to crumble. We all have our preferences!
- Do you have a range in color and shapes of the cheeses? Presentation, presentation, presentation. People naturally like things that look good to them. If the cheeses look interesting when paired together it will add the aesthetics necessary for people to feel connected to the cheese. I just made that up. It doesn't even make sense.
- Are there a variety of strengths and flavors represented in your platter? Cheese can range from bold to mild in terms of strength of flavor but it is also important to consider adding in different tones such as nutty or sharp cheese. As they say, diversity is key!
- When you have a cheese platter that includes bleu cheese, DON'T USE THE SAME KNIFE on the other cheeses. Bleu cheese means that it is mold and that bacteria will spread to your other cheeses, causing them to also turn blue. Not instantly, but it will happen.
Kate rocked and was super helpful to work with. It makes me wish I could relive my trip to Switzerland that I went on in 2000. Maybe knowing more now I wouldn't walk in to each of the cheese factories holding my nose, looking to my brother and sister asking over and over again "Who cut the cheese???"