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Foodie Friday: The Ultimate Cheese Platter!

September 25, 2015 Leave a Comment

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If cooking doesnโ€™t come naturally to you, or you donโ€™t feel confident in the kitchen, or are short on time, or just prefer to expend your energy on the tabletop styling instead of the stovetop, or if all of the above apply, then the sentence โ€œcome round for a little wine and cheeseโ€ was made for you.ย After all, cheese is always a good idea! And forget the rulebook, just go with what works for you: serve it as a starter to whet the appetite, or as a pre-dessert indulgence, or just give it the attention it warrants and make it the focus of your evening.

ws-marble-and-wood-cheese-board-imgZ-alt3

Serious aficionados will tell you that spring is the very best season for cheese โ€“ itโ€™s when the flavours are at their most mild and delicate, thanks to the animalsโ€™ diet of tender greens. Not all of us are lucky enough to be able to buy cheese so fresh and seasonal, but you can still create a sensational cheese plate with a little guidance from Williams-Sonoma.

Which cheese to choose and how many is too many?

You can serve one carefully chosen cheese and let its extraordinary qualities shine, but in general, an assortment of three cheeses offers variety without overwhelming guests. When making your selections, diversity can be created in different ways: cheese age or type (one bloomy rind, one semi-firm, one blue); milk type (one cowโ€™s milk, one goatโ€™s milk, one sheepโ€™s milk); country of origin (one French, one Spanish, one English); or even locale (such as three from the Yarra Valley). Ultimately, youโ€™ll want a range of flavours and textures, from creamy and buttery to crumbly and salty, and a mix of shapes and colours.

Storing & Serving

Cheeses are best freshly cut from the wheel, so where possible avoid buying pre-wrapped pieces. Storage is always a balancing act; cheese must โ€œbreatheโ€ or release moisture, but it also needs to stay moist and not dry out. Whenever possible, buy cheeses on the day of serving and keep the wedges at cool room temperature on a board or under a glass dome. When refrigerating, ditch the plastic wrap in favour of waxed paper.

Always let cheese come to room temperature before eating it. This may take up to a couple of hours. Arrange the pieces so that they are easy to cut, such as laying a wedge on its side. Consider making the first cut yourself, as a guide, slicing so that each piece will have a little bit of rind. This helps avoid an empty chunk of rind at the end of serving.

Accompaniments

Choose accompaniments to match the cheese, season, and occasion, keeping flavour and texture in mind. Chutneys, jams, or tapenades are all delicious, even served straight from their small jars. Or try sweet sides like honeycomb or fresh, dried or candied fruits; or salty bites, such as olives, salumi or nuts. Always have plenty of fresh baguette slices or rustic crackers alongside.

Styling Tips

Itโ€™s really all about great flat surfaces that encourage guests to dig in, again and again. Marble and slate keep the cheese and fruit cool during service, while woodโ€™s natural warmth enhances the cutting experience. A mix of all three looks gorgeous, too! Leave plenty of space in and around the cheeses, accompaniments and the edge of the board so things donโ€™t get too messy. And give each cheese its own knife: rounded knives are best for spreading luscious, creamy cheeses, and sharp knives are ideal for cutting hard aged cheeses. A cheese knife with tines is perfect for transferring slices to plates. Cheese markers are a thoughtful addition, making each variety seem that little bit more special. A final stylistโ€™s flourish? Edible leaves and even a scattering of edible spring flowers will really bring your display to life.

Still in need of specifics? Try this inspired spring pairing.

Spring Cheese Plate with Apricots and Almonds

Ingredients

180-250 g fresh goatโ€™s milk cheese

180-250 g hard sheepโ€™s milk cheese such asย Pecorino pepato or Truffle Pecorino

180-250 g semi-firm cowโ€™s milk cheese such as Toma

2 apricots or peaches, thinly sliced

ยฝ cup (90 g) natural or roasted Australian almonds

To serve:

About 2 hours before serving, remove the cheeses from the refrigerator, unwrap them, and allow them to come to room temperature. When ready to serve, arrange the cheeses, apricot slices, and almonds on a cutting board, marble slab, or platter. Include a spreader for the soft cheeses and a paring knife for each of the other cheeses. Serve with baguette rounds, thin slices of rye bread or crackers. Serves 4-6.

–Head to Williams-Sonoma for lots more foodie (and cheese-related) inspiration, or book yourself into a cooking class in their Bondi Junction Cooking School.

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Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’— Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’—
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner ๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ˜
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting ๐Ÿคฃ Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help โค๏ธ
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
While new technologies continue to shape the inter While new technologies continue to shape the interior design scene, one that has been getting a fair bit of traction of late isย marble-look porcelain. A cheaper alternative to natural stone, the latest printed porcelain tile technology makes it difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

Founded by husband and wife duo Anton and Rita Bourtsev, Sydneyโ€™s @kaolintiles has a unique offering in this space with over 100 different marble-look tile designs in small and large formats.

More via link in bio now.

#porcelain #porcelaintile #porcelaintiles #largeformattiles #largeformattile #marblelooktiles #bathroomtrends2023 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #goldsink #brasssink #jenbishop #kaolin #kaolintiles #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger
Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I'll post and I hope to be home and with my lippie back on by Monday. You know it's serious when I'm lipstick free, right?!

This was about a week ago in intensive care. And although my arm is still bloody sore I'm now on a normal ward and no longer attached to any drips, drains or a catheter. I've come a long way.

This has been the most physical and mental challenge of my life but I'm through the worst. I kept my arm. The doctors saved my life.

I cannot say it enough times. If you're worried about your health, don't hang around. Things can change so quickly. 

A huge thanks to my amazing husband @damianfrancis We've had the hardest year yet and our marriage has never been stronger, even if my rings did get cut off my finger in hospital ๐Ÿ˜œ

As great of a job as he is doing at home with the kids, I cannot wait to get home now. Countdown is on to a new year and a fresh start.

And I can't say enough just how overwhelmingly grateful I am to all the medical professionals involved in my care, from the @healthdirectaus nurse who sent me to Emergency to the exceptional surgeons, doctors, nurses and support staff.

Happy New Year, everyone. Remember you never know what's around the corner and this is not a dress rehearsal!

And huge thank you for all your kindness here. Has been amazing while stuck in bed.

Xxx

For those who missed it, I was unlucky enough to get necrotising fasciitis. You'll have to Google it.
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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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