How to Arrange a Simple Cheese Tray
Learning how to arrange a simple cheese tray is a life skill that will help you entertain for years to come!
How to Arrange a Simple Cheese Tray
When entertaining, a cheese tray is one of the simplest appetizers you can serve. But it takes more than slapping a rectangle of Velveeta and sleeve of Ritz on a plate. With a little finesse, you can take some basic supermarket finds to create a delicious, enticing cheese board. Below are a few hints on How to Arrange a Simple Cheese Tray.
Necessities for Your Cheese Tray
Here’s what you need:
- A wooden board or tray, ceramic plate or other attactive serving dish (I used this rectangular “slate” platter from Sur la Table).
- Cheeses…at least 2, but 3 or more if serving a crowd. Vary tastes and textures. Use a couple cow’s milk cheeses and add a goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese. I like to include a soft buttery cheese like Brie, Camembert or Cambozola (which is a combination of a triple creme cheese and Gorgonzola), a blue (if not using a Cambozola), and a firm mild cheese, like cheddar, fontina (ones my hubby will eat) on each cheese tray.
- Cheese knives…use one for each cheese if available
- Something sweet…I used fresh figs on this tray, but fresh fruits like apple or pear slices or dried fruits also work well with cheeses. Quince paste is a more unusual addition…it works well with Manchego.
- Nuts add a nice crunch…use your favorites
- Crackers or toasts
More Tips:
Make sure to bring your cheeses to room temperature before serving. Taking the cheeses out of the fridge an hour or two before serving will bring them to the proper temperature. I arrange the cheeses on the board first, then fill in the empty spaces with piles of fruits, nuts or even meats. For this party, I wanted more of an antipasto platter and used Prosciutto, Genoa salami, Cambozola, Manchego and Fontina. Roasted red peppers with a drizzle of balsamic and extra virgin olive oil plus a bowl of Mediterranean olives completed this appetizer offering.
I hope this has given you some ideas or inspiration. What combination of cheeses is your favorite when entertaining?
52 Comments on “How to Arrange a Simple Cheese Tray”
Yes, I love almost everything you put out for us, and I think you are so creative and your food is delicious (yes, I have made several of your creations). This post is very inspiring. Cheese presentations are always challenging for me. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much for your kind words!
I just love this! As I was reading it, my daughter leaned over and said, “mom, pin that so I can pin it from you. I want my cheese tray to look like THAT!” So consider it pinned!! 🙂
Lizzy,
Your presentation is beautiful. I thought I saw prosciutto…love it. I usually have imported sharp provolone, fontina and asiago.
Annamaria
Beautifully presented!! I think you just have a knack for presenting things perfectly. 🙂
A very enticing cheese platter. I love serving it right on the cutting board as it makes it easy for everyone to help themselves. I hope I can find figs at the market this weekend as I also am going to be making a cheese tray.
Beautiful Lizzy, just beautiful, you’re such a classy hostess!
What a beautiful cheese platter, love that slate board. Have beeb eyeing that for sometime, but it’s so expensive waiting for it to go on sale 🙂
I love adding little pots of jams/relishes and sometimes even Dijon mustard with the cheese 🙂 Never had ripe fig with cheese, must try 🙂
Such great tips!
I would love to dive right into that cheese board! It looks fabulous, all of my favourites.
Lizzy, you did an excellent job on you cheese platter. Now I know what to use the fresh figs for…other than bake in desserts since fresh figs are sooo very expensive here, in S. Florida and we only get them this time of the year! xoxo
Very appetizing!
i have never had to do this so the fact that I am learning how to now by you makes me happy! I am bookmarking it