elegance on a wooden slab

Cheese Plates. Such an impression and oh, so grand. My sister, Kortney introduced me to a proper cheese plate. Before that, I was a basic extra extra sharp cheddar and pepper jack girl. However, I still crave a good chunk of extra extra sharp cheddar cheese. And, I've graduated from basic pepper jack to Costco's habanero cheddar cheese. mmmmm...

A proper cheese plate can vary each and every time. Flexibility and variety are what make them so special. Start out with an attractive wooden block or cheese plate and load it up with goods. My favorite cheese combinations include: port salut, gouda, blue, manchego, Jarlsberg, goat cheese, sometimes an aged cheddar... by the way... Trader Joe's has the best deals on specialty cheeses. I always shop there. Costco also has good deals, but in larger quantities. Serve the cheese platter with a nice selection of wines.

This display happens to be pretty plain, but I didn't have all my goods when I took the picture.

I like to add sliced pears/apples, walnuts, grapes, mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve with toasted crostini, multigrain crackers, i.e. Breton brand, etc. One of the best combinations is a pear slice with walnuts and blue cheese. OMG. yum. Almost always is the cheese devoured and gone by the end of the night. Enjoy!