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8 Tasty Italian Cheese Platter Ideas

There are over 650 varieties of cheese, and everyone has at least one favorite. Prepared the right way, cheese can be a whole meal on its own. Better yet, prep-time can take from 5 to 20 minutes tops, thanks to the smooth texture of most types.

Although a lot of people love cheese, no one loves it as much as Italians! It plays a huge role in Italian cuisine. Not only did Italians help spread it around the globe, but they also discovered numerous factors to affect a cheese’s flavor, texture, smell, etc.

A cheese platter is one of the most common kinds of appetizers, called antipasto in Italian. Here are some Italian cheese platter ideas you can easily implement.

A Summary of our Italian Cheese Platter Ideas

If you don’t have enough time, here’s a shortlist of the Italian cheese platters we’ll be discussing.

Cheese & Crackers Party Tray
Cheese & Meat Platter

Antipasto Platter
Elegant Cheese & Fruits Platter
Low-Carb Cheese Platter

Kid-Friendly Cheese Platter Recipe
Cinnamon Cheese Platter Recipe
Mexican-Italian Cheese Platter Recipe

8 Italian Cheese Platter Ideas for Your Next Gathering

Here are the top Italian cheese platter recipes that combine nicely, taste great, and are easy to prep. Most of the ingredients can be bought at your local store!

1. Cheese & Crackers Party Tray

There are four kinds of cheese—cheddar, swiss, Colby, and Havarti in this recipe. The best thing about it is the variety of crackers the recipe suggests. There are thin wheat crackers, woven wheat ones, and round buttery as well.

That way, the cheese isn’t eaten as a standalone. You can throw in some grapes and red apple slices, too, if you want to add a fruity touch.

2. Cheese & Meat Platter

Cheese and meat is an interesting combination, especially in platters. Usually, we hear about burgers stuffed with cheese, and that’s pretty much it. Platters of cheese and meat aren’t that common; that’s why we thought you’d love this one.

In this recipe, you’ll need 8 ounces of sliced salami, pepperoni, and lunch meat each.

There are only two pounds of cheese added because the main ingredient is meat. You may choose between cheddar, pepper jack, and swiss cheese. It’ll be served alongside some cream cheese.

There is the usual addition of fruits for taste-balancing, but perhaps the eye-catching addition in this recipe is the jar of marshmallow crème. It’s definitely something to give a shot if you’re looking to try something new.

3. Antipasto Platter

In this recipe, the main players are cheese and veggies. It’s a simple, delicious, and healthy combination that your guests will love.

You’ll need 16 ounces of cheese that include cheddar, blue cheese, mozzarella, and goat cheese. Then, you have a tomato, quarter a cup of capers, 8 ounces of roasted red peppers, and 4 ounces of arugula or lettuce.

You can play with the recipe and change the ingredients according to your personal preference. However, it’s hard to match the taste of the original mix!

4. Elegant Cheese & Fruits Platter

If you’re opting for a summer platter, this recipe is your go-to option. With the variety of fruits in it, your guest will stay refreshed. You can pair it with a cup of orange juice for a perfect meal.

The recipe includes apples, pears, strawberries, green and red grapes, as well as dried apricots, cherries, and cranberries.

For the choice of cheese, you have cheddar, blue cheese, and brie. The three types go perfectly well with the sweet fruity flavor.

5. Low-Carb Cheese Platter

Cheese can be questionable when you’re on a diet. Fear not, this low-carb cheese platter won’t go against what the doctor ordered. The low content of carb means your friend, who’s on a diet, can comfortably eat it!

The creator of this recipe went for low-carb cheese that may be hard to find around your house. As an alternative, you can look for the cheese with the lowest carb content available to buy.

He added other low-carb snacks: smoked salmon, pepperoni, cucumbers, avocados, olives, a mix of berries, and a hard-boiled egg. It’s an interesting mix, indeed, and it’ll appeal to your guests.

6. Kid-Friendly Cheese Platter Recipe

If you’re inviting your kid’s friends over, this platter would be an ideal serving choice. It’s both healthy and enjoyable!

In this recipe, the aim is to make the platter look inviting enough for the kids. In the middle of a large tray, add a small bowl of nuts containing raisins, almonds, and dried blackberries. All these snacks will attract kids.

You’ll add another bowl that contains some dried apricots, which is eye-catching, and it may get the kids curious to taste it.

You can then playfully stack a line of crackers between both bowls, then mix and match the remaining spaces with grapes, sun-dried tomatoes, along with cheese like cheddar, soft cheese, and cream cheese for dipping.

7. Cinnamon Cheese Platter Recipe

If you’re hosting a classy gathering, your guests will love this minimalistic cinnamon cheese platter.

It doesn’t require many ingredients; you’ll only need half a cup of walnuts, five cinnamon sticks, 16 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, and two sliced apples.

The apple’s taste goes perfectly well with cinnamon’s spicy flavor, and the cheesy flavor will be the cherry on top of the cake.

8. Mexican-Italian Cheese Platter Recipe

What about a Mexican-Italian cheese platter combo? This taco-cheese board is an intersection of cultures; it’s an eccentric mix-and-match that your taste buds will love you for!

Aside from the tortillas and tortilla chips, you’ll need some jalapeno flavored cream cheese, some cheddar, chicken breast grilled strips, peanuts, and colorful mini sweet peppers. The ingredients don’t look as if they belong together, but once you taste them, you’ll wonder how you didn’t think of them before!

Wrap Up

An Italian cheese platter is an excellent addition to a party or a small get-together. If you’re stuck on a minute’s notice, putting together an Italian cheese platter is as easy as rummaging through what cheese, cured meats, fruits, and veggies are in your fridge. It takes as long as ten minutes only!

Show off your newly-found Italian culture to your friends, and impress them with your cooking skills!

4 Steps to Write a Killer Birthday Toast

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Birthday toasts are the second best thing after the cake and food at birthday parties. A good toast engages and entertains the audience while saluting and showing love for the guest of honor. But small mistakes can ruin the vibe of the party.

It’s not hard to create and give the perfect birthday toast. You just need to prepare well, take your time, and be creative during the writing process.

In this article, we’ll discuss 4 steps that’ll help you write a killer birthday toast. So let’s jump right in!

Don’t Have Time? Check This Summary

First, write your first draft. It can be anything that comes to your mind when thinking of the guest of honor.

Then, write your intro. Start by greeting everyone and then hook them by telling a joke or an embarrassing fact about the toastee.

The following step is to create the body of the toast. Introduce yourself and tell a funny story about the toastee or a good memory of you both.

Lastly, wrap your toast and make your wishes. Invite everyone to toast in honor of the toastee.

Deliver your toast confidently and have fun during the process.

Why Give a Toast?

A birthday toast can be the best gift for the guest of honor. It’s an opportunity to create a memory, full of smiles, laughter, and even tears, that will last forever.

This memory can be a gift to the audience as well. Maybe a funny story about you and the toastee can cheer people up and bring them closer to the guest of honor.

Your toast can also make you the rockstar of the party. Once you put down the microphone, everybody will want to talk to you. So if you want to be a celebrity for 20 minutes or so, this is your chance. But remember not to steal the thunder from the toastee.

Creating the Perfect Birthday Toast

It’s best to prepare for your birthday toast and practice well before actually giving it at the party. The following steps are going to guide you through this process.

Step 1: Preparation

Take a few minutes and think about the guest of honor. What are the first things that come to your mind when you picture this person? What are their hobbies? What is the happiest or most adventurous memory of you both?

Now that you have a clear picture of that person, write these scattered thoughts on a piece of paper. This is your first draft of the toast.

If you need, ask family members or close friends for funny or embarrassing stories that you think could be fun to add to your toast. But don’t choose rude stories that can hurt the toastee’s feelings.

If you can, try to take a look at the guest list or ask who’s coming to the party. This helps you to choose what to include in your toast. It’s also helpful to know if it’ll be a formal or an informal party.

Step 2: Writing the Intro

You need to hook your audience quickly. People usually decide within the first few seconds whether they like the speech or not.

Your intro should start by greeting everyone and letting the audience know that you’re making a birthday toast.

Don’t move on to introducing yourself or your relationship with the guest of honor yet. Instead, capture the audience’s attention with a joke, a funny quote, or an unknown fact about the toastee.

Your intro may look like this: “Good evening, everyone. I’d like to make a brief toast to… But first, let me tell you something funny about…”

Step 3: Creating the Body of the Toast

This is the part where you tell the audience why you’re giving the toast in the first place. Introduce yourself and how you’re related to the birthday boy or girl. Keep this part short, and don’t waste an opportunity for a good joke, but don’t try too hard to be funny.

And now for the best part of any toast: the stories. The stories you give are crucial for an amazing toast. They grab the audience’s mind and keep them focused on your speech.

The best stories to share at a birthday are the embarrassing ones. They could be embarrassing to you, to the toastee, or someone in the audience. But don’t go too far. You want the audience to laugh, not feel awkward.

If you think the toastee can’t take a joke, you can share one of your best memories. Think of a memory that brought you closer to each other and write it down.

Step 4: The Wrap Up

This is the part when you get sentimental and offer your wishes. Don’t forget to thank the host. It’s best to make the audience feel like you’re speaking on their behalf in that part.

This can go like: “Thanks for always being there for me. Thanks for having us here. Wishing you all the best in life. And Happy Birthday!”

General Tips for Giving Your Toast at the Birthday Party

Discuss with the host ahead of time when would be the best time to make your birthday toast. Most people like to give the toast just before cutting the cake.

To attract people’s attention, just confidently ask for a few moments to give your toast. You can also ding on your glass with a knife.
Don’t read from your note cards. Use them as a reference, but don’t hold them in front of your head.
Make sure to use your body language and make good eye contact.

Speak loudly and clearly. If you’re using a microphone, ensure that your voice isn’t too loud before you start.
After you’re done with the toast, hold your glass, lift your hand, and invite everyone to toast in honor of the birthday boy or girl.

To Sum Up

Writing an unforgettable birthday toast isn’t impossible. Just grab a piece of paper and a pencil, take a deep breath, and follow the previously discussed steps.

Close your eyes and start picturing the toastee. Create your first draft and then organize your intro, body, and conclusion. Keep the tone of your toast fun and positive.

After these steps, you’ll be 80% ready to give your toast at the party. To be fully ready, practice your speech with a friend. Our last piece of advice for you is to be confident and have fun!

7 Tips to Give Heartwarming Christmas Dinner Toasts

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Talking openly in public can be nerve-racking. When you’re approached to make holiday toasts at your office or a friend’s gathering, the pressure increases even more.

It’s a special event, so you need to give your crowd a warm feeling, but it’d be preferable not to get corny. You should employ stories, genuine emotion, and sincerity. In this post, I’ll show you my seven go-to ways of delivering a perfect Christmas dinner toast. Let’s see!

In a Hurry? Here’s a Quick Summary

Avoid clinking your glass: Simply raise your glass during a toast instead of clinking it with a knife because the glass may potentially break.

Raise your glass: Don’t raise your glass directly upwards to the ceiling. Lift it until you can barely see the toastee.
Give thanks and gratitude: Show appreciation to everyone listening to your toast.
Do it early: Start your toast as soon as everyone arrives.

Keep it short: Keep it as short as two to three minutes. You can go shorter, but never go longer.
Add humor: You can also add in a touch of humor, but just make sure that it’s not something offensive. Entirely abstain from humor in official parties.
Consider your audience: You have to be familiar with the crowd you’re dealing with. Be aware of what they like and dislike.

Be prepared: If you’re having trouble remembering speeches, it’s ideal to bring an index card and add in bullet points on what to say so you can be prepared.

1. Avoid Clinking Your Glass

Try not to hit your utensil into the side of the glass or plate. Why? Well, this is quite unsophisticated and potentially dangerous. Whistling isn’t appropriate, either.

The most ideal route is to speak up. Stand up while holding your glass and say, “Ladies and gentlemen! May I have your attention, please?”

Allow a couple of moments for everybody to stop what they’re doing and direct their attention towards you.

2. Raise Your Glass

Adopt a relaxed, cheerful persona while speaking. Lift the glass until you can barely see the audience over the highest point of your glass. After finishing your toast, pull the glass back toward your lips and take a sip.

Traditionally, the host gives the first toast to welcome the party’s guests. Others can speak during the dessert.

3. Give Thanks and Gratitude

Everyone should be acknowledged and appreciated during your toast. If you’re a visitor, make sure to thank the host for opening their home and for the abundance of the feast. If your group is small, mention every individual separately.

If you’re toasting in a corporate Christmas dinner, thank teams or departments that have worked hard and succeeded in certain projects. Thank your colleagues and partners, especially if they’re sponsoring your organization’s celebration.

4. Do It Early and Keep It Short

Toasting is a great way to kick off a Christmas party, so do your toast once beverages have been served. It’s also important to consider choosing a time when the visitors are generally quiet. That way, you won’t have to yell over the crowd to get your guests’ attention.

The ideal toast duration is three minutes. Going any longer may bore the guests, especially if there are numerous speakers still to come.

5. Add Humor

A safe alternative for fun is some light teasing of your audience. Think of funny things that will make the room grin and smile. Raise interesting events where they were silly yet adorable and lovable.

Remember, you should always abstain from using foul language telling humiliating stories that will embarrass anybody.

If you don’t feel great about joking, it’s alright to begin by saying something about how you appreciate that everybody is here to partake in this festival with you.

6. Consider Your Audience

Think about who’s in the room and how much detail individuals need to know. Try not to let your toast become a giant inside joke that only a couple of people understand.

This is a critical component to remember regardless of what you’re writing. Who are you toasting for? What’s the room like? Are the individual’s gathered as friends or just business partners?

Knowing what your crowd anticipates, likes, doesn’t like, and wants to hear will assist you with composing a good toast.

7. Be Prepared

Although toasting is intended to be improvisational, you can still have a plan. As Mark Twain once stated, “It usually takes three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”

If you want to give your toast without planning, you should at least have some famous toasts in mind. A few weeks beforehand, gather your thoughts and decide what you will say. Practice your toast a couple of times until you feel that it’s recognizable and comfortable. Get a friend or relative to tune in while you practice.

If you’re not a fan of memorizing word-for-word, writing down some key points on index cards can assist you with remembering everything you want to say.

Here are some famous quotes to try:

“I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem by one consent to open their hearts freely; and so I say ‘God bless Christmas.’” —Charles Dickens

“Christmas isn’t a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” — Calvin Coolidge
“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” — Burton Hills

Conclusion

Remember that your toast is a demonstration of love. The greatest gift you can give another person is sharing your affection for them openly. It respects them, it honors your relationship, and it shows others you’re pleased to have them in your life. So don’t only have an alright toast, have a great one.

May your festival and your New Year be loaded up with laughter, energy, and generosity!

10 Christmas Dessert Platter Ideas – Unleash Your Inner Santa!

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You’ve got to admit, your two favorite things about Christmas are the food and the gifts. That’s aside from the holiday spirits, of course! While waiting for the gifts to wrap, your kids or friends could use a full-blown Christmas dessert platter. It’s fun, tasty, and it’ll gather the group easily!

Here are some Christmas dessert platter ideas that you can do for the upcoming holiday.

A Summary of the Christmas Dessert Platters

If you’re in a hurry, here’s a shortlist of the dessert platters I’ll show you:

Watermelon Snowman Platter
Chocolate Mix Platter
Christmas Dip Platter

Christmas Cookies’ Platter
Christmas-themed Candy Platter
Easy Christmas Dessert Platter

Cookies and Cocoa Dessert Platter
Truffles Christmas Platter

10 Dessert Platters for the Upcoming Christmas Holiday

These Christmas platters are easy to make, beautiful, and, more importantly, delicious! Whether you’re making them for your family, friends, or workmates, I’m sure they’ll be impressed.

Watermelon Snowman Platter

If you’re spending your Christmas somewhere where it’s still summer, you’ll love this healthy dessert platter. Not everyone has a sweet tooth; that’s when fruity desserts come in handy!

The recipe is pretty easy, too; all you’ll need is one large seedless watermelon and two smaller ones for the head and torso. The largest melon typically goes for the lower body part. You can stuff the watermelons with whatever you want.

Here, they’re full of small melon scoops and blueberries. However, you can throw in some candy, too, if you want to. Additionally, you can provide some ice, so the fruit stays fresh.

Chocolate Mix Platter

If you’re in the mood for some chocolate, it’s time to put it into action and create a tasty platter. You can choose different types of luxury dark chocolate and pair it with some extra ingredients. You can use blueberries, strawberries, cheese, or nuts.

There are plenty of things that go well with chocolate. Not to mention that you can make a variety of dark, milk, and white chocolate. Moreover, you can provide some dips and ice cream along with the platter. Your guests will love it!

Christmas Dip Platter

Dip platters are one of the best ways to get creative and put yourself to work. You can make plenty of dips, such as peanut butter, cookie dough, or gingerbread. You can also include a chocolate dip for the tradition.

You can choose whatever you want to accompany the dips. Chocolate chips, candies, and candy canes will work. And of course, there’s always the fruits that go well with desserts, such as bananas, strawberries, and blueberries.

As I said, it’s an excellent way to get creative. You can mix and match according to your personal preference.

Christmas Cookies’ Platter

If you love cookies, but you’re not a skilled decorator, this cookie platter is your go-to option. It’s pretty easy to make, and the final result will be impressive. You don’t need a lot of ingredients, only some essential cookie components. Plus, you can change the colors as you like by changing the paste you’re using.

If you want, you can add some candy canes to the sides of the platter for an extra Christmas touch. You can also make a lot of shapes of Christmas cookies to use on the platter.

Christmas-themed Candy Platter

If you want to stick to the Christmas colors, this candy platter will look amazing on your table. It’s styled with green, red, and white colors, and it’s full of Christmas candy.

The recipe shows you what to do step-by-step. There are a lot of ingredients, but they’re all easy to get from any nearby supermarket. They include crunchy toffees, marshmallows, candy canes, and cookies.

You can customize the platter as you like. For example, you can fill the blank spaces with gummy bears or M&Ms. The platter is pretty flexible, which makes your mission easier.

Easy Christmas Dessert Platter

If you don’t have enough time to make a lot of desserts yourself, you can opt for this easy-to-do platter. It’s mostly made of store-bought candy and some cookies of your choice, which you can buy too.

The ingredients include cookies, fresh berries, banoffee pies, and marshmallows. You can replace any of the components as per your liking. However, the recipe’s mix will be delicious when eaten together! And you can always accompany it with a couple of fruit juice glasses.

Cookies and Cocoa Christmas Platter

This cookie and cocoa platter is ideal for people who want to think out of the box. If you’re having a small night gathering with a couple of your friends, you’ll love it. It’s pretty simple, consisting only of cookies, marshmallows, and hot cocoa cups.

You can choose your own assortment of cookies for the platter, but try to stick to the color scheme. That way, the platter will look nice enough to post on Instagram!

If you don’t want to make the cookies yourself, you can always opt for store-bought ones. That’ll only leave the hot cocoa for you to make.

Truffles Christmas Platter

You can never lose with truffles. They’re tasty, small, and easy to make. Plus, they look pretty good! Can you imagine a Christmas platter full of truffles? I’d totally buy that!

These truffles are only made of two ingredients, which means they won’t take much time to make. Additionally, you’ll be able to decorate them however you want.

If you don’t want to make an all-truffles platter, you can always throw in some truffles to a fruit or a chocolate platter. They’re a pretty versatile dessert that has many uses.

Final Thoughts

After writing this, I’m tempted to go make a couple of platters myself! I hope you found one or two platters you can make for the holiday. As you’ve seen, some options require minimal efforts and skills. Your guests will appreciate the gesture, and they’ll keep themselves busy until the gift show.

Let’s hope Christmas comes fast, so we can try these delicious dessert boards!

How To Care For Wooden Salad Bowls

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Wooden salad bowls aren’t just one of the most elegant ways of serving food, but they’re also very practical and surprisingly durable.

However, people usually tend to be overly careful about not soaking them in water or scrubbing them too harshly that the bowls end up with a sticky, rancid residue over the years.

So, if you’re wondering how to care for wooden salad bowls and clean them properly, this article offers the dos and don’ts of caring for and cleaning wooden bowls.

To Sum Up

Choose a high-quality wood type, to begin with.
Always wash your wooden bowls by hand using warm water and mild soap.
Reseason your bowls with mineral oil.

Use the baking method to remove sticky residue.

What Wood Should You Choose?

Caring for your wooden salad bowls starts from when you’re first buying them. Choosing a high-quality type of wood can make the caring and cleaning process so much easier for you.

Woods such as cherry, walnut, and maple make for excellent salad bowls thanks to their natural beauty and rustic color.

Acacia wood is another popular choice because it’s durable with a nice texture. Bamboo bowls are also becoming more popular among environmentally-conscious customers, but they don’t last as long as hardwood bowls.

How Should I Clean Wooden Salad Bowls?

The best way to clean your wooden bowls is by hand washing. You should use warm water with mild dish soap when cleaning a well-seasoned wooden bowl. This way, the exterior will be cleansed without exposing the wood to harsh chemicals.

Make sure you always dry any wooden bowl thoroughly after cleaning. Never soak the bowl in water or put it in the dishwasher. Otherwise, your wooden bowls will be at risk of warping, splitting, or cracking.

How Can I Remove Sticky Residue from a Wooden Salad Bowl?

Years of dealing with oily salad dressings can cause a sticky residue to build up over the surface of your wooden bowl. Luckily, you can restore it back to new using the following baking method:

Adjust your oven rack to the center position and heat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper then place a wire rack on the sheet.

Put the wooden bowl upside down on the rack.
Turn off the oven. Don’t forget to do this or the bowl might burn.
Place the sheet in the oven. Built-up oils will start to bead on the bowl’s surface within a few minutes.

After 1 to 2 hours, the oils will drip off the bowl and onto the sheet.
When the bowl looks dry, remove the sheet from the oven and wipe down your bowl with paper towels to get rid of any lingering residue.
If the bowl still feels sticky, repeat the process.

How Should I Season or Reseason Wooden Salad Bowl?

Seasoning your wooden salad bowl is very important to keep it in optimal condition. When you first buy a wooden bowl, you should season it every day for a week, then once weekly for the following three weeks, then every month after that.

Whenever your wooden bowl looks dull or feels dry to the touch, you should reseason it. Mineral oil is an excellent choice for seasoning wooden salad bowls because it’s affordable and won’t go rancid like dressing oils.

First, you need to dry the bowl thoroughly.

Then, soak a paper towel in mineral oil and apply it freely to the entire surface of the bowl.
Let it soak in for about 15 minutes (or longer if necessary).
Wipe away the residual oil with a clean paper towel and use the bowl as usual.

How Can I Sanitize a Wooden Salad Bowl?

Part of caring for wooden salad bowls is sanitizing them to help control bacterial growth. In this department, white vinegar works like a charm. Here’s what you need to do:

Mix 1 part of white vinegar with 5 parts of water.
Thoroughly wet the bowl with the solution.

Allow the solution to sit for about 10 minutes.
Rinse the bowl using warm water then let it air dry.

Alternatively, you can fill a spray bottle with equal parts of white vinegar and water. Spray as necessary and wipe off the excess solution with a clean paper towel.

How Do I Repair a Fuzzy Wooden Salad Bowl?

If your salad bowl feels fuzzy when you touch it, this indicates that the wood grains are raised. In such a case, some damage control is needed via hand sanding:

Use 400 to 600 grit sandpaper or steel wool to gently rub the damaged area until it gets smoothed out. Wash the bowl and dry it as we explained earlier.
If you can’t find sandpaper, a brown-paper bag can also work.

If your bowl gets dented, start with coarser sandpaper then gradually progress to finer grits, 80, 100, 120, and so on. When the dent is smoothed out, wash and dry the bowl as usual.
Be sure to season your wooden salad bowl after sanding.

How Often Should I Use a Wooden Salad Bowl?

If you got yourself a fancy, high-quality bowl, or if it’s a family heirloom, you may be thinking about saving it and only using it for special occasions.

The thing is, wooden bowls are meant to be used every day. Washing, drying, and buffing wooden bowls regularly help keep them in good shape.

Moreover, salad dressing oils can also help maintain the condition of the wood.

How Should I Store My Wooden Salad Bowl?

Wooden bowls are quite tough and can last for a really long time. You can stack multiple bowls together to save space.

Open shelving is a nice idea if you want to show off a particularly elegant bowl. You can also go for roll-out shelving if you’re looking for easier access.

What Can Serve in a Wooden Bowl besides Salad?

Wooden bowls are conventionally used for salads, but you can also use it to serve popcorn, wetter foods such as stews, chili, and pot roasts, as well as breakfast cereals and side dishes like coleslaw.

Wrap Up

There you have it, a complete guide on how to care for wooden salad bowls and keep them new for as long as you own them.

French Cheese Platter Ideas

Set The Table

Maybe it’s just my cheese obsession talking, but something about cheese makes me melt. It’s hard to resist all those (cheesy) puns, but I promise to try. Whether you enjoy your cheese as an appetizer or before dessert like the French, a colorful Plateau de Fromages is a perfect choice.

A French cheese platter remains a classic yet impressive eat. It’s ideal for a fancy party or a simple gathering. Plus, its utter simplicity allows for massive creativity. Here are some French cheese platter ideas for a brie-lliant platter. Oops!

Planning the Perfect Platter

If your goal is a mouthwatering French cheese platter, the steps are easy. Have I mentioned there’s no cooking involved? You’ll need a minimum of 3 cheese types and some accompaniments for both complementary and contrasting flavors.

That said, nothing goes better with cheese than something sweet to add contrast and color to your platter. Some fruits or jam will delightfully do the job. Next, add some meats for a salty taste. A few nuts around the board can also elevate the flavors. Finally, add sliced bread – baguette being the most classic option.

All that’s left now is to arrange your different ingredients on the board for an eye-pleasing nosh. Start by placing the cheese, then branch out the other components of your platter randomly to get that ‘je ne sais quoi’ appearance. Let’s get into more details of each step.

Elements of an Exemplary Cheese Platter

Let’s explore the required ingredients and the possible varieties that make up the perfect French cheese platter.

Cheese Selections

Choose 3 to 5 kinds of cheese of different textures and flavors. Mix up some basics and supplementaries to suit the different tastes.

Some Popular Examples

Soft cheese: Brie, Munster, Camembert
Hard cheese: Cantal, Gruyère, Comté

Blue cheese: Roquefort, Bleu d’Auvergne
Goat cheese: Crottin de Chavignol, Valençay, Tomme de Chèvre

I suggest that you start with a more soft-flavored cheese and work your way up to the strongest. Try to avoid pre-sliced cheese and slice your cheese at home for a fresher looking platter. Also, try to include cheeses of different types of milk, like cows, sheep, or goats, to cover the varying palates.

Ideally, you can opt for one soft cheese like Camembert, one hard cheese like Comté, and one blue cheese like Roquefort. You can’t go wrong with the king of blue cheese! You can also substitute the blue cheese with goat cheese or maybe have both for a richer platter. Who’d say no to more cheese anyway?

Adding a Little Sugar

Fruits such as berries, grapes, pomegranates, or sliced apples not only do they add a buzz of color to your platter but also enhance the flavors of the cheese. A great alternative to fresh fruits is a small bowl or two of jam. There are no limits to the possible varieties like a traditional fig jam or a more novel orange and pear jam.

Bread Varieties

The variety of textures offers a sensory experience. Bread has a big part in that whether crispy, crunchy, or crumbly. For a full French experience, you can’t miss out on the famous baguettes. However, if that’s not accessible, sourdough bread and multigrain bread are delicious alternatives. Or you can simply make your bread at home.

Slice your chosen bread into thick slices to be ready for layout. One or two types of bread are enough. You can even include crackers, but that’s not a very French substitute.

More Accompaniments

You can get more artistic with your choices here. Adding something savory like olives, pickles, or French cornichons can be the perfect complement to your choice of fruits or jam.

Since we’ve already covered the sweet and the savory, only the salty taste is missing. Cured meats are the go-to option for the task. You can add slices of salami or prosciutto as your salty component.

Another ideal addition is nuts. Throwing some almonds, cashews, or unshelled pistachios can radically elevate the flavors of your cheese platter.

Display and Arrangement

First, choose the cheese platter or board. A wooden board is the most classic choice, but glass and marble trays are also marvelous options. Pay attention to the size and dimensions of the platter. It should be large enough to hold all of your picks.

Next, present your cheeses in a variety of ways such as cubes, wedges, or slices. The star of the platter should be the cheese. So spread the pieces out on your tray in an uncoordinated fashion to give it a fresh artful look.

Assemble the meats into piles and place them around the platter. Then add the bread around the cheese and meats. Now, add the fresh fruits or jam bowls to fill any spaces left.

Finally, throw in the nuts. Seasonal herbs like rosemary are a pleasant (optional) garnish for more aromas in your platter.

Remember that arrangement and presentation are keys to an appetizing cheese platter. So put your creative cap on and have fun mixing the different shapes, sizes, and textures.

Extra Tips and Tricks

Set out different knives for each cheese.
Let the cheese sit for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving. The taste and texture of cheese are best at room temperature.
Leave no empty spaces on your tray. The ingredients should be covering the board completely.

Avoid pre-sliced cheese. Slicing the pieces yourself allows you to have more control over the shapes of the cheeses and the overall look of your platter.
Don’t place the different cheeses in one place or allow them to touch.
It’s also helpful if you label each cheese to make selection easier for your guests.

Final Words

A French cheese platter typically comprises three to five types of cheeses with flavorful accompaniments. This easy appetizer or nosh requires no cooking and is fun to make.

You don’t need a special occasion to make a French cheese platter. Your love for cheese is more than enough reason, but it also makes an ideal complement to a dinner party. Remember to get creative with your presentation. The ideas are limitless, so you can readily mix and match the ones covered here to make a platter that’s cheesy on the eyes!