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!