Recipes

Take your cheese plate to the next level

Clover is excited to share this guest blog post by Rachel Lightfoot Melby, of Catchfoot + Run

I’ll be honest, I’m not a great cook. But, I still manage to wow my guests at dinner parties and potlucks, though because I make a killer cheese plate! Today, I’m sharing a few tips and tricks for creating a platter that looks as good as it tastes. I’ll be using Clover Sonoma’s new organic cheeses and a variety of cured meats from Petaluma-neighbors, Thistle Meats.

Before we begin, a disclaimer: there is no wrong way to make a cheese board! In fact, if you feel intimidated by any part of the process, you’re thinking too hard. Creating a board is a little bit like finger-painting! Roll up your sleeves and get ready to embrace something uniquely yours.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

• A board. I prefer ones that have a lip around the edge because it makes transportation much more manageable. My two favorites are from Target: Round and Rectangular.
• Ramekins or small dishes. These are essential for containing wet ingredients like olives, cornichons, and honey. I love this 4-pack of handle-less measuring cups which are perfect and offer a variety of sizes.
• 2-3 different kinds of cheese. Today I’ll be using three medium-hard cheeses from Clover which I cut three-ways to make them look more diverse! You can use any cheese you like – one soft, one medium, and one hard cheese – offers a nice variety, but it is truly up to you.
• Cured meats. Select a variety of thinly sliced organic meats or a lovely paté you enjoy. Soppressata and Bresaola are my favorites to work with, but Salami works great too and is a safe bet among a less adventurous crowd. Today I’m using a selection from, Thistle Meats.
• Seasonal fruits and nuts. You’ll want a few sweet things to pair with your meats and cheeses. For Fall, I love apples, persimmons, and figs. Nuts are optional but give a really nice crunch to the perfect bite of cheese and fruit. Walnuts and pistachios (in the shell) always look beautiful.
• Garnish. I like to use foliage from around my garden that mimics some of the fruits on the platter— olive twig, fig leaf, or rosemary make excellent finishing touches.
• Cheese utensils. If using soft cheese, you’ll need a cheese or butter knife. To avoid tools, you can cut your cheeses into bite-size pieces as I’ve done, but you may consider offering toothpicks on the side.