Ingredients
Red Grapes
Green Grapes
Black Olives
Green Olives
Strawberries
Prosciutto
Sliced Baguette
Breadsticks
Crackers and/or cheese crackers
Figs
Nuts (Candied Walnuts, Pistachios)
One Soft Cheese - Brie or Zimbro Cheese
One Blue Cheese - Gorgonzola Cheese
One Aged Cheese - Aged Sharp Cheddar or Gouda Cheese
One Firm Cheese - Manchego Cheese
Serving Tips from Real Simple.
- Separate strong-smelling cheeses. If you want to serve a pungent, stinky-socks cheese, place it on a separate plate so it doesn’t overpower more delicate ones. Four or Five choices are enough.
- Set out a separate knife for each cheese, especially the soft varieties. Soft cheese spreads well with a butter knife; firm cheese might require a paring knife; and aged cheese often requires a cheese plane.
- Remove the cheese from the refrigerator an hour before serving―cold mutes flavor.
- Spread out the spread. Place the cheese platters and the other nibbles on several tables to avoid guest gridlock.
- Label each cheese so you won’t need to recite the names all evening. If you like, also jot down a few poetic adjectives describing its flavor.