If you want to really ignite party conversation, set out a platter of assorted cheeses. And if you’re not so sure of your choices, this “cheat sheet” will help you put together the perfect tasting platter. Just represent all the Basic Cheese Groups (we’ve given a few examples of each — nose around the Milk Pail and you’ll find lots more):
As with so much in life, you want to keep focused. No dancing bears, and no busy backgrounds — a simple marble platter on a plain tablecloth is fine! Offer some eye-catching selections, like a Humboldt Fog with its “layer cake” look, as well as some instantly recognizable favorites (holey Emmentaler, Batman!) to entice guests who may be shy about this whole tastings business.
What goes with cheese? A loaf of traditional (crusty, slightly sweet) French bread is good for resetting palates after a stronger cheese. Lots of fruits play happily with cheese: try figs, Medjool dates, quince paste, pears, apricots, grapes, or melon. Perhaps chutney, carrots, zucchini, and roasted red peppers too. Nuts, especially when toasted, can make your cheeses sing; try pecans, cashews, filberts, walnuts. Also, milder varieties of olives can add a welcome accent while echoing the cheese’s region of origin.
Wines are a world in themselves. Here you want to aim for simpler wines that don’t fight with complex cheeses. Just a few possibilities: claret with cheddar, blanc de blancs Champagne with Gruyère, Gewürz with Harbourne Blue, Merlot with Pecorino, Syrah with Taleggio, Riesling with Caerphilly, blanc de noirs with Beaufort, and on and on. Hint: pre-taste your pairings before the guests arrive; once in a great while there’ll be an unexpected conflict that creates metallic or other “off” notes.