The Art of Serving Cheese
Serving cheese well shows respect for the product and your guests. Here's how to do it right.
Temperature
Remove cheese from refrigeration one hour before serving. Cold cheese has muted flavors. Room temperature allows fats to soften and aromas to emerge.
Arrangement
Place cheeses on the board from mildest to strongest, moving clockwise. This guides guests through an escalating flavor journey.
Provide separate knives for each cheese to avoid flavor contamination. Soft cheeses get spreaders, hard cheeses get sharp knives.
Cutting Etiquette
- Round cheeses: Cut like a pie, taking your portion from the point to the edge
- Wedges: Cut parallel to the sides, not from the point (which concentrates the best part)
- Pyramids: Slice horizontally to give everyone a mix of center and rind
- Logs: Cut into rounds, like slicing a baguette
Accompaniments
Keep it simple. Fresh baguette, a few crackers, perhaps honey or jam. The cheese is the star — accompaniments should support, not compete.
Quantity
Plan for 4-6 ounces per person if cheese is an appetizer, 8-10 ounces if it's the main event.
