Recipe: Cheese Board with Bread and Cracker Assortment

the appetizer:

The Entertaining Encyclopedia by Denise Vivaldo, includes articles and recipes like International Party Themes; Wine and Cheese Parties; Cheese Board with Bread and Cracker Assortment; Oscar Night Party; and Crab and Blue Cheese Bundles.

Cookbook

Cheese Board

Serves 6 to 8
or can be multiplied up to 4 times

Serve mild-tasting cheeses, as strongly flavored ones will overpower most wines. Buy very good-quality cheeses and let them come to room temperature before serving.

Tip

Make use of the cheese counter in your local gourmet store. Ask them to help you choose a good hard cheese, a soft ripened cheese, a soft goat cheese and a semi-hard cheese.

4 oz Asiago, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, dry Monterey Jack
or Gruyère cheese, very coarsely crumbled, 125 g
4 oz Brie, Bûcheron, Camembert or Pavé d'Affinois cheese, 125 g
4 oz chèvre or Boursin cheese, 125 g
4 oz aged Cheddar or Swiss cheese, sliced, 125 g

Arrange cheeses on a serving plate or cheese board with small knives and spreaders.

Bread and Cracker Assortment

Serves 6 to 8
or can be multiplied up to 4 times

Bread and crackers serve a dual purpose: they cleanse the palette while also serving as a vessel for the cheese.

Tip

Look for sweet tortas from Spain. These are fried flatbread crackers with honey and aniseed, and are delightfully flavorful.

1 baguette, sliced
1 small loaf walnut bread, sliced
1 package (4-1/2 oz/128 g) water crackers
1 package (3-1/2 oz/100 g) grissini (thin breadsticks) or crostini

Arrange breads and crackers in a shallow bowl or basket.

from:
The Entertaining Encyclopedia
Essential Tips and Recipes for Perfect Parties
by Denise Vivaldo
Robert Rose 2009
Softcover/$24.95
ISBN-10: 0778802191
ISBN: 978-0-7788-0219-8
Excerpt reprinted by permission.

Buy The Entertaining Encyclopedia