The addition of honey to a cheese plate makes the cheese course double as a dessert.
A cheese plate can be served as a dessert plate or as a sweet aperitif before the meal. Honey is a perfect mate for cheese as it compliments either creamy, zesty or bitter cheeses and pairs well with virtually any fruit. When serving a platter with honey, you can either drizzle the honey on before serving or provide it on the side. Adding honey to a cheese plate will turn any spread into a sticky sweet work of culinary art.
Instructions
On the Plate
1. Arrange a variety of cheeses, fruits and candied nuts on the plate, making sure to leave a little space in between each selection. The cheeses could include both soft and hard cheeses such as Camembert, Brie, Roquefort, chevre (goat cheese), Gruyere and Parmesan. Fruits can include sliced pairs, grape clusters, strawberries and sliced apples. Adding candied nuts such as walnuts or pecans help to tie the sweet flavor of the honey into the dish more profoundly.
2. Drizzle the honey over the plate in the spaces left open between each selection of cheese and fruit. Drizzling the honey on the plate allows diners to scoop more or less honey, as they prefer. It also allows for the cheese to contact the honey at the base, ensuring that each slice of cheese will have at least some portion of the honey already on it. If desired, you can lightly drizzle the honey over the pieces of cheese and nuts themselves. Do not drizzle over the fruit.
3. Place both a cheese knife and cheese fork on the rim or next to the plate. Cheese knives are small and broad and are perfect for scooping extra honey up with the cheese selection without the actual "dipping" action.
On the Side
4. Arrange a cheese plate exactly as outlined in section one step one above, however, instead of leaving space on the plate to drizzle honey, leave only one larger space for a small ramekin or bowl to rest.
5. Fill a small ramekin with honey at least ½ way full. Place the ramekin on the plate in the space reserved for it. Arrange the surrounding cheeses and fruits so that they cozy up to the bowl.
6. Provide both cocktail forks (small metal skewers with two prongs) to make picking up the cheese and dipping it in the honey possible, as well as a small espresso spoon to allow for self-drizzling over the plate if preferred.
Tags: cheese plate, drizzle honey, between each, between each selection, candied nuts, cheeses fruits, each selection