Cheeses and fruits are versatile party foods, as together they can act either as the appetizer or the dessert. A cheese and fruit tray should provide a wide variety of each--avoiding the particularly messy fruits like peaches and the particularly smelly cheeses like blue. Homemade trays allow you to control exactly what goes onto them and give you the opportunity to add a little gourmet touch with extras such as chocolates and berries. Fill your tray with approved favorites, but throw in some flair to give it a bit of an edge.
Instructions
1. Choose fruits. While you want to provide a variety of fruits, you do not need to offer every specie in the rain forest. Begin with the basics that you know will appeal to a wide array of pallets. These include grapes, melons, berries, banana coins and pineapples. If your budget allows, consider adding a little exotic flair with star fruits and figs.
2. Avoid browning-fruits such as apples or pears that oxidize and change color. While there is nothing wrong with an oxidized apple, the appearance is not particularly attractive. If you must use apples, however, squeeze a little lemon juice over the cut slices to help retard the browning process. Also avoid wet fruits such as plums and peaches.
3. Select the cheeses. Most trays start with the time-tested American favorites, cheddar and Swiss cheese. Don't settle for American cheddar (plastic) for its flexibility. Try aged sharp cheddar and cut into strips. Swiss cheese can be purchased already sliced, as can havarti and provolone. Roll these cheeses. If preparing a platter for a more select crowd, include a few soft cheeses with the spread. Add goat cheese (rolled into balls), Camembert or brie (cut into wedges).
4. Add nuts, dried fruits or chocolate-covered fruit and berries. This step is optional; however, it does add a bit of a gourmet spark to your tray. Raisins and goat cheese were made for each other, as were Camembert and candied walnuts.
5. Arrange the fruits and cheeses in an attractive yet practical layout. Do not overload a massive industrial-size platter; cluttered trays are unappetizing. Plan on refilling a smaller tray periodically as it runs low. For a round tray, the best layout is alternately lining the fruits and cheeses from the center to the edge as if they were spokes on a wheel (that is, one spoke of melon, then one spoke of cheddar, etc.). If using a rectangle or square, arrange in tight rows, alternating a few rows of nuts and berries in between the fruits and cheeses (if desired).
6. Provide a tray of crackers, breads and gluten-alternative carbohydrates (such as rice crackers) to accompany the fruit and cheese tray. Accompany the tray with platters of crackers and breadsticks, bowls of sliced baguettes or crostini toasts. A small pot of honey is also a great option to have available to drizzle over fruits and cheeses.
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