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Cheese, wine, and bread may be the holy trinity of Emeril’s table, but do you know how to create the Perfect Cheese Board? Emeril offers great advice, so your next gathering is sure to impress. 5 TIPS FOR A PERFECT CHEESE BOARD Creating a Cheese Board Cheese, wine, and bread are my Holy Trinity of the Table, and I often offer a cheese board instead of dessert after a meal. There are no hard and fast rules on choices, though I like to offer an odd number of cheeses, three or no more than five, choosing representatives from the different types of cheeses, from mild to funky. Fresh: Unaged cheese like chevre and feta Soft-ripened: These runny cheeses often have a rind formed by spraying the outside with a mold; they include Brie, Brillat-Savarin, and Camembert. Semisoft: These are creamy cheeses that don’t have a rind, like Morbier and Port Salut Firm/hard: These can range from mild to pungent and are firm enough to be grated; they include Cheddar, Edam, Asiago, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Fontina, and Pecorino. Natural rind: These cheeses form rinds without the addition of molds, like tomme de savoie. Wash rind: These cheeses are bathed in a brine or other liquid such as wine to encourage the growth of a particular type of bacteria. These include epoisses de bourgogne and reblochon Blue: These cheeses are created by spraying them with a particular kind of mold. They can range in texture from creamy to firm and in pungency from mild to assertive. Types include Roquefort, Stilton, Maytag Blue, and Danish Blue. Present the cheeses on a large platter, marble slab, or wooden board, and make sure each one has its own knife, so there is no mixing of flavors. Harder cheeses require a sharp knife. Let the cheeses sit at room temperature for at least one hour before serving; this is particularly important for cheeses like Brie that need time to soften. Serving cheeses directly from the refrigerator dulls their flavor. Regarding what type of wine to drink with cheese, my only rule is that it’s up to your own individual taste. My preference is red. In addition to the cheeses, you can offer nuts (walnuts and pecans pair very nicely), grapes or sliced pears or apples (cut them right before serving and toss them with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning), crackers, slices of bread, and/or savory jam. Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, copyright Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, LP., all rights reserved. For More Ways To Kick It Up A Notch Subscribe Here: Stay Connected With Emeril On: Instagram: Facebook: Amazon:
