As with wines, it is important for cheeses to be brought to room temperature for at least one hour before serving.
Doing so will awaken all the aromas that lie dormant within the cheeses when chilled.
If you serve cheese straight out of the fridge, it will have a hard waxy texture and muted flavors.
The Importance of ‘Relaxing’
Just as you might stop prepping and tidying to collect yourself, get dressed, and have a pre-party drink before guest arrive, cheese needs a little time to relax so it can warm up, breathe, and feel like its best self by the time you are ready to dig in.
The 3 Crucial Steps
These steps are crucial as it will help soften the texture and let the flavors and aromas come alive quicker
- First, remove the cheese from the package
- Keep the cheese paper/wrapper in case you have leftovers
- Place it on a quality tray, board, and/or platter in room temperature for at least an hour
The Type of Display Trays You Should Use When Serving Cheese
Although this seems trivial overall, the tray, board, or platter on which cheeses are served plays an important role in the overall experience.
Also read: 3 Tips to Enhance Your Cheese Tasting Experience
It is important that you select ones whose designs highlight your cheeses.
Raw and natural materials, such as wood, slate, or ceramic, are excellent choices.
Absolutely avoid plastic or metal to prevent transferring their ‘flavors’ to the cheeses.
Cheese Platter We Are Currently Using
We highly recommend the 2 cheese platters below because they are made of organic bamboo, large enough to put variety of cheeses, and is of ideal thickness so that the flavors do not escape.
- 🧀 THE IDEAL CHEESE PLATTER: Whether you need a charcuterie board for a picnic or a serving tray for your wine and cheese night, this versatile cheese board will spruce up any event! Due to the non-absorbent and odor-free surface, you’ll never have to worry about your crackers tasting like blue cheese.
- 🧀 CLUTTER-FREE FUN: The efficient design lets you make the most of your dining space without your guests feeling cramped and cluttered. Intentionally designed, this unique cutlery set features a hidden internal drawer for storage of serving accessories to ensure the optimal hosting experience. Allowing you and your guests to enjoy your next gathering in a space with knives are securely stowed away.
- 🧀 GREAT FOR PAIRING: Ever dreamed of hosting your own tasting? Gather around the table with your friends and get creative while setting up the perfect cheese tray! Pair different cheeses with fresh fruit, nuts, cured meats, crackers, and a variety of wines to make a beautiful spread and a memorable meal.
- 🧀 ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS: If you currently follow or are interested in leading a more sustainable lifestyle, this 100% real wood platter is the perfect place to start. The smooth bamboo surface makes for a clean cut, an easy cleanup, and a sleek centerpiece for your next wine and cheese night!
- 🧀 THE PERFECT GIFT: It's no secret that finding the perfect gift can be tough, especially for that friend who already has everything! This cheese board is a low-maintenance, durable, and high-quality housewarming gift!
Excellent Choice for Beginners (GOOD PRICE):
- 🧀 A GREAT GIFT IDEA FOR EVERYONE. This beautiful cheese board makes for the perfect housewarming gift. What better way to celebrate the start of a new beginning than with a gift that brings people together. Beautifully packaged, this charcuterie board makes the perfect wedding gift or housewarming registry item.
- 🧀 BEAUTIFULLY SUSTAINABLE. Meeting today's demand for premium goods, ROYAL CRAFT WOOD’s charcuterie boards are made of 100% natural bamboo that’s easy to clean and maintain. Carefully constructed with high-quality craftsmanship and ingenuity - this wood serving tray is sturdy and durable with slip-resistant tabs underneath to prevent sliding.
- 🧀 DESIGNED WITH YOU IN MIND. Made for versatile use, Royal Craft Wood’s cheese tray is water and odor resistant making it the perfect kitchen piece for food preparation and serving guests.
- 🧀 PERFECT FOR EVERY OCCASION. Designed for versatile use, these bamboo cheese boards act as serving platters and trays for parties and are perfect for every occasion - from picnics to parties to making the perfect registry gift.
- 🧀 OUTSTANDING QUALITY AND WARRANTY! This cheese platter is a quality product made for years of use. We offer a 1-year warranty for this cheese serving board, as well as a 100% Money-Back guarantee. If you are not absolutely thrilled with it, we will fully refund you, NO QUESTIONS ASKED!
Worried About Leaving Your Cheeses Open in the Air?
You can put a clean lint-free cloth (like a flour sack towel or linen napkin) on top, invert a bowl over it or invest in a cheese dome.
Cheese Dome
A cheese dome protects your cheese while it relaxes on your counter. Place your cheese in the dome for at least an hour in room temperature before serving it on a platter.
An example of a good cheese dome can be seen below:
- Marble slab has nonskid feet that won't scratch or slip
- Display and store your favorite cheeses under this glass dome
- Measures 7.5-inch/19cm diameter.
- Perfect for all occasions
- Hand washing recommended
Conclusion
It takes effort and time to relax your cheese but at the end of the day, the payout is well worth your investment.
Check out these articles below that you might be interested in:
- How to Cut Cheese the Right Way
- How to ‘Taste’ Cheese Through the Nose
- When is the Best Time to Try French AOP Cheeses?
- Why do the French Like Raw Milk Cheese?
- The Amount of Milk Required to Make Cheese
Last update on 2021-06-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API