Selecting the Cheese

• 1). Choose one cheese from each category: aged, soft, firm and blue. This gives you a good mix of flavors and textures. Examples of aged cheeses are aged cheddar, Comte and Gouda. The category of soft cheeses includes Camembert, Brie and cravanzina. Firm cheeses, including Parmigiano-Reggiano, Asiago and Manchego, have a crystalline texture. Blue cheeses such as Stilton, Gorgonzola and Cambozola are known for their distinctive blue color and their bold taste.
  
  
• 2). Select at least one popular cheese. This will make guests more comfortable because people often gravitate first toward what is familiar. Display it prominently. After they are at ease, guests are likely to venture out of their comfort zone and try some lesser-known cheeses.
  
  
• 3). Calculate how much cheese you will need. A good rule is to buy 3 lbs. for eight people, 6 lbs. for 16 people or 9 lbs. for 20 people when cheese is the only food. If you are serving other food along with your cheeses, purchase 3 to 4 oz. per guest.
  
  

Accompaniments

• 1). Serve the cheese with a selection of breads and crackers. Slice loaves of bread in various shapes and sizes. You should vary your cracker and bread flavors as you have your cheeses.
  
  
• 2). Dish sweet relishes, jams and compotes into small bowls. Fruit, whether fresh or in a jellied form, goes well with many cheeses.
  
  
• 3). Purchase a couple of salty meats from the butcher or deli. Hams such as prosciutto and salami are very popular choices. Slice and serve along with the cheeses.
  
  

Serve

• 1). Alternate the heights and styles of your cheeses on the tray. If needed, select stronger-odored cheeses to be displayed on a separate tray.
  
  
• 2). Select the correct knife or cutting tool for each type of cheese. Each cheese selection needs its own knife. A butter or blunt-shaped knife works well with soft cheeses because they need to be spread across bread or crackers. Hard cheeses command a knife with a sharp edge such as a paring knife. A cheese slicer is perfect for aged cheeses and produces evenly-shaped pieces.
  
  
• 3). Label your cheeses. When you label the cheeses by name, guests do not have to ask for directions and might feel more comfortable eating them. You also can provide a brief description of the cheese flavors.
  
  
• 4). Remove the cheeses from the refrigerator an hour before serving time. Cheese that is closer to room temperature has more flavor.