Entertaining 101: Assembling the perfect cheese Platter

Typically, I am the person who schedules our social activities, but lo and behold Cameron initiated an invitation for the first time in a long while. I am fortunate to be married to someone who is able to get along with just about anyone, so when he wanted to invite someone in particular over, I knew I should jump at the chance to entertain.

Jokingly, I suggested he could make dinner since he extended the invitation. Ultimately, I was happy to do the work. Truth be told, there are few things my husband dislikes more than menu planning and grocery shopping. I am convinced, if I was not around he would eat every meal out at a restaurant or go over to my parent's house. Whether it was a combination of not having anyone over for awhile, or the good weather we have been experiencing, I was inspired to get fancier than usual and create a cheese platter. Now, if you have been to our home in the past and were not served a cheese platter, don't fret. I think I see many more cheese platters in my future.

For my cheese platter I used the old adage "something new, something old, something blue" My new was a Chevre with lavender and anise, the old was a Beecher's aged cheddar and the blue was a Point Reyes Blue Cheese from San Francisco. Since we were already serving fresh fruit for dessert, I used dried apricots and cranberries for the cheese platter and found an amazing Dalmatia fig spread. I added some rosemary crackers, kalamata olives,Valencia almonds with fine herbs as my savory accompaniments. I love the idea of bringing in additional color to the platter, so I snipped fresh rosemary and sage from our garden at the last minute for added texture.

Overall cheese recommendations:

• For best flavor, serve cheese at room temperature
• Make certain to give your cheese room to breath, one pungent will make everything else smell.
• Allow your guests to cut their own cheese
• Keep cheese wrapped until you are ready to serve so it does not dry out
• Try to have individual knives for each kind of cheese or spread

Remember, to enter to win the Half Pops giveaway before midnight tonight!