the appetizer:
The Entertaining Encyclopedia by Denise Vivaldo, includes articles and recipes like International Party Themes; Wine and Cheese Parties; Cheese Board with Bread and Cracker Assortment; Oscar Night Party; and Crab and Blue Cheese Bundles.
Cheese Board
Serves 6 to 8
or can be multiplied up to 4 times
Serve mild-tasting cheeses, as strongly flavored ones will overpower most wines. Buy very good-quality cheeses and let them come to room temperature before serving.
Tip
Make use of the cheese counter in your local gourmet store. Ask them to help you choose a good hard cheese, a soft ripened cheese, a soft goat cheese and a semi-hard cheese.
- 4 oz Asiago, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, dry Monterey Jack
or Gruyère cheese, very coarsely crumbled, 125 g - 4 oz Brie, Bûcheron, Camembert or Pavé d'Affinois cheese, 125 g
- 4 oz chèvre or Boursin cheese, 125 g
- 4 oz aged Cheddar or Swiss cheese, sliced, 125 g
Arrange cheeses on a serving plate or cheese board with small knives and spreaders.
Bread and Cracker Assortment
Serves 6 to 8
or can be multiplied up to 4 times
Bread and crackers serve a dual purpose: they cleanse the palette while also serving as a vessel for the cheese.
Tip
Look for sweet tortas from Spain. These are fried flatbread crackers with honey and aniseed, and are delightfully flavorful.
- 1 baguette, sliced
- 1 small loaf walnut bread, sliced
- 1 package (4-1/2 oz/128 g) water crackers
- 1 package (3-1/2 oz/100 g) grissini (thin breadsticks) or crostini
Arrange breads and crackers in a shallow bowl or basket.
- from:
The Entertaining Encyclopedia
Essential Tips and Recipes for Perfect Parties - by Denise Vivaldo
- Robert Rose 2009
- Softcover/$24.95
- ISBN-10: 0778802191
- ISBN: 978-0-7788-0219-8
- Excerpt reprinted by permission.
Buy The Entertaining Encyclopedia
The Entertaining Encyclopedia
Excerpts and Recipes
- International Party Themes
- Wine and Cheese Parties
- Cheese Board with Bread and Cracker Assortment
- Oscar Night Party
- Crab and Blue Cheese Bundles
- Cookbook Profile Archive
This page created February 2010