Buying Cheese

The best way to start is to find a cheese shop that you trust. If the cheese that you buy is fresh you will be able to experience its true flavour.
Avoid buying pre cut or cryovac cheese. If you are buying cheese from a round, look at the cut surface to see if it is fresh. Be sure to ask for a taste off the round you are purchasing, as there can be quite large variations from one loaf of cheese to another.

Serving Cheese as a Course

When serving cheeses as a course, it is important to consider the other components of the meal, ie: How many other courses are there, or is your dinner following a theme? Don't overdo it - sometimes serving too many cheeses during a dinner can be overwhelming. 3 - 4 cheeses is a good number, sometimes you might like to choose just one cheese and serve it with some wel chosen accompaniments.

Serving Size

Usually a serving size of 50g per person, per cheese is a good guide to remember. Depending on the number of cheeses you are serving and the number of courses in the meal, you should adjust the quantities accordingly.

Balance Your Cheeseboard

Try to select cheeses which form a natural progression, and which both complement and contrast each other. Arrange cheese to build from mild to strong, light-bodied to more full flavoured, in much the same way as you would taste a series of wines.

Also take into consideration the firmness and texture of your cheeses. It is a good idea to alternate between soft and hard, while still maintaining the progression from mild to strong.

NOTE: Remember that cheeses mature to various stages of ripeness and age, and a cheese may change its position on the cheese plate according to its intensity.

Some Examples of Cheese Selections:

Tomme de Chevre
Taleggio
St Agur

Caprinelle
Pont l'Eveque
Quicke's Cheddar
Valdeon