As somebody who as soon as taught a category completely dedicated to Night time Cheese, I really like (LOVE) a cheese plate. However you already know what’s simpler and extra statement-making than a cheese plate? Simply serving one huge cheese.
Not any cheese can stand alone, although. For a cheese to go solo, it should be so scrumptious that social gathering visitors don’t even understand that there’s just one cheese choice accessible. And it must be bodily huge — if it’s going to be within the highlight, it shouldn’t be shy about taking over area.
Assume cheeses just like the gooey-mustardy Harbison (convey it to room temp!), the is-this-just-butter St. Stephen, or a straight-up hunk of Parm.
However my favourite One Huge Cheese? Cabot Creamery’s three-year aged cheddar, particularly the large two-pound block from Costco.
This cheese does all of it. It sits superbly in that Venn diagram between “oh, this tastes like one thing I do know” and “oh, that is barely unfamiliar in a extremely nice method.” Final month, I served it (with crackers) at my son’s fifth party. Adults have been coming as much as me the entire social gathering, asking about what the “fancy” cheese was and sharing how a lot they liked it. Children have been horfing it down, too.
Think about your normal grocery-store cheddar if it have been barely caramelized or kissed by a grill. It’s nutty and nuanced, but extraordinarily cheddar-y. I’ve by no means met anybody who can resist.
If I dare serve one other cheese to my five-year-old, he instantly asks why I didn’t give him “the nice cheddar” (like mom, like son?). And my two-year-old occurs to like it virtually as a lot as he loves one other huge Costco buy: this large jar of capers.
However this cheddar is not only a celebration cheese. Because it’s aged for therefore lengthy, it has a protracted shelf life (low moisture!), so it could keep within the fridge for months (useful, given its dimension however, uh, we nonetheless get via it fairly shortly). I’ve used it for numerous WFH lunches — as a fast quesadilla or grating it over no matter leftovers want a little bit of oomph. Costume it up, gown it down, Cabot 3-Yr Cheddar is the little black gown of big-box warehouse dairy.
What do you serve at gatherings? Any professional ideas? We additionally love a straightforward banquet and mildly chaotic brunch!
Carey Polis is an editorial guide and content material strategist who lives in Washington, D.C., together with her partner and two sons. She additionally has a e-newsletter: Cheese, E book, Restaurant, Factor.
P.S. A helpful information to creating an ideal cheese plate, birthday cheese, and the perfect social gathering snack of all time.
(Images by David Williams for Cup of Jo.)
