Table Talk + Bonus Pairings

With Cozy Cheese Party Decor and Virtual Event Updates

Hello to all of the new faces here! Over the past week, many of you found this newsletter by way of my halloween candy and cheese pairings. I wanted to say thank you, and welcome to the EXTRA SHARP community! Here we chat all things cheese, recipes, pairings, entertaining tips, travel guides, general life updates and more. By popular demand, I also added some more candy and cheese pairing ideas at the end of this post!

Today we’re diving into the world of tablescapes. I’ve always loved a good table decoration moment, and I give much of this credit to my mom. She loves to spice up the table with an array of flowers, candles, linens, chargers and more. If the overhead lights are too bright, she’s the first to turn them down to set a mood. If the music is too loud, she quickly adjusts to the perfect quiet hum. She pays attention to details and I definitely get that trait from her.

Being home at my parent’s house is a treat. They have a large wooden dining room table which makes the perfect canvas for a tablescape. However, I live in Brooklyn and my canvas is typically confined to a 3-foot white round table from Target. This table and I have been though a lot. It’s been the backdrop for countless cheese photos (including the ones in my cookbooks), the centerpiece for deep conversations with my friends and the solid base for every cheese party over the last five years.

When it comes to throwing a party, I have to get creative with my table setting abilities. This is where I turn to the cheese plate. The food is the most important element to any party, so why not start your theme there? I love to derive colors from the cheese plate itself to inspire my florals, linens, napkins and candles. This design concept is featured throughout my new cookbook That Cheese Plate Wants To Party, and I’ll break it down below.

The Plate

Let’s go with a cold weather classic, That “Mushroom Medley” Plate, a cozy creation with Brie, Grana Padano, seared crispy mushrooms, roasted carrots, olives, baguette, dijon pistachios, caramelized onion jam and fresh thyme. Yum.

The Colors and Florals

For my color palette, I broke the plate down into these four hues:

Now time for the florals. Take these colors and have them be your inspiration. One of my new favorite tricks for a fun centerpiece is a pumpkin floral bouquet (or what I’ve been calling, a “boo-quet” for spooky season) It’s truly so simple to create.

• Find a shallow vase or cup and measure the base

• Take a medium pumpkin, carve a circle slightly bigger than the vase from the top and hollow out the inside

• Place the vase inside of the pumpkin, fill with water and arrange your flowers

The Tablecloth, Place Settings and Utensils

Because the cheese plate and florals are already so vibrant, I like the keep the tablecloth simple. For this example, I suggest using a beige or light brown tablecloth, or you can stick with the natural table too. For place settings, it depends on how many people you have for your cheese party. If everyone has somewhere to sit, I’ll typically put small individual plates out on place mats with a fork, knife and glass. If it’s more of a mingle soiree, I’ll put a stack of plates with utensils next to the cheese board for guests to freely graze.

LINKS: Beige Tablecloth, Beige Table Runner, Place Mats, Glassware, Small Plates, Charcuterie Utensils

The Music

What would a party be without That Cheese Playlist? If you decide to make That “Mushroom Medley” Plate above, here are some songs to get you in the chill and cozy autumnal mood.

Now you’re ready to host! For more information on pairings behind this plate, check out page 110 in the book That Cheese Plate Wants To Party.

That Virtual Cheese Class

Thank you for all of the feedback on November’s virtual cheese class! A majority of you requested this to be hosted on a weeknight. I’m going to figure out a way to make the class available after it’s recorded, so hopefully if you can’t make it live you can still watch later!

The virtual class will be held on Thursday November 9th at 7:30PM EST. I know that’s a bit early for my west coast friends, but by the time you finish building your board it’ll be prime time for happy hour!

HOW IT WORKS

• Become a paid subscriber to EXTRA SHARP (it’s only $5 a month and you can cancel any time!)

• A list of grocery items and supplies with livestream instructions will be sent out to paid subscribers in my newsletter on Friday November 4th.

So excited to be back hosting virtual classes and I plan on doing many more as the months come!

Halloween Candy + Cheese Pairings (Part 2)

I’ve been asked for more cheese and candy ideas as Halloween approaches, so I compiled some more favorites with drink pairings to pair!