007. 'Tis The Season of Cheese

Who's on cheese plate duty?

Hello friends, happy November! We’ve made it to what I call the “Super Bowl of Cheese” aka, the holiday season. Get your boards ready, the party starts now! Here at That Cheese Plate, my goal is to make gatherings as easy and stress-free as possible. The key to the season is to take it week by week. Don’t worry about Christmas parties right now, just focus on November. If you’re a cheese person like me, you’ve probably offered (or already been assigned to) cheese plate duty for your Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving celebrations. This year, we’re keeping it simple and breaking down plates into two categories: kitschy and classic.

Kitschy: That “Charcuturkey” Plate

I love a good cheese pun, especially when it’s as elaborate as a cheese plate in the shape of a turkey. This “Charcuturkey” originally made its debut on my Instagram account in 2019, but I revamped it in my new book That Cheese Plate Wants To Party.

This board doesn’t use the fanciest of cheeses, but it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. As always, here’s a Cheese By Numbers step-by-step to break down the process for you.

KEY

The Plate: Round ceramic plate, 15.5 inches

Serves: 4-5

1 - CHEESE: Smoked Gouda, Mini Mozzarella Balls, Colby Jack, Sharp Cheddar, Gruyère

2 - MEAT: Salame Piccante, Fennel Salami

3 - PRODUCE: Yellow Pepper, Radishes, Cornichons, Katamala Olives, Cucumbers, Dried Figs

4 - CRUNCH: Truffle Marcona Almonds, Pita Crackers

5 - DIP: N/A

6 - GARNISH: Fresh Rosemary

Classic: That “By The Fire” Plate

This plate ditches the theme and leans more into the art of pairings. This is another plate from my new book That Cheese Plate Wants To Party, and I love to serve it for few reasons. 1) It features brie brûlée. If you have a mini blow torch, you can even brûlée the brie in front of your guests for an exciting “wow” factor. 2) The pairings are smokey, sweet and decadent, making for a true tasting experience.

The Plate: Rectangular wooden board, 9 ½ x 13 ½ inches

Serves: 4-5

1 - CHEESE: Apple Smoked Cheddar, Truffle Gouda, Brie Brûlée

2 - MEAT: Soppressata, Dry Coppa

3 - PRODUCE: Dried Cherries, Dried Figs, Raspberries

4 - CRUNCH: Fruit and Nut Crackers, Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds, Candied Pecans

5 - DIP: Honey

6 - GARNISH: Fresh Rosemary, Fresh Thyme

PAIRINGS

Apple Smoked Cheddar + Dry Coppa + Dried Figs Sharp, savory and sweet

Truffle Gouda + Soppressata + Dried Cherries Savory, aromatic and tangy

Brie Brûlée + Raspberries + Chocolate Covered Almonds Creamy, juicy and sweet

Brie Brûlée + Soppressata + Honey Creamy, savory and sweet

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Virtual Workshop Update

I got invited to attend a big work event the night of the 9th that I can’t miss, so we’ll be moving the workshop from Thursday November 9th to Tuesday November 14th. The good news, you’ll be able to view the workshop after the livestream, so if you can’t make the 14th don’t stress! I appreciate you all for being flexible with this.

The workshop is for paid subscribers only, and all instructions / supplies needed for the class will be available in my next newsletter on Saturday November 11th. I’ll show you how to make a festive Thanksgiving cheese plate step-by-step so we can build along together.

Seasonal Snacks

Here are some of my favorite recipes to make for festive apps and sides this season!