Cheese Cracker Tray
With these cheese cracker tray ideas you’ll be able to take your cheese display from average to a gourmet platter sure to impress and please your guests.
These cheese cracker tray ideas and tips for creating a cheese tray will give an old party standard a new life with unique display options when making a gourmet cheese platter.
Cheese Cracker Tray Ideas
Choose a Variety of Cheeses
There are many different varieties of cheese available, so don’t be afraid to break free from the usual ones you serve. Ideally you will want three cheeses for a platter – having many more than this will have a lot of people guessing what is what or make it too cluttered.
Check with your local deli and you may be surprised to find many different types and specialty flavors there are available! Ideally you want a balance of flavor and consistency, especially since different guests will all have different tastes and preferences. Some cheeses are hard and dry while others are softer and moist. Choosing ones that compliment each other will give you and your guests a nice variety of textures and flavors.
Here are some ideas for different types of cheeses you can serve:
Brick Cheese
Blue Cheese
Cheddar
Colby Jack
Cranberry Orange Cheese
Horseradish Cheese
Gouda
Monterrey Jack
Mozzarella Cheese
Muenster Cheese
Pepper Jack
Swiss
Pick the Right Crackers
Most grocery stores have an entire aisle dedicated to crackers, which can be quite overwhelming for some! There are the classic buttery snack crackers and thin wheat crackers that are usually a hit with everyone. Flavored onion, sesame, or other crackers also go very well with most cheeses. For something a little different or unique you can try Tuscon toast or small fresh bread slices.
Different Ways to Serve Cheese:
There are several different ways you can slice and serve cheese. You can cut in up into cubes, serve in in triangle shapes, square shapes, or slender shavings. You can also get creative with softer cheeses and use miniature cookie cutters for all types of different shapes. The most important thing is to make sure the cheese is proportionate in shape and size with the crackers.
Another idea is to serve the cheese in large blocks and offer shaving or cutting tools for guests to carve their own piece. It will depend on the size of your party and the ability of your guests – obviously a party with many children, this would not be a good idea since they would require adult assistance.
Add Garnishments
A cheese and cracker tray can go from ho-hum to spectacular with just a few garnishments. Popular garnishments include green or black olives, grapes, strawberries, or fresh pineapple chunks. Apples and Pears are popular as well. Apricot or grape jams can be a nice accompaniment, as well as nuts such as almonds. It’s important to not go too overboard with the different additions, but they can all take your cheese tray from average to gourmet and create an impressive and aesthetically pleasing array.
Choose a Unique Platter
There are many different platters and trays that can give a cheese and cracker display a creative and attractive presentation. There are many themed trays available, such as a football shaped dish for a Super Bowl party or a Christmas tree shaped dish for a holiday party. Cutting boards and other trays can add a nice decorative touch for an appetizing dish.
Below are some unique ideas you can consider:
The possibilities are endless with cheese and cracker trays – and with a little creativity you can go from having an average platter to a gourmet cheese tray that’s sure to impress and please your guests.
Have any suggestions or ideas? We’d love to hear them in the comments below.
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