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The holidays are certainly a time for special foods and traditions, but many people have given up big desserts after holiday meals.
Welcome the cheese plate as a bridge to finish off the dinner wines and continue lingering conversations.
Milk Type: Assorted, as in whatever you like.
A cheese platter instead of dessert could, in theory, be any cheeses that you like but if you put a slightly “sweet” spin on your platter you can please the dessert lovers and abstainers all at the same time.
Focus on fruitier, or rich cheeses, rather than earthy flavours, and pair them with some of your favourite sweet accompaniments.
Great cheese options are:
· d’Affinois Excellence (pictured)
· Grand Crème Delin – triple cream
· Stilton – a Christmas classic
· Fruit Wensleydale (pictured)
· Cheddars of any sort
· Candied Ginger Delice
· White Fox (pictured) – an aged UK Leicester
· Rich blues like Saint Agur or Bresse Bleu
· Cave Aged Gruyere or other mountain cheeses
Pairing: This is where you can have fun and really personalize your plate for your group. Small cookies, shortbread, colourful fresh fruit as well as dried fruit all work well. Here are some other suggestions:
· Gingersnaps
· Sugar cookies – in holiday shapes maybe?
· Seasonal fruit like mini mandarins set the Christmas mood, and bright berries are always good for colour on the plate
· Toasted nuts of any variety – spiced or sweet will all be a good match
· Dried fruit like figs and dates
· Dried citrus slices
· Chocolate salami – chocolate studded with biscotti and nuts. Speaking of which, biscotti would be great too
· Dark chocolate bark
· Fruit jam or jelly, or even something a little savoury and spicy like pepper jelly or chutney
Here are our suggested wine pairings :
