For culture’s Cooking with Cheese issue we combed through our extensive archives to select the best cheese plates for wowing a crowd and satisfying your “cheese tooth.” From brunch to dessert and everything in between, here are eight of our favorites. See all of our cheese plates HERE.
Crown Jewels
“For all its historic stardom, cheese had decidedly humble origins as a peasant food—much like pâté and wine, cheese began life as a solution to food spoilage. How it came to be an appetizer of the rich and powerful speaks to the very nature of the beast: cheese, no matter how simple, just feels like a luxury.”
The Japanese Cheese Plate
“Japanese cuisine has steadily seeped into US culture over the past few decades, from matcha lattes at Starbucks to sushi restaurants in nearly every town.”
The Valentine’s Day Plate
“When it comes to everyone’s favorite Hallmark holiday, a great cheese plate is key. It takes almost no time to prepare but provides a wallop of wow-factor—as long as your pairings are on point. What more would you need to woo your beau?”
Budget Bites
“Gorgeous cheese plates on Instagram are swoon-worthy, but assembling your own can be intimidating. Wander into any specialty cheese shop and those high price tags might make you faint for a different reason. But wait, stay with us—you don’t have to spend a ton to build a beautiful cheese plate.”
The Brunch Plate
Who says cheese plates have to be for the afternoon? Pull out the cheese and pour some champagne because we’re having cheese for brunch!
The Dessert Plate
“The traditional cheese course, also a French invention, is typically served between the main course and dessert—that is, if one were to follow convention. But as the longest year on record comes to a close, we’re dispensing with the pleasantries. Dessert before dinner! Chocolate on cheese on cookies! Tell Aunt Mabel what you really think of her famous fruitcake!”
Atomic Age
“If a time machine deposited you into a party in 1957 American suburbia, what might you see? Perhaps a lavish spread of sweet (and savory) gelatin delights, processed meats glistening beneath various gravies, a glowing mushroom cloud blossoming on a grainy TV screen in the background. Oh, and lots of dishes centered around cheese and pseudo-cheese.”
The Travel Plate
Taking a cue from Marissa Mullen’s snack-hacking sorcery, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite cheese and cheese-adjacent products that make it easy to snack in style wherever you are.
culture: the word on cheese
Culture is America's first and best magazine devoted to the love of cheese. Explore our website for stunning photos, cheesemaker profiles, recipes, wine, beer, and a community of readers always willing to help and chat.
