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Make a Delicious Cheese Display

partysugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:01:31 -0700

Last weekend I attended California's Artisan Cheese Festival. While the highlight was tasting tons of scrumptious cheeses, I did learn how to create a beautiful cheese plate. A cheese plate is wonderful for parties because it doesn't involve any cooking; it's more about assembling and displaying in an attractive way. To see my tips for creating a beautiful cheese display, read more.

Start by selecting the cheeses. Choose cheeses that represent a variety of types and textures. You want to find a balance between flavors. Offering three to five cheeses is ideal, as it won't overwhelm the palate.
If you want to get creative, choose a theme. All of the cheese could be from the same region, from the same milk or from different milks.

Avoid common cheeses that most people have already tried. Head to a local cheese shop and look for artisan cheeses. If you are on a budget, buy one or two quality cheeses instead of a bunch of cheaper ones.
Present the cheese on a large platter or board with plenty of room. You want each cheese to have its own space. Make sure the cheese is easily accessible. Arrange hard cheeses on the outside of the board or crumble into small chunks.
Create levels in the display. Turn bowls or pans upside down or place old shoe boxes underneath the tablecloth.
Make the plate pretty by placing large leaves underneath the blocks of cheese. Fresh herbs are also a lovely and fragrant touch.
Don't forget the accompaniments that enhance the cheese: olives, nuts, fresh fruit, jams, honey, crackers, breads, thinly sliced meats, pate, etc. For beverages both wine and beer make good complements to cheese.
Make sure the cheese you are serving is at room temperature.
Lastly label the cheeses so guests know what they are tasting.

Got a great tip for creating a wonderful cheese display? Please share with us below!

Come Party With Me: Harvest Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:50:24 -0700

In wine making, the harvest is one of the most crucial times of year. It's when the vintners pick the grapes and usually occurs between August and October. Since the harvest is such an important season, many wineries celebrate with a lunch or dinner.

I think the tradition is the perfect excuse to plan a party! Just because you don't live in wine country doesn't mean you can't commemorate the harvest. Invite friends over for a meal that honors the wonderful world of wine. Every dish on the menu has wine on the ingredient list.

Start by displaying an assortment of charcuterie, olives, crackers, and goat cheese mousse with red-wine caramel. For the main course, offer chicken braised in white wine with shallots, pancetta, and fennel. Plate the chicken with a simple risotto alla Milanese - made with white wine and Parmesan cheese. These recipes are welcome at any dinner party, be it harvest-themed or a special birthday. To check them out, keep reading.

Off To Market: Cheese Board

partysugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:11:31 -0700

I love cheese. It is one of my all time favorite foods. Whenever I host an impromptu dinner party, cheese inevitably makes it into the first course. However there is just one teeny weeny problem, I never know what to display the cheese on! My cutting boards are not exactly "party ready" and a plate doesn't do the cheese justice.

To remedy this problem, I've decided I need a cheese board - a little wooden board that I will only use to display and devour cheese. Can you help me find one? Search the web for a cheese board that is rustic and attractive. Nothing too showy, it should be a backdrop to highlight glorious cheeses. Save the boards in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Cheese Board. I'm looking forward to browsing your finds!

GeekSugar has put together an explanation on how to use the fun bookmarking feature, so check it out to learn more.

For a list of my favorite online stores, read more

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Tips For Enjoying Caviar

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:23:56 -0800

Last weekend, PartySugar and I spent most of our time eating and drinking at the Winter Fancy Foods Show, the largest food show in North America. With more than 250,000 food and beverage products on display, one could say that perhaps I bit off a little more than I could chew.

We tasted wine, cheese, meat, and everything else you can think of (more on that later!), but one of the biggest highlights had to be learning more about caviar from the pros. I turned to Ali Bolourchi and Michael Kupfer of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer, to get some tips. To find out how to serve, taste, and enjoy caviar, read more.

What to buy: True caviar, the most prized (and therefore expensive!) is from Russian sturgeon. However, if you've never tasted caviar, American sturgeon is a great starting point, and only costs $20 to $25 an ounce - a fraction of the cost of the real thing. Also, know what it is that you're tasting: Neither red caviar or salmon roe is technically caviar. Genuine caviar falls under three categories: beluga, osetra, and sevruga.
How to taste: The best caviar should be devoid of smell, and should taste clean, buttery, and not too salty. The eggs should have a nice pop to them, and shouldn't be soupy or sticky.
How to serve: Buy a mother-of-pearl spoon to scoop the caviar, as metal imparts an unwanted flavor to the eggs. Each taste should contain a gram or two of caviar. Serve on a toast point, canapé, or blini, with smoked salmon, creme fraîche, lemon, and chive.
If you truly want to taste the pure flavor of caviar, serve the caviar solo on the nook of the hand between the index finger and thumb.

Of course, I couldn't learn fully without experiencing the taste of caviar. Michael served DeSietra Farms Siberian sturgeon caviar that was sustainably farmed in Germany. It was not fishy at all, and subtly briny, with a nutty finish - the perfect way to end a lesson about caviar.

Are you a fan of the delicacy? What are your favorite ways to enjoy it?

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Off to Market Recap: Cheese Board

partysugar — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:18:33 -0700

Cheese is one of my all time favorite foods. Whenever I host an impromptu dinner party, cheese inevitably makes it into the first course. However, there is just one teeny weeny problem: I never know what to display the cheese on! My cutting boards are not exactly party ready, and a plate is okay, but doesn't do the cheese justice. That's why I recently asked you to help me find a wooden board that will be used only for cheese. You bookmarked your boards in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Cheese Board.

I really love the modern metal and wooden eclipse cheese tray that mellie_608 found, but at an expensive $200 it's a little out of my price range. After all, I could get this fabulous space saving cheese board - complete with knife set - for $170 less! Talk about a deal. Great discovery SugarFreak! Take a look at all of the boards by browsing below.

GeekSugar has put together an explanation on how to use the fun bookmarking feature so check it out to learn more.

All You Need To Enjoy Your Cheese

partysugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 08:57:32 -0700

It's National Cheese Day, so I decided to scour the web and highlight a few essential tools to help you enjoy cheese to the fullest. For slicing perfect slices of cheddar and Gruyere, choose a wooden board with an attached metal cutter. For softer cheeses, like Brie, use a special edged knife that allows you to smoothly spread cheese on crackers, toasts, and fruit pieces. Hard cheese such as Parmesan requires a cheese plane to create thick shaved sheets that can be placed onto pastas and salads. For wine and cheese parties, a wooden cheese board is essential for displaying a variety of cheese types. A box grater is useful for pizzas, tacos, gratins, and more. Lastly, for those special occasions, a shiny fondue pot allows you to savor melted cheese - it's an indulgent splurge that you won't use as often as your box grater, but it's one that you'll definitely delight in. To check out all these finds, scroll through the box below.

Chalkcloth Runner: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 04:00:45 -0800

When I first saw this chalkcloth runner ($24-38) in the latest NapaStyle catalog, I immediately wanted one. I made the mistake of thinking it was actual chalkboard and was disappointed when, upon further examination, I realized it was just cloth. Still, it's perfect for a cheese display or chili cook-off and would make a great gift for the hostess who has everything. What do you think?

Off to Market Recap: Appetizer Plates

partysugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:45:23 -0700

When you entertain as much as I do, it's important to have a selection of stylish appetizer plates. From small plates to decorative trays, these serving platters are essential to displaying delicious dishes. I'm always looking for interesting pieces and I invited you to help me add to my collection. You headed off to market in search of appetizer servingware. You saved your finds in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, Appetizer Plates.

How fabulous are these giraffe print plates? Sofi discovered these stylish, modern plates that will look lovely displaying balls of goat cheese. High five sofi! To check out the entire collection, browse below.

Learn how to bookmark by reading geeksugar's directions.

YumSugar Gift Guide: The Bro Who Loves Cheese

partysugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:03:18 -0800

I hold a dear place in my heart for the foodie who loves cheese. My older brother is one of those fromage fools who instantly knows his Parmesan from his pecorino. To help him become the master of mold, I plan on getting one of the following gifts. These chalk boards are perfect for displaying different kinds of cheeses! They add height to a tablescape and the dark slate accents the creamy colors of cheese. For more - from a cheese saw to a six-month cheese club subscription - browse below.

Cheese Saw ($3.95)	Cheese Deck, by Max McCalman ($13.45 )
Walnut Cheese Board ($29.95)	Blue Fondue Set (1.5-qt.) by Rachael Ray ($49.95)
Clean Slate Risers - NapaStyle ($28.00 - $88.00)	6 Month Cheese Club Subscription, Williams-Sonoma ( $395.00 )

Say Cheese

YumSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:15:21 -0700

In case you don't already own cheese serving tools, I went shopping for stylish cheese serving trays and found a fabulous selection. They run the gamut from ornate and over-the-top to sleek and minimalist. My favorite is this marble tray with silver bamboo hardware ($78); it's got the perfect amount of flair and will look excellent displaying everything from a pungent blue to a sharp cheddar.

To scope out all my finds, click on the arrows below.

Yamazaki "Signature" Cheese Tray, 14" - $50.00	Agate Cheese Plates - $60.00
4 Piece Marble Cheese Set by All-Clad - $99.99	Georg Jensen Cheeseboard and Knife - $155.00
Stelton - stainless cheese plane by martin rosquist for stelton - $48.00	Petrified Wood Cheese Trays - $78.00
Silver Bamboo & Marble Cheese Set - $78.00	Cheese Board with Tools - $19.95
Michael Aram "Swiss Cheese" Cutting Board & Knife - $65.00	Granite Cheese Board with Hammered Metal Handles - $39.95
Fitz and Floyd "Ricamo" Cheese Tray with Knife, 14 1/8" - $62.00	Eclipse Cheese Tray by Nambé - $195.00
Michael Aram "Vine" Cheese Board with Knife - $79.00