Fromage A La Carte (v) Recipe

Bring cheeses to room temperature

Remove all cheeses from refrigeration 30–45 minutes before serving. This allows flavors and textures (especially the Brie and goat cheese) to open up.

Prepare Brie

If desired, score the top rind of the Brie in a shallow crosshatch for easier spreading. Keep whole or cut into 6–8 wedges for plating.

Slice cheddar

Trim rind if preferred and slice the cheddar into 8–10 bite-size squares or thin wedges for easy picking.

Portion goat cheese

Slice the goat cheese log into 8 rounds or leave whole and provide a small spreader so guests can portion themselves.

Slice the baguette on a slight diagonal into 10–12 pieces about 1 cm thick. If you prefer warm bread, briefly toast slices on a sheet pan at 180°C (350°F) for 6–8 minutes until lightly golden; allow to cool slightly before serving.

Arrange an assortment of crackers (whole and broken pieces) on the board to provide varying textures.

Wash the grapes and leave small clusters intact for easy picking. Pat dry.

Core and thinly slice the green apple into wedges. To prevent browning, squeeze a little lemon juice on the apple slices if not serving within 10 minutes.

Pile dried apricots in a small heap to add chew and concentrated sweetness to the board.

If almonds or walnuts have large pieces, give them a rough chop for easier eating. Toasting nuts: spread on a baking sheet and toast in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 6–8 minutes until fragrant, then cool.

Spoon runny honey into a small ramekin and place on the board. Warm honey slightly (10–15 seconds in microwave) if it’s very stiff so it’s easy to drizzle.

Place fig jam in a separate small dish with a butter knife for spreading.

Select a large wooden board or platter. Position the three cheeses spaced apart (Brie, cheddar, goat cheese) so guests can approach from different angles.

Fan the baguette slices near the Brie, and scatter crackers around the cheddar and goat cheese. Keep crackers in small stacks to avoid crushing.

Arrange fruit clusters and apple slices in small groups between cheeses to create color contrast and easy pairing options.

Tuck small piles of nuts near the edges and place the ramekins with honey and fig jam close to cheeses that pair well (honey by Brie and goat cheese, fig jam by cheddar).

Garnish with the rosemary sprig for aroma and scatter a few walnut pieces on the board. Lightly crack black pepper over the goat cheese and a little over the Brie if desired.

Provide appropriate knives and spreaders: one soft-cheese spreader for Brie/goat cheese, one knife for fig jam/honey, and a harder cheese knife for cheddar. Label cheeses if serving to guests.