When serving cheese never serve more than 5 varieties at a time. Vary the size, shape, flavor and texture of the choices to add interest to the selection. The tray you serve on should be a wooden board or marble slab. A silver tray with a wood insert can add elegance and glamour for a special touch. The tray should never be crowded, and any bread or fancy crackers should be served separately. Separate utensils and trays should be used if the cheeses have strong or distinctive flavors. Mild varieties will pick up the flavors and aromas of stronger cheese.

Coupling the cheese with fresh fruit or thin sliced onions gives added interest and texture and makes for an appetizing arrangement. Always remember to slice all the accompaniments in bite size pieces.

Cheeses can be served as a very elegant desert a light course after the entrée or as an appetizer. When using cheese as an appetizer, choose a light meal because cheese can be filling.

The temperature of your cheese will make a difference in how it taste. When served at room temperature cheese displays more of its natural flavors and characteristics. By leaving the cheese out for 30 minutes before serving the cheese will reach its optimum temperature. Just remember during warm months to keep watch so that the cheese does not get too warm and begin to sweat.

a

Related posts:

1. Quick Reference Buying and Storage Guide for Cheese
2. Green Tea Brewing Guide
3. Low Fat Baked tofu with cheese

• Shop at a reliable source, if it does not smell good or look clean it is not a good place to shop. Always trust your instinct.

1. Choose a specialty market or gourmet grocery store, supermarkets do not always carry top quality cheeses.

2. Shop at a cheese only shop or a cheese restaurant

3. Shop at a gourmet food store that specializes in cheese such as a cheese and wine mart

• Amount to purchase

1. Buy only what will be consumed with in a few days, any more and the cheese characteristics may change before you consume it.

2. Flavors and aroma change over time in the home refrigerator

• Characteristics of cheese

1. Cheese should retain the characteristics of that particular style.

2. Interior should have no cracks, mold or discoloration, except with blue cheese or Roquefort styles.

3. Natural rind cheeses have a rustic appearance. The rind is a side product of the production.

4. Blue or Roquefort styles will have some mold and cracks this is normal.

5. Taste and sample. Follow your taste to choose what you want to buy.

Storage Guide

• How to store

1. When home re-wrap in waxed paper or parchment paper.

2. The air and moisture are integral to keeping the cheese in the best possible condition.

3. Always remove plastic wrap or plastic bag this is only good storage for transport not for in home storage.

a

Related posts:

1. Cheese Serving Guide
2. How To Make Sure You Are Buying The Best Prime Rib
3. Green Tea Brewing Guide

• Use high quality tea a lesser quality will not yield as good a flavor.

• If using lesser quality, boil water and steep for a longer period of time. This will help extract the flavors.

• When using the preferred high quality tea do not boil the water. Gently heat the water and steep the tea. Steep for about half the time recommended, if let go too long the flavor will turn bitter and sharp.

• Never use an aluminum pot to boil water. It will change the flavor of the tea. A cooper pot is ideal.

• Use only porcelain or ceramic to steep the tea.

• If the water does boil allow it to cool for 1-3 minutes before adding the tea. To ascertain the proper water temperature, check the direction of the steam. If the steam is drifting straight up the water is too hot. When the steam drifts sideways the water is at the proper temperature.

a

Related posts:

1. Cheese Serving Guide
2. Quick Reference Buying and Storage Guide for Cheese
3. Got my hurom juicer and i’m starting green juice fast part two