For those who love fine wine and gourmet food, a cheese platter is absolutely an irresistible temptation. Whether it’s a private gathering, a romantic dinner, or a corporate business cocktail, a cheese platter can always add a unique touch of luxury to your occasion with its rich variety of flavors and distinctive aesthetic charm. If you pursue elegance and refinement in life, learning to prepare a perfect cheese platter will allow you to stand out in various situations and showcase your extraordinary taste and personal charm.

The diversity of cheese makes it like a painting of flavors, encompassing different types of creamy richness, textural layers, and flavor characteristics. When paired with suitable red wine, crackers, and other accompaniments, the combination is perfectly harmonious like a symphony. This article will detail how to perfectly pair cheese, crackers, and red wine to create a stunning cheese platter, and delve into the art of pairing red wine with cheese, allowing you to easily master this sophisticated culinary culture.

The 7 Essentials of Cheese Platter Accompaniments

When hosting a cheese platter tasting night, choosing the right accompaniments can greatly enhance the overall tasting experience. Here are some accompaniments that can enrich your cheese platter along with pairing suggestions:

1.  Bread and Crackers

Choices: French baguette, crackers, lightly crisped crisps, thin crackers.
Reason: These pairings provide different textures and contrast with the creamy texture of cheese, enhancing the overall flavor.

2. Fresh Fruits

Choices: Grapes, figs, pears, apples, berries.
Reason: The sweetness of fresh fruits can balance the saltiness of cheese and add a refreshing touch. Especially when figs are paired with blue cheese, they create a wonderful contrast.

3.  Nuts

Choices: Dried figs, apricots, dried plums, almonds, walnuts, etc.
Reason: The sweetness of dried fruits and the crunchiness of nuts can add layers to the cheese platter and provide different textures.

4. Honey and Jams

Choices: Honey, fig jam, orange marmalade, or onion jam.
Reason: Sweetness can balance saltiness, especially for strong-flavored cheeses like blue cheese, where honey and jams can add rich flavor layers.

5.  Pickled Foods

Choices: Olives, pickles, pearl onions, or pickled peppers.
Reason: The saltiness and acidity of these pickled foods can add a refreshing touch to the cheese platter and contrast well with rich cheeses.

6. Herbs and Spices

Choices: Fresh herbs (like rosemary, thyme), black pepper, or sea salt.
Reason: Herbs and spices can enhance the flavors of cheese, making them more enticing. Particularly, fresh herbs can bring a refreshing aroma.

7.  Specialty Meats

Choices: Parma ham, Italian salami, prosciutto, or other cured meats.
Reason: The savory aroma of meats complements cheese, increasing the richness and depth of the platter.