cheese boards

I received a cheese board as a housewarming gift and I can't wait to use it.  Sometimes my friends just get me, you know?  (My boyfriend thought it was a tile.)

Here are some tips on how to assemble and serve a cheese platter:

1.  Arrange your cheeses clockwise, in order from mildest to strongest, leaving enough room between each for easy cutting.  For example, you could have a creamy brie at 12:00, a mild goat cheese at 3:00, a sharp cheddar at 6:00, and a stilton at 9:00.

2.  Try to have a cheese knife for each kind of cheese -- spreaders for the soft, shavers and sharp knives for the harder cheeses.  I like these from Sur La Table.

3.  Offer an assortment of crackers, fruits, and spreads to accompany your cheese board.  I like water crackers, grapes, honey, and fig preserves.

4.  Feel free to serve any kind of wine you'd like.  You can do wine pairings, but I find that people are particular about their wine and their cheese, and not the pairings between the two.

5.  Serve your cheeses at room temperature.  I know this sounds kind of weird, but it's how you get the best flavor.