Wish you could construct an amazing cheese plate for your upcoming holiday celebration?

It’s not just about unwrapping a bunch of cheeses and slapping them on a wooden cutting board! Why not impress your guests with some funky, novel flavors that can be served before, or after the meal. Picking the perfect cheeses can be overwhelming, and what you accessorize the cheeses with is just as important.

Check out these gorgeous cheese platters [pictured] that I have shot at recent dinners & cocktail parties in the Hamptons…

Don’t know where to start? KDH loves how big-cheese writer Jamie Forest breaks down the fromage fundamentals on www.seriouseats.com. Follow these simple tips:

A. Something Old, Something New : The old adage applies well to cheese plates. It works best if you vary them by texture, age, milk type, and manufacturer. For instance, your plate could include a soft fresh goat cheese, a pungent washed rind cow’s milk cheese, a semi-firm aged sheep’s milk, and a spicy blue. Speaking of blues, you should offer no more than two blues on a plate, otherwise you risk overwhelming the other cheeses. You can also vary the plate by geography, but sometimes it’s fun to keep that fixed, like an all-French or all-American platter.

B.  Keep It Simple: Too much variety is overwhelming. Try offering six different cheeses at the most. If serving a small party, go with fewer. When buying cheeses, assume that the average guest will eat about 0.75 ounces each.

C.  Befriend Your Cheesemonger: Never be afraid to ask your cheesemonger questions. He or she won’t hurt you. If shopping at a store with knowledgeable cheesemongers, they should be more than happy to shepherd the selection process. We love Lucy’s Whey in East Hampton [below].

Tips on how to speak cheesy:

1. Ask which cheeses pair well based on your likes and dislikes.
2. Tell them what food you’ll also be serving so they can match flavors.
3. If you’re at a store with no knowledgeable cheesemonger, leave and go somewhere else.

D.  Accessorize: Everyone likes a crusty bread with cheese, but it’s best to stick with a milder bread to avoid overpowering the cheese. Think baguette over San Francisco sourdough. The same is true for crackers—steer clear of crackers flavored with onion, garlic, or other spices. Try pairing the cheeses with charcuterie, seasonal fruits, dried fruits, and nuts. Also worth a try: quince paste (sometimes known as membrillo).

E.  Tools of the Trade: Don’t worry about buying a wooden board made specifically for cheese. Any wooden cutting board will look nice. Also, don’t worry about buying a special set of cheese knives. It’s a good idea to give each cheese a separate knife, but don’t buy a bunch if you’ll never use them again. The one exception is splurging on a soft cheese knife—the kind with holes down the length of the blade. Just one will suffice. They facilitate the slicing of soft, supple selections like Camembert or Reblochon

***A rustic wooden cutting board always works for serving, but why not try a charming, pretty, or personal serving piece~ get creative, look around your pantry, or try these options below. A beautiful cake plate can be repurposed as a cheese plate, or split the cheeses up on two ornate dinner plates. Try some of these ideas below: