Whet guests' appetites with a beautifully arrranged grape and cheese tray.
Food and drink are an expected and integral part of any gathering, as eating together is part of the fun and fellowship. But instead of serving food as you normally do, consider a new technique or two. For example, if you're serving a cheese and grape tray, try a decorative arrangement of the food on the platter. These creative display techniques will delight your party guests and make the cheese and grapes look even more appetizing.
Instructions
1. Let color be your guide for arranging cheese and grapes.
Arrange cheese and grapes by color. Grapes can be found in a variety of colors, including purplish-black, reddish-purple and green. Cheese can be shades of yellow, orange and white, and also be flecked with blue. Place like colors of cheese and grapes together, go from lightest to darkest, or vice versa, or group together colors that visually complement each other well.
2. Arrange cheese and grapes by name. Place little flag labels on the tray so guests can get the connection. One idea is to use cheese and grapes that begin with the same letter: Muenster and mozzarella cheeses with Merlot and muscadine grapes, or Gruyere and Gouda cheeses with Gamay and Grenache grapes. Another alliterative take is making the food fit the theme: at a girlfriend's Pretty Princess Party, serve trays of pepperjack and Parmesan cheese and petite sirah and pinot blanc grapes. Shop in a farmers market or specialty grocery store to see what kinds of cheeses and grapes you can find.
3. Make fruit and cheese kebabs. Remove grapes from the vines, cut your cheese into small cubes and spear them on skewers. You can alternate between cheese and grapes on each skewer, or make cheese-only and grape-only skewers. Pile the skewers on the tray with the handles just dangling over the edge so guests can easily grab one or two. This is an ideal food for guests to eat, especially if everyone is standing instead of seated.
4. Pair cheese with grapes used to make the complementary wine.
Arrange cheese and grapes by taste. Find a chart to consult that explains the most appetizing pairings of wine and cheese, and on your trays in place of the wine use the grapes that are used to make it. For instance, Asiago cheese with Shiraz grapes, colby cheese with Riesling grapes, cheddar cheese with Gewurztraminer grapes, blue cheese with Zinfandel grapes and Teleme cheese with chardonnay grapes are just a few examples of pairings to try.
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