Cheese Platter

The power of the cheese platter

A great cheese platter changes everything. When you put cheese on the table, parties become peppier. Shindigs shine brighter. And game-day gatherings kick into overdrive. Cheese makes every moment in life a little finer, and a cheese platter – with multiple cheeses side-by-side – magnifies the awesome power of cheese.

Here in Wisconsin, we know that with great cheese power comes great cheese responsibility. That's why we take our cheese platters so seriously. You won't find us plopping down just any old parm, brick, or havarti – only the best will do. And when we say "best," we mean cheese made right here in Wisconsin. From award-winning gouda, gorgonzola, and gruyere to mozzarella, muenster, and marbled blue jack, Wisconsin cheese has the power to transform the cheese platter and make the world a little better.

Take a dive into our website to meet some life-changing cheeses. Search our recipes to find ideas for gourmet cheese platters or a fruit and cheese board. Or scroll down for our tips on building a better cheese platter.

How to build a better cheese platter

The tastiest and most beautiful cheese platters offer a variety of tastes, textures, colors, and shapes. Here are some of our top suggestions for what to include in your cheese board, charcuterie spread or fruit and cheese platter.

Cheese

When choosing cheese for a cheese board, pick 4 – 6 varieties of cheese. Our recommendations include:

• Hard cheeses like aged cheddar, parmesan, or manchego
• Semi-firm cheeses like muenster, gouda, or gruyere cheese
• Soft cheeses like burrata or brie
• A bleu cheese like gorgonzola or marbled blue jack
• A crumbly cheese like goat cheese or feta

Charcuterie

If you're including cured meat on the cheese platter, you can add several types of charcuterie:

• Cured sausages like salami, soppressata, or chorizo
• Whole-muscle cuts like prosciutto, speck, or Jamón Iberico
• Patés or forcemeats like duck liver mousse or chicken liver paté

Fruit and vegetables

These fruits and vegetables pair really well with a variety of cheeses:

• Slices of apples and pears
• Grapes and berries
• Grilled peaches
• Figs and dates
• Dried cherries or sun-dried tomatoes
• Olives and pickles
• Artichokes and cherry red peppers

Nuts

Nuts are great finger foods and provide another layer of taste options.

• Marcona almonds
• Candied pecans
• Pistachios
• Macadamia nuts

Bread

Choose breads and crackers that provide a variety of surfaces for cheese and charcuterie.

• Slices of baguette
• Toasted crostini
• Hearty crackers

Spreads

Spreads, dips, jams, and mustards add amazing flavor combinations.

• Whole-grain and honey mustards
• Olive tapenade
• Hummus
• Fig jam, cherry preserves and honey

Plating a greater cheese platter

If you think a cheese platter is pretty awesome, wait till you see it decked out with Wisconsin cheese. Our cheesemakers have been obsessively honing their recipes for 175 years straight, since before we were even a state. Today, they are the most award-winning bunch of cheese champions in the nation and the world, taking home more than 5,552 awards for cheese. And they produce more cheese than anywhere else on earth – more than 600 flavors, varieties, and styles as a matter of fact. That just goes to show what's possible when a whole state dreams in cheese.

So, next time you're building a cheese platter, make sure you're slicing into chunks of Wisconsin cheese. Then, set the platter on the table and see what the power Wisconsin cheese can do for your party.