Fruit and Cheese Platter

The harmony of a fruit and cheese platter

It's hard to think of a more perfect match than fruit and cheese. The acidic juiciness or crunchy crispness of fruit is a great match for the smooth creaminess of cheese. And the salty, tangy, earthiness of cheese perfectly balances the sweet and tart taste of fruit. It's no wonder that when there's a fruit and cheese platter in the room, everything seems to be in harmony. Conversation flows, guests are content, and the universe seems to slide into a pleasant equilibrium. Yep, there's some awesome power in that platter of fruit and cheese.

In Wisconsin, we double down on the power of the fruit and cheese platter by stacking the deck with Wisconsin cheese. The cheese made here in Wisconsin is simply the tastiest, highest-quality, most award-winning cheese on the planet. So, building a board with fruit and Wisconsin cheese is bound to bring more harmony to the platter, the party, and the world. Some people call that a miracle, but we know it's just the law of cheese nature.

Take a look through our website to find the best cheeses for a fruit and cheese platter, or get answers to common cheese questions like the difference between burrata vs. mozzarella. Search our recipes for great charcuterie platter ideas. Or read on to learn about building a better fruit and cheese platter.

Building a fruit and cheese platter

Here are some of our favorite tips for building a beautiful fruit and cheese platter.

1. Choose 4 to 6 fruits and cheeses, aiming for a variety of tastes, textures, and shapes.
2. For additional ingredients, consider several salty foods like olives, cured meats, or nuts, along with some sweet items such as jams, honey, or chocolate. Round out your selections with several types of crusty bread, crackers, or breadsticks
3. Choose a large server like a wooden or stone cutting board or a marble tray.
4. Start by arranging the largest items around the board first – bowls of olives or jars of jam, for example.
5. Next, place the cheese near the edges of the board where they will be easier to cut or dip into. Be sure to include a separate knife for each variety of cheese. And allow the cheese to come to room temperature before serving.
6. Place the bread and crackers near the cheese.
7. Next, add the larger fruits like sliced apples, persimmons, or pears.
8. Finally, fill in the empty spaces with smaller fruits as well as nuts, chocolate, charcuterie, and other items.

Why Wisconsin loves the fruit and cheese platter

Here in Wisconsin, we love a fabulous fruit and cheese platter. Like the best charcuterie boards, a cracker and cheese tray, or a warm pot of cheese fondue, it's another way for us to spend more time with our loved ones. And by our loved ones, we mean chunks of Wisconsin cheese.

There's a reason that Wisconsin cheesemakers have won more cheese awards than any other state or nation in the world: our cheese is unbelievably good. Of course, that's what you'd expect from 180 years spent perfecting Old World recipes and inventing new types of cheese. And it's what you'd anticipate from a state that makes more flavors, varieties, and styles of cheese than anywhere else on earth.

So, next time you're prepping a fruit and cheese platter, make sure it's a chunk of Wisconsin cheese you're cutting into. That way you know you'll be spending some quality time with the best cheese in the world.