On our breakfast week we also learned how to make a cheese platter. This is one example done in class, but it was not an example that our chef instructor would want us to repeat. When making a cheese platter you should either leave the cheese whole with knives next to each one and serve them accompanied by fresh fruits or cut the pieces equally and uniformly. If that is the choice, create some kind of design that in not symmetrical but that has some kind of ordered intention. Also, you should NOT make happy faces, boats or any other kind of designs with your cheese, unless you are working on a cruise ship and want to welcome your guest with an obvious treat. It is also important to serve a nice variety of cheeses and of good quality, since they might be eaten without an accompaniment.
One thing I have learned is to always serve cheese at room temperature, never cold. Also, the best storage temperature for cheese is around 55-60 degrees F. If you are storing them on the fridge, remove them some time before so that they are at room temperature for service time.
At refrigerator temperature, which is basically too cold for cheese, the milk fat is congealed and as hard as refrigerated butter, the protein network becomes unnaturally stiff and the flavor molecules become masked. The cheese will then taste rubbery and flavorless.
One more hint: When buying cheese, try to buy portions that are cut while you are watching. Precut portions can be days or weeks old and their exposed surface most likely will develop a rancid and off flavor from the contact with air, light and their own plastic wrap.
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