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Cheese plate

The art of putting together a cheese plate is only as complicated as you make it. Some experts purport that you have to be careful not to pick cheeses with conflicting flavors or smells, but these are the same people who think you can't drink red wine with fish. Feel free to mix and match unconventionally, decide what tastes good to you, and make a dish out of it.

If you love Gouda, Gorgonzola, and Gruyère, by all means serve them together. You can also build a cheese plate by serving cheeses from the same country or region. Or you can do the opposite and make a cheese platter with no two cheeses from the same place. But before presenting your favorites to your guests, add a few touches. Don't just slap a hunk of cheese onto a plate -- add a small bunch of grapes and walnuts and you'll have something that will look attractive on your table.

A platter of goat's-milk cheeses, which are generally light, would make a perfect appetizer that's not too filling. Conversely, a collection of triple-cream cheeses, which are rich, heavy, and decadent, make a perfect dessert substitute that you may want to serve at the end of your party. Or choose many different types of cheeses for a platter with varied textures and pungencies, perfect for an evening party where no sit-down meal is planned.

Perhaps the most fun and daring way to choose a cheese assortment is by how the cheese looks. You could include a cheese that's round, one that's cut into a wedge, one that's a rectangle, and one that's log-shaped. For more ideas, see Steven Jenkins's Cheese Primer (Workman, $16.95).

When purchasing cheese for a party, assume about 1/6 to 1/4 pound per person, depending on how much additional food you'll be serving. Look for raw-milk cheeses in particular, which are made from unpasteurized milk and almost always taste better than their pasteurized counterparts.

-- Theresa Regli

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The cheese, please

All cheeses should be kept at room temperature for a few hours before serving. Serve with sliced French bread.

All-American plate
Vella Bear Flag Dry Jack (California)
Dietrich's Pur Chèvre Bleu (Illinois)
Crowley Colby (Vermont)

Viva Italia
Gorgonzola
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Provolone Auricchio

Fromage Français
Roquefort Papillion
Camembert Moulin de Carel Gaperon

Mild and smooth
English Wensleydale
Vermont chèvre
Danish Havarti

Rich and decadent
Saint-André
Explorateur
Brillat-Savarin

Picturesque
blue-veined English Stilton
an herb-covered log of Vermont chèvre
an orange-rinded triangle of Italian Taleggio

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Where to get it

Not all supermarkets will have a wide selection of cheeses, but the stores below usually stock a good variety.

* Bread & Circus supermarkets (15 Washington Street, Brookline, 617-738-8187; 115 Prospect Street, Cambridge, 617-492-0070; 200 Alewife Brook Parkway, in the Fresh Pond Mall, Cambridge, 617-491-0040; 15 Westland Avenue, Boston, 617-375-1010)
* Brookline Liquor Mart (1354 Comm Ave, Allston, 617-734-7700)
* Concord Cheese Shop (29 Walden Street, Concord, 978-369-5778)
* Formaggio Kitchen (244 Huron Street, Cambridge, 617-354-4750)
* Marty's Liquors (193 Harvard Avenue, Allston, 617-782-3250)
* Salumeria Italiana (151 Richmond Street, Boston, in the North End, 617-523-8743)
* Star Market Allston (1065 Comm Ave, 617-783-5878)

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The Shopping List | The Countdown

The menu

Appetizers
Veggie plate with dip
Cheese plate

Main course
Chicken Marengo
Stuffed shells
Roots and vines

Dessert
Coffee bomb

Wine
Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau, Vega Sindoa Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon, Valdumia Albariño Rias Baixas

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