Autumn Soups with the Cheese Board
Cheese Boards
Bring all the hostages home.
Last week, I posted a Charcuterie Board and this week, I am following with a Cheese Board. So many people commented to me how the board looked beautiful and these nibbles were a great way to eat! I think many people love picking up small bits of different foods, savory and sweet, crunchy and soft. As friends know that I often share leftovers from my blog recipes, I had a lot of requests for this one! Perfect for buffet entertaining, a casual dinner for two or simply a treat for yourself, Jews celebrating Sukkot will find this Cheese Board convenient. Tuck this recipe in your calendar planning when you are looking ahead to Thanksgiving or New Year’s Eve, it will be bound to be a hit! There are many cheese and meat boards for sale, but it is fun and more economical to make your own. Have grandchildren or young people coming? This is a great task for them to help with. Because my home is kosher, I do not mix meat and dairy, although many of boards mix the two. Enjoy these boards as your family traditions dictate.
Foodie Lit
Nathan's Journal is both heart wrenching and inspiring as high school football player Nathan tries to come to grips with the loss of his dream to play football. After he was injured in the game, he lost his ability to speak, to walk and to use his hands. The author, Thom Ring, is well equipped to understand, having worked for over 30 years with adult and teenager survivors of traumatic brain injury and covering sports as a reporter for daily newspapers in New England. Nathan is an angry young man who struggles, falls and keeps on getting up. His determination is an encouragement to us all.
Cheese Boards
Cheeses:
Emanental (French Swiss )
Blue Cheese
Smoked Provolone
Edam
Cheddar
Vegetables
Washed slices of cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers
Olives
Pickles
Roasted Chickpeas
Savory
Vegan Sausage
Nuts
Sweet
Slices of apples, grape clusters, strawberries, figs
Dried fruits—apricots, mangoes, etc.
Crackers
Breads
Arrange attractively on boards or trays that you have.
Hints for picking ingredients:
You want a variety of textures and flavors, including the cheeses. Pick one soft cheese, one sharp and one crumbly like, Bleu Cheese. Add cheese knives on the board for ease of serving. Something sweet? Add dried fruit pieces like mango or apricots or a specialty jam, like fig or blueberry. Of course, cut up fresh fruit is always great. Choose your favs. Some crunch? I love anything pickled and for savory crunch, try roasted za’atar chickpeas. Raw vegetables like carrots, celery, cucumbers or broccoli or try marinated veggies—all are also fabulous with the cheeses. To fill in the spaces, add some nuts, crackers, flat breads or a great sourdough loaf slices. If you want to keep this meat free, but want meat-like protein, try vegetarian or vegan sausage, rolls of smoked salmon or mock crab salad.
Prep: You can prep ahead of time, but keep the perishables in the refrigerator. If you don’t have a large board, use several small ones, attractively arranged on your table or on counters in your kitchen.
Expandthetable Suggestions
Add other cheeses: Add feta, Boursin or other favorite cheeses!
Add cut up veggies: Add carrots, broccoli, cauliflower or any cut up veggies
Add marinated vegetables: Artichoke hearts; Palm hearts; Jalapeño or chili peppers
Dips and toppings: Mustards; Hummus; Tahin; Babaganoush; Avocado mash; Salsa; Spinach artichoke dip
Sweet: Preserves, such as Fig Preserves, Apple butter or Chutneys; Dried fruits—apricots, mangoes, etc.
Have leftovers? Toss with pasta; add to a pitah with hummus; add to a baguette with a dressing or topping; add to scrambled eggs for a great breakfast or dinner.
Pita Chips
Smoked Provolone
Sourdough
Roasted Chickpeas
Blue Cheese
Candied pecans
Cheddar
Emantal
Vegan Saussage
Edam
Pickles
Crackers
Mixed olives
