| Cheese Buffet |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-506 |
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Q: I want to serve wine and cheese at a cocktail reception. Can you show me a creative way to present the cheese? A: (from entertaining expert Jeanne Benedict) Cheese is perhaps the most common item found on hors de oeuvre tables. If you want to dress up the presentation of your cheese buffet (figure A), here are a few suggestions.
Triple-Layer Caviar Tort - For a buffet item that's both delicious and eye-catching, consider making this caviar tort. In a 10-inch cheesecake pan, begin by spreading a layer of egg-salad. A simple egg salad can be made using 16 hard-boiled eggs mixed well with 1/2-cup of mayonnaise.
- Next, add a layer of avocado or guacamole spread on top of the egg salad (figure B). Use 6 mashed avocados for this layer. Use fresh avocados rather than prepared guacamole dip.
- For the top layer, add a layer made from 16 ounces of soft cream cheese mixed with 1 cup of minced red onion (figure C). Spread the layer carefully to make it smooth and even, and to create a flat top surface.
- Once you've added all three layers, chill the dish uncovered overnight prior to serving.
- Just prior to serving, cover the top surface with caviar (or lumpfish roe as a substitute). For visual appeal, create a pattern when adding the caviar. For our demonstration, a paper template was used to mask off a star pattern before adding 12 ounces black caviar (figure D).
- The template was then removed, and 4 ounces of red caviar was used to fill in the star pattern (figure E).
- You can use any shape template you wish to custom-create your own patterns using caviar.
Cheese Wheel Suggestions - A decorative way to serve cheeses is to use a hollowed out cheese wheel as an edible container. For example, an English cheddar cheese wheel can be hollowed out and used to serve cheese wedges (figure F). Use a sharp knife to create a decorative pattern in the wax casing. Decorate further with flower blossoms.
- A gouda cheese wheel can be decorated with a pattern of your own design by using cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the wax casing (figure G). Use the wax cutouts to add decoration to the cheese you serve from the hollowed wheel interior (figure H).
For added visual interest, serve your cheese-buffet creations on raised silver trays (figure I), and decorate your table with a bed of lemon leaves.
Augment your cheese buffet with dried fruits and nuts (figure J).
RESOURCES :
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Model: 0609601113
Author: Donata Maggipinto
(November 1998)
Guests Without Grief: Entertaining Made Easy for the Hesitant Host
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218 pages
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Making Great Cheese: 30 Simple Recipes from Cheddar to Chevre
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Author: Barbara Ciletti
(1999)
Lark Books / Altamont Press
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The Cheese Lover's Cookbook And Guide: Over 150 Recipes With Instructions ...
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(1999)
Scribner Book Co./Simon and Schuster
New York, NY 10020
Phone: 212-698-7000
Decorating for Dining and Entertaining: 128 Projects and Ideas
Model: 0865733694
Author: Home Decorating
The Art of the Cocktail Party : The Complete Guide to Sophisticated Entertaining
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Entertaining 1-2-3: More Than 300 Recipes for Food and Drink Using Only 3 Ingredients
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Author: Rozanne Gold
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