Mid Summer’s Night Cheese Plate

 Summer marks a wonderful time of year for farmers and diners alike. Nature provides an abundance of delicious fruits and vegetables for us to enjoy. What goes better with fruits and vegetable you may ask, but of course, cheese! Sliced, cubed, smeared… cheese is delightful. Cheese is my reason for not being vegan. Explore new cheese, go blue, go hard, go French! Enjoy your cheese with vegetables, fruit, crackers, bread. Arrange neatly and carefully. Presentation pays off.

For this mid summer’s night cheese plate I chose two cheeses; Humboldt Fog Chèvre and mozzarella balls. I spread the Humboldt fog on some Crunch Masters Gluten Free Crackers and put a dollop of Blackberry Sweet Heat Jelly on top.  Both Humboldt Fog and Sweet Heat are local products from my hometown of Arcata, California. Find a friend who lives there and have them send you Sweet Heat, it’s the most delicious condiment with so many uses; toast, meat/tofu marinade, served over cheese or yogurt, the possibilities are infinite!

Mini Caprese Skewers. Very easy and oh so elegant. Simply skewer a cherry tomato, mozzarella ball and basil leaf with a toothpick. Repeat. Arrange so they look pretty and then drizzle with balsamic glaze.

I sliced fresh, ripe figs in half and laid them in the middle of the plate. They are delicious on their own, but also divine added to the Humboldt Fog Crackers.

For a punch of protein I served green hummus and regular organic hummus with rosemary crisps and more Crunch masters. Hummus is a great addition to any meal, packing protein and flavor into every bite.

The moral of this story is there is no wrong way to make a cheese plate, even if you hold the cheese and just chop of vegetables and add dip, it’s all about getting creative and making the food into art. There is something delightful about arranged food that will make your taste buds happy and communal food is a lovely way to chat and socialize with friends and family.

Happy Summer!