Can somebody please point me in the right direction for serving a
cheese course.

1) In this scenario a hard cheese and a soft cheese is on a cheese
board in the middle of the table. What flatware should be included
with the serving board?

2) Suppose I am serving a hard cheese. Does each plate include a
cheese knife like this?
http://www.arthurprice.com/images/cheeseknife-p.jpg
If each plate requires one then is it placed closest to the plate on
the left side?

3) If I am serving a soft cheese what is required for each plate? I
assume it is something like a butter spreader. Can one use the butter
spreader or do we have to have a cheese spreader? Where is this
cheese spreader placed on a table setting?

Any other information appreciated. Thanks.

"Jonathan" > wrote in message
...
> Can somebody please point me in the right direction for serving a
> cheese course.
>
> 1) In this scenario a hard cheese and a soft cheese is on a cheese
> board in the middle of the table. What flatware should be included
> with the serving board?
>
> 2) Suppose I am serving a hard cheese. Does each plate include a
> cheese knife like this?
> http://www.arthurprice.com/images/cheeseknife-p.jpg
> If each plate requires one then is it placed closest to the plate on
> the left side?
>
> 3) If I am serving a soft cheese what is required for each plate? I
> assume it is something like a butter spreader. Can one use the butter
> spreader or do we have to have a cheese spreader? Where is this
> cheese spreader placed on a table setting?
>
> Any other information appreciated. Thanks.

Well I am in UK so it might be different for you. The cheese knife that
you show is on the cheese plate with the cheese. The person will cut
the cheese he/she requires and transfers it to his/her own plate with
the cheese knife. The knife by each plate.. a small butter knife will
be on the right of the plate

HTH

Ophelia

On Mon, 05 Sep 2005 20:37:54 GMT, "Ophelia" >
wrote:


>Well I am in UK so it might be different for you. The cheese knife that
>you show is on the cheese plate with the cheese. The person will cut
>the cheese he/she requires and transfers it to his/her own plate with
>the cheese knife. The knife by each plate.. a small butter knife will
>be on the right of the plate

Thanks. That makes it a bit clearer. So the knife I showed is
actually a server cheese knife which begs the question, once the
person puts the cheese on his/her plate then what do they use to eat
the hard cheeses?

If I understand you right then the butter knife is used for soft
cheeses or is there a separate cheese spreader knife?

"Jonathan" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 05 Sep 2005 20:37:54 GMT, "Ophelia" >
> wrote:
>
>
> >Well I am in UK so it might be different for you. The cheese knife that
> >you show is on the cheese plate with the cheese. The person will cut
> >the cheese he/she requires and transfers it to his/her own plate with
> >the cheese knife. The knife by each plate.. a small butter knife will
> >be on the right of the plate
>
> Thanks. That makes it a bit clearer. So the knife I showed is
> actually a server cheese knife which begs the question, once the
> person puts the cheese on his/her plate then what do they use to eat
> the hard cheeses?

The knife you pictured is not for hard cheese. Hard cheeses use a "pie
server" shaped utensil that shaves the cheese. The one you pictured is for
semi-hard (medium) cheese. Soft cheeses may benefit from a cheese scoop.
Each cheese presented should have it's own knife. Each diner should have
his/her own knife.

Cheeses are usually served with desserts and each guest is allowed to choose
between them. One either has the cheese or the dessert. The plates used
would be the same unless a dessert requires a large dish. In that case, the
large dishes would be en place too. Utensils would be available at each
place setting for all combinations of uses. This includes a dessert spoon
(large), fork and knife as well as proper fruit eating utensils if fruits
are also served.

> If I understand you right then the butter knife is used for soft
> cheeses or is there a separate cheese spreader knife?

The butter knife should remain on or near the butter dish. Each place
setting should include a dinner knife even at the cheese/dessert course. But
this thing about spreading! Spreading cheese? Heaven forefend!

Charlie, all IMO of course

Jonathan wrote on 05 Sep 2005 in rec.food.cooking

> If I understand you right then the butter knife is used for soft
> cheeses or is there a separate cheese spreader knife?
>

The cheese is usually eaten with something...an assortment of crackers,
biscuts or breads.

Or eaten with the fingers, toothpicks or forks...(sweet)Fruit such as
grapes or pineapple can also be served. In fact a nice cheese and fruit
plate is a delight.

--
The eyes are the mirrors....
But the ears...Ah the ears.
The ears keep the hat up.

On Mon, 05 Sep 2005 16:25:28 -0400, Jonathan wrote:

> Can somebody please point me in the right direction for serving a
> cheese course.
>
> 1) In this scenario a hard cheese and a soft cheese is on a cheese
> board in the middle of the table. What flatware should be included
> with the serving board?
>
I hope this is a small table seating 2 to 4 people (max).
>
> 2) Suppose I am serving a hard cheese. Does each plate include a
> cheese knife like this?

No.

http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/pages/c00184.asp

You don't need special knives for a cheese course. While cheese knives
with a variety of blades and decorative handles are available, you
probably have what you need in your kitchen drawers. You'll want to
provide a small knife for each cheese with a different texture -- a
sharp knife for semihard or hard cheeses and a spreading or
butter-type knife for each softer, messier cheese. Start a few cuts or
slices in each piece by following the natural lines of the cheese or
by cutting a small wedge out of a wheel of cheese. If you're not sure
how to cut a certain shape, or if you want suggestions on which rinds
to eat and which to trim, ask your cheese merchant.

> http://www.arthurprice.com/images/cheeseknife-p.jpg
> If each plate requires one then is it placed closest to the plate on
> the left side?

Why did you choose the left side of the plate? I would place the
knife across the top.

http://itotd.com/index.alt?ArticleID=219

In most parts of France, a traditional meal includes, at the very
least, an entrée (what North Americans would call an appetizer), a
main dish, and a cheese course—the latter either before, or in lieu
of, dessert. Depending on where you go, what the local specialties
are, and other seemingly random variables such as the phase of the
moon, a cheese course may consist of anything from a single small
round of cheese to a plate with three or four varieties—or even a
large cart with dozens of selections from which you can choose
whatever suits your tastes.

A cheese course is often served with fresh bread, such as a sliced
baguette—never crackers—and sometimes with fruit or nuts. But it's
equally valid to serve cheese entirely on its own, at least if it’s of
a variety that has sufficient coherency to survive the trip from plate
to mouth on a fork. When serving more than one cheese in a cheese
course, it’s customary to provide contrasts—softer and harder types,
milder and more pungent varieties, and so on. Fancier dining
establishments will carefully choose a wine (or even multiple wines)
to pair with your cheese, and entire meals of cheese are not unheard
of.
>
> 3) If I am serving a soft cheese what is required for each plate? I
> assume it is something like a butter spreader. Can one use the butter
> spreader or do we have to have a cheese spreader? Where is this
> cheese spreader placed on a table setting?
>
A butter spreader is fine, but I'm unclear on your concept. You are
stressing over individual knives for hard cheeses, but wondering if
your guests need one knife each for soft cheeses? Why?
>
> Any other information appreciated. Thanks.
>
Just a word of advice: RELAX; it ain't brain surgery.

When a variety of textures of cheese is served, the serving board or platter
should also contain a cheese knife, a cheese plane, and a cheese scoop (for
very soft cheeses). Special cheese implements are not provided for each
guest. When serving only one type of cheese, only the appropriate implement
should be placed on the serving piece.

Flatware for each guest may be either brought with the cheese course or set
as part of the table setting, and consists of a desert knife and fork. If
set with the table setting, the knife and fork should be placed at the top of
the charger or dinner plate with the knife blade facing the plate and the
handle on the right. The fork is placed with the handle on the left above
the knife.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four,
unless there are three other people.

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
ups.com...

Gee, Charlie, of all people I'd expect you to know that cheese is
properly served with fruit, preferably good grapes, fermented of course
and poured.... it's a must... no, wait, a bit older than a must.

Okay, now that we have the absolute requirement out of the way we can
move on to the optionals... practically a requirement are artisan
breads (never crackers, unless the cheese is Philly or Velveeta), next
in line are hard dry fermented sausages, then of course various olives.

Charlie will be grateul that good beer is a permitted accompaniment
too, preferably dark and strong varietals, served cool, not cold...
same as
the cheese... cheese should not be at room temperature, serve at about
50ºF... leave at room temperature only a half hour before serving.

Sadly no hard likker. Scotch goes with cigars and/or babes, not
cheese.
__________________________________________________ _
Charlie replies:

I am unable to interweave my response to you so I will just do it in order.
Certainly I agree that fruit should be served with cheese and accompanied
with wines. However, they still should be served at the same time as
dessert.

Good bread is welcome with the cheese. But I can't agree with you about the
crackers. Water crackers are acceptable as are similar dry bland crackers. I
am afraid I am absolutely against the appearance of sausage during this
course. I am sorry, but there it is. Now I have never seen olives appear in
this course, but I can't dismiss it out of hand as I do not object to the
appearance of small sour pickles such as cornishons. The olives just seem a
bit startling on first thought.

Now beer! I am of the school that encourages the replacement of standard
issue wine with properly chosen beers when that would be to the diner's
taste. Beer can indeed be of service in accompanying cheese and fruit. It
can also be excellent with many desserts. One of the best combinations I
know of is chocolate with a hoppy lager beer (even a slightly skunky beer).

I think you are quite correct about the hard licker and cheese. On the other
hand, really rich-sweet desserts are excellent with a good whisky or
whiskey. I have seen cheese and cognac served. Personally I prefer it with
my coffee after the meal.

Charlie