Cheese Platter

[Lise]

I wanna do a cheese platter that would wow everyone but it has to be under budget. Any suggestions?

  I kinda like brie so I'm wondering if there's a good brie brand that doesn't cost too much?

[Lil Me]

StupidStore has President's Choice brie.
 
   

[purelife]

cheddar cheese, camembert, cubed cheese (individually wrapped), laughing cow cheese, goat cheese....all affordable.

Superstore, Costco has a great selection of cheese.

Whenever my grandma makes a cheese platter, she'll add a variety of crackers, pepperoni sticks, olives, sliced pickles....
 

[P.C.]

I do a 'cheese ball' every year....basic recipe, cheap, delicious.....but to make it Wow, I divide the mixture into two....and shape them into oval-ish shapes, (a little more pointed on one end of each oval)  Place them with the tops of them closer than the bottom....(like an upside down V...with the pointier ends being wider apart)  Then I start at the pointy ends, and lay on almonds (again, pointy end pointing down, but not stuck into the cheese ball).  Keep laying them on, staggering each row as you go.  When you are done, you should have what looks like two pine cones.  I cover the stems of a few sprigs of evergreen with a little tin foil, and stick them in the top.  It looks amazing, and everyone is always wowed.

  (I have a feeling this explanation did not come off too well.....LOL)      

[P.C.]

Oh ya, I guess I should put the cheese ball recipe in.....

  1 can of salmon (I use tuna, plus a couple drops of liquid smoke)

8oz package of cream cheese

1 tablespoon of lemon juice (Real Lemon is fine)

1 tablespoon of finely minced onion

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of tobasco

1/4 teaspoon of worcestershire

  If you don't do the pine cone thing, then chop some pecans, mix with some dried parsley and roll the cheese ball in the mixture.  (I find the mixture a little 'gluey', so I would just sprinkle and pat the mixture on until all surface is covered)

  Keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge, so you can make it well ahead.

  Optional (but helps in shaping the ball), is a cup or two of grated cheddar mixed in.....and some finely chopped green onion instead of regular onion  

[Sportsdude]

   mmmmmmmmmmmmm cheeeeese. :P

Its cheaper to buy a huge black forest cake at safeway than it is to get cheese. lol
I'd say go to the states and buy cheese, you're Canadian, the Canuck border people aren't going to search you on the way back. And if you go late at night the newbie college kids work the U.S. side, deer in the headlights. Those guys will just write down your plates and let you go. Although I have sneaking suspicion that this ploy only works with Americans of a certain colour unfortunately. I know Americans who routinely go on booze trips for their friends up here, by going down there. lol



   

[P.C.]

I'm not positive....but I'm pretty sure, that there is no duty on cheese.  I know there wasn't at one time, because when I lived close to the border, we used to always pick up our dairy products there.  There was actually a time, when it used to be substantially less than half price of what we were paying here.

  Does anyone know for certain ?

  Another tip too Lise, is in amongst your lovely cheeses, good ol cheddar cut out with small cookie cutters or petit four cutters add a nice touch.  Little stars and shapes look a little bit special.  

[Sportsdude]

Hmm. I know you're not suppose to bring perishables.  

[Lil Me]

 Sportsdude wrote:
Hmm. I know you're not suppose to bring perishables.  
 --
 No, you can bring any grocery items into Canada.  They can't be bothered to charge duty- just be honest and give them the total $ you spent- they will wave you through.
 
 

[Lise]

LOL. I'm having a hard time trying to digress PC's artistic cheeseball/pine shape ones. Can you come over and do mine instead?

  Good suggestions, guys! I'm going to try this goat cheese tonight. Not sure about it as I've never had goat cheese before but it should go well.

  Has anyone tried those fancy looking cheeses that come in log shapes with all them pretty fruit bits attached?

  Oh, speaking of olives... I've never done olives with cheese before. Are you supposed to?  

[Sportsdude]

Get large green olives stuff them with jalapeño cheese. Everybody loves those when I always bring that to dinner parties.  

[P.C.]

You're not 'supposed to' Lise.....there are no rules.  It's just nice to have flavours that compliment the cheeses.  Savoury foods are a natural with some of the milder cheeses.

  There's a reverse of the cheese stuffed olives too SD, and it's yummy as well.

  1 cup grated old cheddar

1/4 cup of marg

3/4 cup of flour

dry onion flakes

parsley

salt

36 olives

  Combine all the ingredients, shape into 1 1/2 inch  round log.  Cut into 36 pieces.  Poke your finger into one of the pieces, and put an olive in it....and mold the cheese to cover the olive.   Put them all on a cookie sheet and chill for 10 to 15 minutes before baking.  Bake for 20 minutes at 375.

These are great too, because again....you can make them ahead.  They will keep for 10 days in the fridge...or you can freeze them unbaked and pop in the oven when you're ready, if you prefer them warm.  (bake for 30 minutes from frozen state)

The cheesey outside has the taste and a softer texture of Hawkins Cheesies.      

[P.C.]

I forgot to mention the most important part of ANY cheese platter.  DON'T FORGET the Christmas Cheese !

[Lise]

What's a Christmas cheese? LOL. Oh.... I'm so clueless and thanks for all your input. Really appreciate this.

[P.C.]

Babybel.  You know....like the Baby Cheesus  

  [img style="WIDTH: 337px; HEIGHT: 250px" height=250 src="http://images.forum-auto.com/mesimages/426919/s_babybel_cheese2.jpg" width=377]

  *am I going to hell for that ?