Get the balance and products right in your next cheese platter with these hot tips. Serves 6-8.

When creating a cheese platter, I like to use 3-4 different styles of cheese, with varying textures and degrees of tanginess, to keep everyone happy.

Fresh fruits like grapes, berries, melon or pear this gives a break from the richness of the cheeses. If fresh fruit isn’t available things like dried apricots or dates work well.

Accompaniments like nuts give good crunch-factor, and a paste like quince or pear or fig add another level of smoothness. 

Incorporate a selection of crackers, some plain and others with texture or slight sweetness.

Assemble cheese and fresh fruit on a cake stand with crackers and nuts on a separate board or platter.

Don’t forget the cheese knives!