Post # 1

Member
501 posts
Busy bee
I want to have a cheese cake for our wedding. This one in fact:

I’m planning on providing some fruit to decorate it, but after we’ve cut the cake, do you think it would be best to deconstruct the cake onto separate boards? So then people can just cut bits as they want?
Should we provide crackers/chutneys etc? This will be after the meal, so I don’t think we will need to provide pork pies etc to eat with it, but don’t think people will go for plain cheese!
Post # 3

Member
23589 posts
Honey Beekeeper
@Nellop: this is a great idea! I do feel like crackers on the side would be a great touch!
Post # 4

Member
26 posts
Newbee
What about having your catering staff divide up the cheeses and reconfigure the pieces into per-table “cheese trays” after you have done the cutting? I wouldn’t go for the completely pre-cut cubes-n-slices cheese tray layout, but rather one hunk and one knife per kind of cheese and let people cut their own. Your mileage may vary.
It shouldn’t take terribly long (much faster than individual cake servings), the fruit could be reallocated onto the boards too, and it provides a nice interactive element for the tables.
It’s worth offering crackers or bread because some people think it’s weird to eat cheese by itself, but further additions like chutney or nuts or quince paste or whatever are just a bonus. A delicious, delicious bonus.
Cheese trays also allow you to completely avoid any congestion/mess associated with a cheese buffet. That said, we had a cheese buffet, after dessert, and it wasn’t congested at all because people drifted by at different times.
It’s also worth thinking ahead about what you want to do with any leftover cheese (if any) and letting the staff know. We offered “cheese doggy bags” – not because we managed to think ahead, but because someone requested one and we were like oh HELLS yes. Yum.
Post # 6

Hostess
8572 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
My only question is.. how are you going to display it? Cheeses can’t stay out very long without being cold, so are you just going to bring it out when it’s cutting time?
Otherwise I would serve it with an array of wines, crackers, pretzels & fruits.
Post # 7

Member
501 posts
Busy bee
@jenilynevette: cheese is best at room temperature, so we’ll bring it out before then.
We have bought some little chutney and pickle jars, and we’ll get some crackers to go round it, as well as lots of fruit. Good times!
Post # 8

Hostess
8572 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
@Nellop: Oh, well then okay =]
I was under the assumption most cheeses needed to be stored in a cooled, dark place, and refrigerated if no longer in a brick [unless you are having 1 flavor bricks for each tier].
I know there are a few cheeses that don’t need refrigerated at all.