Making Cheese Markers

Cheesescapes are a fabulous no-fuss menu item for any cocktail party.  There are endless ways to assemble and serve a delicious cheese platter and you can always count on a cheeseboard to be a crowd pleaser.  

While there is no doubt that I love to serve and enjoy a good cheesescape from time to time, my one frustration would be the constant need for explaining a cheeseboard to guests before dining.  Sure there are the obvious cheeses like blue, brie and classic cheddar, that a guest can usually identify.  However, for the majority of cheeses, I find myself giving multiple explanations in a given evening to my guests, which can be extremely challenging to keep up with while hosting a party.  

I know that there are all sorts of cheese markers available for purchase, however my issue with store bought cheese markers is that most come pre-labeled with the four most common cheese types (ex. gouda, brie, etc.) since they are mass produced.  After spending some time researching on both Etsy and Pinterest, I realized that it wouldn't be so hard to make my own cheese markers and it would give me the ability to more accurately label the cheeses I serve to guests.  

This is an inexpensive and extremely easy DIY that I absolutely adore!  Here is how I went about creating my own custom cheese markers:  

Here is what you will need:

• Toothpicks
• Glue
• Adhesive Kraft Banner Labels (like these)
• Glitter
• Metallic Pens and/or Fine-Tipped Markers
• Fine-Tipped Pen

Instructions

1. Peel off an adhesive banner sticker from the sticker sheet 
2. Fold the banner sticker in half matching and sticking only the two ends of the sticker together
3. Place the end of the toothpick (about 1/4 inch) through the center loop of the banner sticker and press it against the center most point of the sticker 
4. Press the remainder of the sticker opening together to create the cheese flag
5. Apply a thin line of craft glue along the cut side of the sticker
6. Gently dip the glue-lined end of the cheese flag into the jar of glitter, making sure to gently tap off any excess glitter before placing the flag down to dry on a paper towel
7. Once dry, write the name of the cheese and milk type on the flag using a fine tipped pen
8. Place flag into its designated cheese and serve

New Years Day Cheesescape (plus a few entertaining extras)

Let's face it, starting those healthy New Years resolutions the morning after you have been up super later drinking champagne and singing Auld Lang Syne. My personal recommendation for this morning?  Invite your friends over for a few New Years Day nibbles!  For me, a cheesescape is an easy last minute party spread that I can whip together in no time.  Below are some ideas for how to go about putting together your New Years Day cheesescape.  

Cheesescape Details

• Cheeses: Humbolt Fog by Cypress Grove, Midnight Moon by Cypress Grove, Vermont Creamery's Roasted Red Pepper Spreadable Goat Cheese, Jasper Hill Creamery's Alpha Tolman
• Preserves: Dalmatia Fig Spread
• Fruits: Dried (Apple Juice Infused) Cranberries, Fresh Blackberries, Fresh Comice Pear Slices
• Herbs: Fresh Oregano and Lime Leaves
• Crackers/Crisps: 34 Degrees Natural and Poppy Seed Crisps, Whole Foods Rosemary Crostini
• Cured Meat: Sliced Chorizo (each slice cut in half and rolled) 
• Nuts: Gourmet Marcona Almonds

When I was a kid, my parents (like many) would go out on New Years Eve. To help make New Years special for my siblings and me, they would get an assortment of hats and noise makers to surprise us with in the morning on New Years Day.  This was always one of my favorite traditions during this time of year.  

Since we are ringing in the start of 2016 (and I am clearly still a kid at heart), I would recommend incorporating a few festive decor items that aid in creating a celebratory vibe while serving up this cheesescape. 

A Few Extras

• Meri Meri "Snap Bang Pop" Party Poppers
• Meri Meri "Happy New Year" DIY Banner

As you can see, I am not perfect and my "Happy New Year" banner is still a work in progress.  Luckily, I have a bit of time to get my act together before my guests arrive.  I hope you all had a wonderful New Years Eve.  I know I did and I can't tell you how much i'm looking forward to sharing another fun and delicious year with you all on Redefining Domestics.  Happy 2016 Everyone!!!!

Tips for Making a Delicious Holiday Cheesescape

Tis the season….For attending and hosting holiday parties!!  Over the years I have hosted my fair share of holiday parties with an array of themes, menus and guest lists.  One common element from my parties over the years has been the inclusion of a holiday cheesescape.  It's a party food that is really easy to make and always a crowd pleaser.  Today I wanted to include a few tips/ideas for how to assemble a unique, delicious and festive cheesescape that your guests are sure to love!

Think Outside of the Box

In addition to my classic assortment of cheeses, I also like to include a cheese that has a homemade touch.  This recipe for Goat Cheese Bites from Martha Stewart is fabulous!  Really easy to make and I love that you can coat these bites in an array of flavors.  For this spread I have opted to use chopped fresh chives, but other great flavor ideas include chopped dried cranberries, pistachio pieces, fresh cracked pepper, etc.  For those of you who are curious, here is a list of the other cheese included in this scape: 

• Cypress Grove's Midnight Moon
• Cypress Grove's Truffle Tremor
• Vermont Creamery's Double Cream Cremont
• Uniekaas Yodeling Goat Gouda

Add a Little Luster

The holidays are all about sparkle and festive decor.  Opt for a cheeseboard that suits the yuletide season, like my metallic cheese board pictured in this post (similar here). 

Go Seasonal

Pomegranates and figs are in season right now, making them easy to find in most grocery stores.  Since these seasonal fruits pair beautifully with an array of cheeses, they make for perfect additions to any holiday cheesescape.  In addition, during the holidays certain food companies release limited edition flavors, like Virginia Chutney Company's Cranfiggy Chutney, which is absolutely fabulous and quite festive.  Capitalizing on the array of unique seasonal cheesescaping acoutrements during this time of year will really help you to create an outstanding finished product.  

Festive Color Scheme

Be mindful of the overall color story on your cheesescape.  Subtle touches of red (pomegranates, chutney, figs and even cured meats) and green (fresh chive encrusted goat cheese bites and an assortment of fresh herbs) can really help you to achieve that festive and delicious holiday cheesescape.  There are so many fabulous natural flavor options available in stores that can really help to bring a holiday-esque aesthetic to your cheesescape, so definitely keep this aspect in mind when assembling your board.   

Host a Fall Picnic

I recently came across the most fabulous picnic basket from West Elm, complete with wine holder (it was an immediate must buy)!  The moment I spotted this ultra chic picnic basket, I knew I not only needed to buy it, but also began brainstorming different ideas for how I was going to use it/incorporate it into a blog post.  Since I had purchased this picnic basket over the summer, I originally thought that a summer picnic could be a cute idea.  The more I thought about it I realized that the summer was way too hot for dining "Al Fresco."  When it's hot and sticky outside, the last thing I want to do is consume wine and cheese.  

Fast forward to planning for our weeklong trip in the mountains--It wasn't until we started planning the various activities for our North Carolina vacation, the lightbulb went off and I realized that hosting a romantic Fall picnic for two in the mountains would be a perfect way to break in my new picnic basket.  So I immediately got to work mapping out the details of the menu and picnic location prior to our arrival in North Carolina.  Our mountain accommodations are next to a lake and there is a perfect stretch of grass with the most beautiful mountain views in the backdrop.   It is truly picturesque.  

Unfortunately, this initial venue idea was cancelled due to the heavy rain we have been experiencing all week.  Determined not to let a little rain spoil my picnic plans, I found a 2hour window the other day to put out the spread and finally enjoy a little time outside with my husband sipping delicious wine and enjoying a few cocktail nibbles. Below is a breakdown of what I used to create this most delicious spread. 

Picnic Essentials

• West Elm Picnic Basket (Currently on Sale!)
• World Market Olive Wood Cheese Cutting Board
• Caspari Albemarle Hall Paper Cocktail Napkins
• Waiter's Corkscew
• Sur la Table Classic Soft Cheese Knife
• World Market Hammered Metal Tiffin Lunch Box
• World Market Mini White Ceramic Jar with Spoon
• Govino Shatter Proof Recyclable Wine Tumblers
• Rustic Picnic Blanket

The Menu

• Black Creek Sharp Cheddar Cheese Aged 9 months
• Cypress Grove Sgt. Pepper Chèvre Cheese
• Fresh Thyme (garnish)
• Pepita/Pumpkin Seeds, Roasted and Salted
• Somersaults, Sea Salt
• Dried Tart Cherries
• 34 Degrees Crisps, Rosemary
• Simple and Crisp, Pear
• Phantom by Bogle Wine, Red Blend

It was so nice to finally have a moment to enjoy the gorgeous scenery of the mountains (even if it was from our back porch, with the rain threatening to start up again at any second).  Whether you are looking to set up a romantic party for two or entertain a large group, I love the idea of hosting a picnic during the Fall. The weather during this season really can't be beat and throwing together a delicious spread like the one pictured in this post is relatively easy (i.e. no cooking required!).  So if you are looking for a fun way to entertain this Fall season, I highly recommend hosting a Fall picnic.  

Summer Cheesescape

This past Friday I hosted a small cocktail party in honor of my mom's visit to DC.  I had a small group of friend's come over for an evening of cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and of course a cheesescape!  Prepping for this party was a new challenge for a few reasons. First and foremost- this was the first time my mom would be attending one of my soirees so I wanted to make sure that it was thoughtful, delicious, aesthetically pleasing and of course, fun!  

The second aspect that I had to consider (and most challenging) was the size and shape of my new coffee table.  Even though my new coffee table still yielded ample surface area,  the width is about 4 inches shorter than my old coffee table and my new table has a rounded shape as opposed to my traditional rectangular table.  While the table logistics sound trivial, the new size/shape affected the types of linens, flowers and serving pieces that I could use when scaping this spread.  Below is a breakdown of both my menu and entertaining accessories used to compile this recent table setting.   

The Menu

• Cheesescape
  • Cypress Grove's Humboldt Fog
  • Cypress Grove's Midnight Moon
  • Jasper Hill Farm Cabot Cloth Bound Cheddar
  • Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Co. Monocacy Chipotle
  • Virginia Chutney Co. Hot Peach Chutney
  • Trader Joes Truffle Marcona Almonds
  • Dried Tart Cherries
  • Fresh Thyme
• Assortment of Olives from Whole Foods Olive Bar
• Lemon Hummus Garnished with Fresh Lemon Zest and Thyme
• Ina Garten's Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Dip
• Olli Salumeria Chorizo Salami
• 34 Degrees Crisps - Natural and Rosemary
• Simple & Crisp- Pear
• Fine English Charcoal Squares
• Not Pictured - Lemon Honey Ricotta Bites

Entertaining Accessories

• Cheeseboard- Nambe Cheese Block with Knife and Spreader
• Votives- CB2 Archer Candle Holder
• White Dip Bowls- Williams Sonoma Open Kitchen Snack Bowl, Set of 4
• Cocktail Napkins- Caspari Zebra Cocktail Napkins, Orange
• Cocktail Plates- CB2 Small Cuatro Platter
• Cocktail Picks- Julia Knight Classic Cocktail Pick Set
• Cheesescape Cracker Stand- Target West Emory Multi-Tiered Stand
• Crudités and Pita Chip Bowls- Tiffany & Co. Windham Bowl
• Olive and Chorizo Bowls- Crate and Barrel 6" Snack Bowls

This party ended up being a huge success.  My mom had a wonderful time catching up with everyone and I was ecstatic that there were very few leftovers to clean up at the end of the night.  Small bowls, a tiered cracker stand, bud vases and votives all aided in creating a table that accommodated my entire menu along with all decorations.  More importantly, these specific entertaining accessories also provided enough breathing room to avoid the look of a table traffic jam.  While it was most important to show my mom a great time on Friday night, I love that I was able to takeaway a new found awareness for both the space and serving potential on my new coffee table.