Entertaining with Cheese and Spreads

By: Co+op, stronger together

If there's one plate of food that says “party,” it's the cheese platter. Enticing and satisfying enough to carry a celebration on its own, the cheese plate is also the perfect attraction for introducing guests to one another before the main course.

Putting together a spectacular cheese platter is easier than you might think, especially with great deals in your Co-op like Divina fig spread for just $3.99, and Mediterranian Organic olives for $2.99.

Here are a few tips:

The cheese platter

• Serve cheese at room temperature. The cold from the refrigerator inhibits its flavor, so take your cheese out half an hour before guests arrive to allow it to “bloom.”

• Provide a serving utensil for each variety of cheese on your tray.

• Serve a selection of three to five contrasting cheeses. Think different tastes, colors, and textures, like mild with robust (like Brie with blue cheese), fresh with aged (like Boursin with aged Gruyere), or soft with hard cheeses (like chevre with Parmesan).

• Create a themed tray by offering cheeses from one region or source, or showcase an array of cheeses made from different milks (cow, goat, sheep).

Accompaniments

Whether you serve them individually or on the same platter, some foods are perfect complements to cheese. These include:

• Fresh and dried fruits

• Crostini, flatbread, and other crackers

• Hearty and crusty breads

• Olives

• Nuts

• Honey

To create an antipasto platter, include a mix of marinated vegetables and cured meats.

Wine and beer cheese pairings

In general, a wine that comes from the same geographic area as the cheese will be a good match. Here are some other pairings:

• Goat cheeses and dry red wines

• Cheddars with sweet wines and pale and brown ales

• Fresh, medium, and hard cheeses with crisp, fruity red or white wine

• Cheeses with bloomy rinds (like Brie) and fruity red wines or light, dry champagnes

• Swiss cheeses with dark lagers, bocks, and Oktoberfest beers

• Feta and wheat beers

• Sweet cheeses with fruity beers

Check out the cheese offerings—especially any local cheeses—at the co-op. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the array of choices, just ask the staff for recommendations (including wine pairings). Then just sit back and wait for the doorbell to ring—your celebration will be off to a flavorful start!

Three Sisters Soup

By: Renee Russel

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes - 2 hours, 10 minutes
Servings: 8 to 10

For almost as long as human beings have lived on this continent, the Three Sisters - corn, beans, and squash - have been a staple crop grown and harvested together. Each plant supports the others: sturdy, fast-growing corn provides a natural trellis for climbing beans. Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, providing vital nutrients for all three. Squash’s low, prickly leaves provide protection from pests and weeds. The spirit of cooperation in nature also makes a lovely, hearty fall soup for your dinner table.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of your favorite winter squash (butternut, acorn, kabocha)

• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 1/4 cup garlic, chopped

• 2 quarts vegetable stock or water

• 1/2 cup white wine

• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

• 1 large bay leaf

• 1 pound fresh or frozen corn kernels

• 2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained

• 1/2 bunch green onions, sliced

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash halves skin-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and then roast until cooked through and soft, anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes (see tips below for cooking times depending on your squash). Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

2. Scoop the flesh of the squash into a large bowl (save any liquid!). Puree the cooled squash with a blender or food processor, adding some of the reserved liquid if needed.

3. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until the garlic turns light brown in color.

4. Add the stock or water, wine, thyme, bay leaf and pureed squash and bring to a simmer. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Tips & Notes

Squash cooking times will vary depending on the type and size of squash. At 350°F you can expect these approximate cooking times:

• Acorn squash: 30-45 minutes

• Kabocha squash: 40-50 minutes

• Butternut squash: 60-90 minutes