2018_July-August.indd

the Wedding issue dried fruits and nuts (dates, apricots, figs, Marcona almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts); a tray of spreads (fig paste, cherry preserves, quince paste, chutney); a massive chunk of honeycomb for folks to dig a chunk out of; even unexpected garnishes like dark chocolate and nut brittle. Cheese cakes can be as interactive or full- service as you like, with guests either cutting their own pieces or helping themselves to portions sliced by a caterer (or a very loving family member.) Logistically speaking, the most important things to remember about cakes made of cheese are: Quantity: Don’t go crazy and find yourself with a hundred pounds of leftover cheese. A pound of cheese weighs 16 ounces. You should plan for three-four ounces per person if the cheese is the primary food, and one-two ounces per person if the cheese is being served after a meal or at a loaded cocktail hour. Remember, you can create height and the appearance of bounty by using risers, cake plates or empty cheese boxes (if you like a rustic feel). You don’t have to rely solely on the cheese for height! A very affordable trick is to use glass votive candleholders between layers for extra height. You can also hide them with the decoration around the perimeter of the wheel. A QUICK GUIDE: # of People Total Weight (primary food) Total Weight (after meal food)

12

2.25-3 lbs

1-1.5 lbs

25

4.75-6.25 lbs 1.5-3lbs

50

9-12.5 lbs

3-6 lbs

125

23.5-30 lbs

8-15.5 lbs

200 37.5-50 lbs

12.5-25 lbs

cheeses are made in smaller wheels. So cakes for smaller groups will have more soft and semisoft wheels (or layers) than cakes made for larger groups. Finally, when it comes to variety, the wheels at the top of your cake will be smaller and won’t serve as many people. If your goal is for every person to taste every cheese, you’ll want to get extras of the little cheeses at the top.

Temperature: Serve your cake at room temperature,but know that all cheese,especially soft, creamy styles, will start to get runny and greasy if they’re too warm for too long. Ideally, put the cake out one and a half to two hours before it’s going to be eaten so guests can admire it.This is the perfect amount of time for wheels of cheese to warm up, without guests being served a puddle of goo.

300 56-75 lbs 18.75-37.5 lbs 500 93.75-125 lbs 31.25-62.5 lbs

Variety: You may be obsessed with blue cheese or hate Brie, but chances are your guests will appreciate a range. Also, remember that (generally speaking) hard cheeses are made in bigger wheels and soft

32

MY ROUSES EVERYDAY

JULY | AUGUST 2018