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Oh cheese…how I love thee! Let me count the ways! I always gravitate to any cheese platter…it doesn’t really matter what type of cheese, I will eat any of it! And how cute is the cheese platter in the shape of a Christmas tree?!?!? (Keep reading…there are fun cheese facts, a dairy tour, and a fun giveaway at the end.)
It’s so easy and everyone will just love it at you parties this month or on Christmas. We are always snacking before Christmas supper, so this is a great way to get some healthy snacks into everyone, all those fresh veggies and dairy…two things that are usually missing from the holiday table.
Did you know it takes about 2.6 gallons of milk to make 2 pounds of hard cheese? I had no idea it took so much milk to make a pound of cheese.
Cheese has it’s optimal flavor at room temperature, so set out your platter before guests arrive…just don’t leave it out for more than a couple hours. My guess is that this cheese plate will be devoured before you even get the main dish on the table! If, for some weird reason the cheese isn’t devoured by supper, then put it back in the fridge and bring it out after supper for a little snack/dessert!
Before we get to how I assembled the cheese platter, I have to share some photos from my recent tour of the Kerr Dairy Farm, which is located just outside Phoenix, AZ.
Isn’t she adorable..she was just a few days old when I met her. All the newborns were lined up and so happy to see us! What surprised me the most was how clean the farm was. No smell, no mess, nothing!
I was able to get up close and personal in the milking area. The ladies were so calm and “happy” to be there. They really seemed to enjoy their time. In fact they often don’t want to leave and at this farm, they aren’t forced to leave the area until they are ready.
After hanging out here for awhile, I was able to check out the room where they cool the milk and store it. It’s cooled from cow temp to fridge temp super fast and then stored in giant tanks. The tanks keep the milk churning so it won’t separate. There are so many details that go into running a farm, that I can’t possibly share them here. 
One pretty fascinating fact is that if the cow is sick and on antibiotics, she is not allowed to be in the general herd population. She is isolated and her milk is “pumped and dumped” for 30 days (I might have the exact time frame wrong, but it was close to that). Also, when the general milk is collected by the milk tankers, it is tested for antibiotics and other things. If it’s tainted the ENTIRE batch is thrown out.
Had to include this photo…no matter how interesting I found the cows, Little Man eventually got bored and was fascinated by the big trucks moving all the feed around. Boys will be Boys!
Now that we know where the milk comes from….let’s move on with the “recipe”. You can really use any of your favorite cheeses on this platter, but just make sure you pick different colors and flavors to make it interesting.
Christmas Tree Cheese Platter
This Christmas tree cheese platter makes the perfect holiday party appetizer!
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese (block)
- 16 oz pepper jack cheese (block)
- 16 oz colby jack cheese (block)
- fresh rosemary
- fresh thyme
Instructions
- Cut cheese into bite-sized cubes.
- Alternate rows of cheese and tomatoes. Rows should get smaller as you move up the platter. In between each row of cheese and tomatoes, add a layer of herbs.
- Use a cube of cheese at the bottom for a trunk. I also freehand cut a star shape out of one piece of cheese.
- Serve with crackers on the side.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 2.5 oz cheeseAmount Per Serving: Calories: 300Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 467mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 19g
Disclaimer: This post was made in partnership with AZ Milk Producers. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
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I love this. What a great presentation.
This is so cute Wendy. I’m a total cheese fiend. My boys would go off that this looks like a tree. 🙂
It looks lovely!
I absolutely love it! I love how it looks just like a Christmas tree!
The cheese platter is beautiful, I love the bright colors it is very Christmasy.
I love that tree made out of cheese platter. The farm photos were interesting too. Thanks for having this contest!
That is a thing of beauty! We love cheese and bought about 8 different kinds today. Our 3 year old grandson always asks for Brie! LOL If the two little grandkids saw that they would go-that is so pretty and then chow down!
It is a wonderful cheese plate. Makes me hungry
I think that the cheese platter is super cute and I am totally stealing it for our next party!
Very bright and cheerful and a colorful functional decorating idea!
I looks really good
Its cute!
Love cheese, eat eat daily
I love the platter and am tempted to try it, but I can’t stand the idea of messing it up to eat it!
What a cute idea
yummy yummy
vmkids3 at msn dot com
I think it looks awesome!
I love it!!!!Its great!!!
ptavernie at yahoo dot com
I love how it looks like a Christmas Tree! Who doesn’t like a cheese plate?!
The platter is amazing!!
I think it looks adorable and yummy!
My boys would love that.They eat tomatoes like apples and love cheese.
The cheese platter looks good
I’m going to try a version of this for my son’s preschool party!
The cheese platter is simply festive! I love it!
It looks Great, I am going to use it for the Holidays.
It looks really good.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com
I really like the cheese platter. It is a very festive way to serve a holiday party staple.
It sounds wonderful.
I love it. Looks delicious.
I love the cheese platter
I love it! It looks healthy, delicious, and festive.
I think it looks cute and tastey.
looks so cute like a christmas tree – love it
Thank you for hosting this giveaway
Louis
pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com
That idea is very cute. Going to have to use it for Christmas parties.
The cheese platter is delicious and amazing!
I love it, just changed my Christmas eve menu!
I think it looks yummy!
It’s sublime!
i think it is wonderful
Love me some cheese! A festive idea. The tour looks like it was great fun for all!
I love it! I may add this to my table this year. I actually pinned it before I realized there was a giveaway involved 🙂
What a cute idea! I’ve just decided that’s what I’m bringing to my family’s Christmas gathering. Thank you for the very creative suggestion!
It’s Cute! Might change it up a wee bit. (I rarely do exactly as told too 🙂 )
Super cute and creative! I would have to add in some blue cheese for extra noms!