Cheeses and Olives for All Seasons

Cheeses and Olives for all Seasons.  Because our guests usually leave late on Sunday afternoon to beat traffic, lunch tends to be the big meal of the day in our house.  Sometimes the meal is ended with a platter of imported cheeses and olives as part of our dessert.  Yes… dessert doesn’t always have to be sweet and sugary.

An assortment of aged cheeses, fresh or pickled figs, some fig jam and olives will do just fine! Of course with some bread on the side.

People tend to think cheese, especially one as luscious as Parmigiano-Reggiano has no place in a healthy diet.  That is nothing further than the truth.

In fact, it’s a myth. Parmigiano-Reggiano’s high quality ingredients are packed with vitamins and minerals.

This cheese has more vitamins and minerals than most other sources of animal protein, and it is a real plus for those who are limiting their meat consumption.

And, because it’s one of the cheeses containing the lowest fat and cholesterol of any aged natural cheese, it is one of the many reasons why Italians eat so much of it.

It also has an amazing taste, which is the second reason why we like to use Parmigiano-Reggiano on almost everything we eat.

So there is no real recipe here today, just a no fuss platter of an assortment of these will do just fine!  It’s terrific if you are looking to take the day off and relax,  especially on days or nights you prefer to skip grilling or cooking altogether.

A cheese and olive platter can be served as an appetizer or as part of the main course after a dish of pasta.

It’s simple and easy to create your own assortment of natural aged cheeses, like Parmigiano-Reggiano with olives, figs and maybe even add some cured meats like prosciutto di Parma, salami, and mortadella.

An great idea to make it part of your lunch or dinner.

Enjoy and have a relaxing Monday!

Platter Yields: 4 to 6 servings