Avoid Ordering This Boring Appetizer When Dining Out

There is no right way to order at a restaurant. But when it comes to maximizing the value of the experience, a good rule of thumb is that you should focus on items that are too complicated and labor-intensive to make at home, interesting dishes that you have no idea how to make yourself, and offerings that represent a good value. If you follow this idea, then there's one appetizer in particular that you should avoid ordering when dining out, as it meets none of the above criteria: a cheese board.

There really is no appetizer in the world easier to prepare than a cheese board. It consists of just small servings of a few varieties of cheese, as well as probably some accoutrements like crackers, bread, fruit, olives, and jams. There is no denying that a cheese board can be truly delicious, but you can most definitely make that for yourself at home. It doesn't require a whole lot of expertise — nothing you can't get from a little internet research or a conversation with a cheesemonger — and the labor is basically zero. That covers two of the main criteria for maximizing value, but what about cost?

Well, groceries are expensive these days; there is no doubt about that. But in recent times restaurant prices have climbed higher than grocery prices, if you can believe it. As the cost of goods goes up, so too does the markup on restaurant food. Add to that the fact that you will have to tip on your cheese board, and it's pretty clear that it is an appetizer that you should avoid ordering out altogether.

Making a really good cheese board for yourself can be an intimidating process, however. Part of what is lovely about a restaurant cheese board is that the selections are curated by an expert. Yet, even this is relatively easy to accomplish on your own as well — all you have to do is ask your local cheesemonger.

These days, plenty of chain grocery stores have excellent cheese selections, as well as dedicated cheesemongers on staff — some stores even pay for these employees to hone their cheese knowledge all over the world. You can chat with them about the various cheeses offered and how they might work together to make a cohesive cheese board. Perhaps best of all, they can also cut you however much you want of a particular cheese, so you don't have to shell out for a large and expensive block of a pungent cheese from which each person is only likely to eat a small amount.

If you don't have access to the expertise of a cheesemonger at your local grocery store, that's okay too. With a few simple tips for putting together the ultimate cheese board, you'll have no trouble creating something truly excellent. If you read up a bit on different types of cheese before hitting the store and then mix it up with a variety of flavors and textures — something soft and buttery, something hard and sharp, and something funky, for example — you're sure to come out with a platter on par with anything you might order at a restaurant.