A glass of wine, a beautiful cheese platter, and a sunny blue sky makes for an idyllic weekend afternoon by the water. Here is how I like to put my cheese platter together:

1. Pick 3 cheese; one hard, one firm, and a soft and creamy cheese that you can spread on crackers. The Parmasan Gouda melange from Trader Joe’s is my obsession these days.

2. Include a variety of crackers. I like the plain and neutral crackers, they bring out the flavor of the cheese. On its own, neutral crackers are great complement to the wine.

3. Have a mix of dried and fresh fruits. I like dried apricots, it always goes well with the cheese. And don’t forget the grapes and fresh berries to bring in a burst of colors to the cheese platter.

4. Add mix nuts for some crunch.

5. Arrange all the ingredients nicely on a platter, use small bowls for the nuts and berries. Have separate knives for each cheese so that you do not mix the flavors.

Now sit back, relax, and enjoy a beautiful summer afternoon.