That cheese plate will change your life Creative gatherings and self-care with the cheese by numbers method

Mullen, a photographer and food stylist, combines her skills to build some 50 delightful, themed cheese plates. Borrowing her teaching technique from the paint-by-numbers school, Mullen has invented the Cheese by Numbers method, identifying six items used in each artistically arranged plate: cheese, meat, produce, crunch, dip, and garnish. Every entry receives its own four-page spread: the first page contains ingredient lists arranged by food category, as well as a recommendation for the type of physical platter (round soapstone, rectangular wooden board, etc.). The second page offers a full-page color photo of the finished plate. The third page provides six-panels showing step-by-step construction, and the final page contains a color drawing, by illustrator Sara Gilanchi, with each element of the plate represented. One of Mullen's favorite stylistic choices is the "salami river," a meandering ribbon of cold cuts that "creates movement and flow" across the board. Thematically, the trays run the gamut from a game day formation, with chicken wings, potato chips, celery, and blue cheese dressing, to a romantic "season of love" design boasting a heart-shaped slab of Brie and chocolate-covered strawberries. This is a fun, attractive, and unique guide to a favorite party dish. (May)

Much like a paint-by-numbers kit, this creative collection by photographer and food stylist Mullen, founder of the community That Cheese Plate, lays out a large variety of cheese boards so that anyone with access to the ingredients would be successful in putting a board together. If food is art, the cheese boards depicted here certainly qualify, with helpful illustrations by Sara Gilanchi. Chapters are organized by ingredient type, and each plate is laid out by number, with step-by-step photographs allowing home cooks preparing for a night of entertaining to follow along. Numbers correspond to ingredient lists divided by type, such as cheese, meat, produce, dip, crunch, etc. Recipes are included when a board calls for something more than slicing, such as homemade hummus or balsamic glazed skewers. Bonus content includes seasonal menus, and divining cheese plate by astrological signs. VERDICT Similar to her popular community, this fun book by Mullen will appeal to cheese lovers, and people who enjoy hosting and entertaining with food as art.--Dawn Lowe-Wincentsen, Oregon Inst. of Technology, Portland

Introduction "That cheese plate will change your life." Okay, okay, I can feel you rolling your eyes at me, thinking, "Well, that feels like a bit of an overstatement." And maybe it is. Or, maybe, there's some truth in this idea. Because here's what I believe: cheese plates are self-care. These days, in our Instagram-laden world, self-care usually means applying a face mask, cutting out carbs, sipping green juice, or spending Friday night in a bathtub full of flower petals. It's usually tied to a feeling of restriction or a temporary fix. But let's be real: a sheet mask and green juice can only do so much. True self-care is something different, something deeper: we care for ourselves when we allow ourselves the time, energy, and space to practice or learn about--or indulge in--the things that we love most. These are the things that bring us joy and make us feel connected to our most authentic selves and to others. For me, that thing has always been cheese. In college, my friends and I had frequent wine and cheese parties, attempting a stab at newfound adulthood. Our ancient Boston apartment lacked a living room, so the kitchen was the heart and soul of every gathering. Although we had limited funds, we found ways to come together over hunks of cheddar and some prepackaged meat. I discovered that crafting these cheese plates for my friends was a great way for me to get creative while trying new and interesting flavors. Similarly, photography was another artistic hobby of mine, and I began to learn more about the world of social media as I earned a degree in music business and communications. As food accounts became a growing trend on Instagram, I decided to start my own account to showcase my creations, and ThatCheesePlate was born. Over the years, this evolved into a monthly event called "the cheese party": I built elaborate cheese plates while everyone gathered in my tiny apartment, sharing stories and catching up. The cheese plate was always the most popular guest at the party. Then I got my dream job in the music industry, which meant countless late nights and weekend travel. Limited free time was my norm. When I did have time off, making a cheese plate was my relaxing activity of choice. It was always so satisfying to see a design come together out of wedges of cheese, slices of salami, and the colorful produce I'd find at my local market. I learned that the simple act of slicing cheese could be meditative. I found sacred space in the kitchen of my humble Brooklyn apartment. Full of natural light, it became my sanctuary after a long workweek. I loved to spend Saturday afternoons decompressing while I arranged and photographed my cheese plate creations. There's something cathartic in creating an intricate and beautiful plate, which my friends and I in turn would completely devour. As my plates became more elaborate, I realized how much time the building process could take. You need to prep the cheese, fold the salami, and deliberately cut the produce. Taking the time to follow these steps forced me to slow down, a welcome change from how I spent the weeks at my day job. Every time, I was instinctively following a step-by-step process, filling in elements by sections. I asked my friend Sara Gilanchi, a talented illustrator, to sketch one of my plates numbering the illustration with 1  as Cheese, 2  as Meat, 3  as Produce, 4  as Crunch, 5  as Dip, and 6  as Garnish. Thus, the Cheese By Numbers method was born. This process was deceptively easy, yet sticking to it elevated my plates to a new level. I decided to launch a second account on Instagram called CheeseByNumbers to document this method in further detail. I'd photograph and post each step in the process, starting with the cheese arranged on the plate, followed by the Salami River (more on that later!), and so on. This process really resonated with people. Creating a cheese plate seems intimidating at first, but Cheese By Numbers makes the building process simple and accessible. This account started to shift into something bigger than I anticipated. Over the next few months, I felt the increased momentum of what I had built. I balanced television appearances, press inquiries, and food events with my already-demanding job in the entertainment industry. Simultaneously I launched That Cheese Class, a "build your own cheese plate" workshop. The Cheese By Numbers method encouraged the class members to get creative and break outside their comfort zone. I really loved my job working in music, but I started to feel as if my heart really belonged to what had just been my side-hustle: cheese. Building plates and teaching workshops made me feel both creative and grounded--two feelings I hadn't experienced in a long time. I started to wonder, What if I could do this full time? I decided to take a leap and quit my day job. And that's when it hit me: That Cheese Plate changed my life. I wrote this book as a template and a guide, but feel free to get creative and substitute items that work for you. We will start with the basics and will then journey through the Cheese By Number method, starting with cheese, followed by meat, produce, crunch, dip, and garnish. In each chapter we will dive deeper into these six steps, introducing Cheese By Number maps and a variety of simple recipes to elevate your plate. My hope is that you can feel a sense of ease by taking the guesswork out of a timeless appetizer. You don't need to be a professional food stylist or chef to make a cheese plate--you can easily create something beautiful to impress your guests and yourself! So take your passion and run with it. Do what inspires you. Growth takes time, and the process is the most important part. Hopefully this book will help you slow down a bit, appreciate what's around you, get motivated, and make That Cheese Plate. Excerpted from That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life: Creative Gatherings and Self-Care with the Cheese by Numbers Method by Marissa Mullen All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.