love that platter! where can i buy one like that?

Yes it's true, we picked it up from a tile store:)

cool, innovative, intelligent and classy! way to go!

Very creative Joe! Great work

Thanks for this -- we had a spare floor tile we used for the platter and now all my relatives think we are amazing!

In France and in other countries, during long meals the cheese platter is presented before dessert. At what time would you advise to present a dish platter in the USA?

It really just comes down to personal preference. I know some people like to serve their platters before a meal starts, like an appetizer with drinks. However, in this case, guests can easily fill up before they even sit down to eat the main course. This is part of the reason why they are often served at the end of a meal.

Alternatively, you can plan for a more casual meal, where you serve cheese, sliced meats, olives, some nice bread and even some fancy nuts. This can be a real nice way to enjoy a more social meal without being too stuffed. It's also not a very stressful meal to put together, which is always good in my books. Hope this helps. Cheers!

Thanks for your insight... I have hesitated to serve cheese platters at the beginning of meals in the USA (as it is usually done here in gatherings) exactly for the reasons that you have pointed out. Your advice has been very helpful for making a balanced decision next time I plan including cheeses.