There are still many types of wonderful apples at my local grocery store, but there are fewer than there were the week before, and even fewer than there were a month ago. Apple season is drawing to a close, friends, but you can make it last a bit longer — or make a mediocre out-of-season apple taste outstanding—with a quick pickle.

Cheese plates are a mainstay of holiday party appetizers, but finding new ways to zhuzh up the usual suspects can be a challenge. Allow me to introduce you to your new best friend: baked cheese.

Video: Crafting a good cheese plate, board or platter is all about balance. Beyond a variety of cheeses, you need sweet and salty accompaniments to highlight and contrast the funky, creamy, savoury qualities of the dairy.

Hello, and welcome back to Will It Casserole?, the column where I take delicious concepts and re-imagine them as tasty casserole creations. Today we’re taking one of my favourite courses — the cheese course — and turning into one hot dish.

It's very easy to get excited at the cheese counter, and that excitement can lead to purchasing more cheese than one can (comfortably) eat in a single evening. As such, some cheese must be stored, but it must not be stored directly in plastic.

Grapes are great, but I like 'em fresh and firm. The moment they start to mush out, I lose interest, and let them languish in my crisper until they're "bad enough" to toss. This terrible cycle has since been broken, however, as I have discovered roasted grapes.

A cheese plate can be many things. A party platter, a snack, even a meal -- a cheese plate can be all of these things. It doesn't require any cooking, but crafting a perfectly harmonious plate of delicious dairy is a delicate balancing act, and some forethought is required.

A potato chip dipped in some sort of creamy dairy product is one of the most satisfying snacks around, and Bon Appetit has taken the delicious duo to a whole new level with their chip and cheese pairing guide.