January is the time when many of us are still recovering from the effects of a long season of holiday open houses, cocktail parties, and office gatherings. Our New Year’s resolutions are still fresh and almost surely include getting to the gym more often and/or eating healthier. At this point, throwing a party might be just about the last thing on your mind. But when the late winter doldrums set in around February, you may be more than ready for something fun...and more importantly, something different.

We’ve all done the brunches, the cocktail and hors d’oeuvres parties, and the dinner parties. Now why not try something new and jump in on one of the hottest trends in America? Host a cheese tasting party. The French have long recognized the enjoyment of cheese tasting, especially when paired with wine, and several local restaurants such as Caffé 4 Quattro, La Colline Verte and Barcelona offer cheese plates or cheese tasting options for patrons.

If you bring this concept into your home, you will have the basis for a completely different kind of party. Like the idea? Then head over to Budding Gourmet at 2090 Post Road on a Saturday afternoon and get some inspiration and a sample from the experts. Budding Gourmet, a shop focused on home entertaining, offers free cheese tastings every Saturday afternoon. Not only can you sample several carefully selected cheeses (and the wines they pair with, next door at Harry’s Wines and Liquors), but you can also try most of the approximately twenty cheese selections Budding Gourmet has in stock. The varieties change frequently, so be sure to visit often.

So where do you begin when planning your cheese tasting party? First decide how many guests you’d like to invite. Do you prefer an intimate party of four or six, or a larger gathering of twenty-five? Be sure to invite people who are adventurous and/or willing to experience new flavors. If one of your friends swears by Cheese Whiz alone, he’s probably not your best bet for a guest at a cheese tasting party. Second, decide on the format: will the party focus simply on cheese tasting, or will you include other food as well? Will you serve wine? Do you plan on having a theme?

Once you decide the size and format for your party, you can move on to cheese selection. Leslie Arcesi, local cheese expert and owner of Budding Gourmet, recommends selecting four to five cheeses for your tasting. They should range in texture from hard to soft, with some variations in between. Be sure to include at least one cow’s milk cheese, one sheep’s milk cheese, and one goat’s milk cheese in your selections. Our cheese expert suggests that if you plan to have only cheese at your party, you should allow for a total of four ounces per person (e.g. for a party of six people, you’ll need 24 ounces (1 1/2 lbs) of cheese in total). If you are serving other food, she feels two ounces per person is usually sufficient. Keep in mind that good cheese is available at every price point, so you can be as simple or extravagant as your wallet allows.