Choosing and using the right cheese knives
We’ve all been at that get together where the food and drink is amazing and the evening ends with a cheese board that is out of this world. Whilst we drool over the spectacle, partly because we can’t wait for the cheese, but partly because we have serious cheeseboard envy, we can’t help but notice the array of cheese knives and wonder if getting this right might elevate our own cheese serving experience.
If you’ve been there, then help is at hand, in the form of some top tips and guidance below on the different types of cheese knives and how to use them. Follow this advice and you’ll soon be the talk of the neighborhood with your cheeseboard to end all cheeseboards!
Types of cheese knives
Soft cheese knife – often in a slim, fork-tipped spear shape or with holes in, this type of knife is designed to have minimal surface area so it doesn’t stick to your soft, sticky cheese. Use the holes or perforations to help you push the cheese off the knife, as there’s nothing worse than politely taking a slice, only to be unable to pop it onto your plate.
Spreader knife – easy to spot for its spatula-like appearance, a spreader knife, is as it suggests, suitable for very soft cheeses that need to be spread and is therefore the perfect way to get your favorite soft cheese onto a cracker or crispbread.
Chisel knife – it might look like a small version of a wallpaper scraper, but this knife, also known as a flat cheese knife, is very useful when it comes to breaking off pieces of crumbly, aged cheeses.
Narrow plane knife – this type of knife has a narrower blade area than a chisel knife and is a versatile knife that enables you to cut and chip away at blocks of semi hard cheese.
Parmesan knife – with a pointed, sharp edge, this cheese knife is designed to break off pieces of hard, dry cheeses.
Cheese fork – ok, so the only fork to feature in an array of cheese knives, but this is a very useful little tool on a cheeseboard as it enables you to keep hold of a hard block of cheese whilst using your knife to slice it.
How to use cheese knives
Did you know that it is poor etiquette to use a cheese knife for more than one type of cheese on the board?
Just in case you were in any doubt about which knife to use, here’s a quick guide to the types of cheeses you’ll want to cut with each type of knife, so you know exactly what to reach for when presented with your next cheese board:
Soft cheese knife – great for slicing up soft to semi-soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert and Mozzarella.
Spreader knife – great for spreading soft cheeses like goats cheese and cream cheese.
Chisel knife – use this type of knife by holding the blade vertically over the cheese and pressing down, to cut off a chunk of crumbly, aged cheese such as Gorgonzola or Gruyere.
Narrow plane knife – use the sharp sides or tip to cut off a slice or chunk of semi-soft to hard cheeses such as Cheddar, Gouda and Jarlsberg.
Parmesan knife – as the name suggests, use this knife to cut rinds open and take a chunk of dry, hard cheese including Parmesan and Grana Padano.
Cheese fork – use it to hold the wedge of cheese whilst slicing, or for stabbing olives or grapes to easily pick them up from the cheeseboard.
Top tips for cutting cheese
Now that you’ve got the knives sorted, here are a few tips for cutting cheese to help you get the most of your cheese eating experience:
- When slicing into a soft cheese wedge, don’t take the tip as this is considered poor etiquette as you’re effectively taking the softest, tastiest part of the cheese all to yourself. Instead, slice along the long side of the cheese wedge, so everyone can enjoy a little of the soft tip.
- For semi-hard and hard cheeses, you can start by slicing across the width from the tip until around half of the wedge has disappeared and then slice lengthways.
- Find the center of the bottom edge of a blue cheese wedge and cut radially to get triangular pieces.
- When faced with a wheel of cheese, firstly cut it in half to make it easier to handle and then cut outwards from the edge diagonally to make triangular shaped pieces.
- If there’s a waxy truckle of cheese on the board, don’t see it as a challenge to break into that hard exterior, simply slice evenly down the middle and divide up into wedges.
Now that you know how to slice, cut and spread your cheese and which cheese knives to use and when, the only thing left to do is find the cheese itself! Cheesemonger Box is a subscription cheese service selecting the finest artisan cheeses from around the world and delivering them to your doorstep. Find out more on the Cheesemonger Box website.