You might be thinking that a good knife is all you need to cut through most cheeses, and you may be right. And you may even have been getting by just fine without a cheese knife set in your kitchen.
So what inspires most people to buy one of our cheese knife sets ? You may be surprised to hear that it has more to do with your taste buds than anything else. In other words, if you love Stilton cheese, you’re more likely to buy a set of our Stilton scoops.
Dad used to always say before you start a task, make sure you have the right tools for the job. Cheese is like that. When deciding on the right cheese tools to buy for your kitchen, it just comes down to which cheese you and your family enjoy eating most.
Buying your first set of cheese tools
At first glance, your new set of cheese knives can be intimidating. They do look pretty unusual when comparing them to the knives in your butcher block. But, once you know why they look the way they do and understand exactly how each knife is used, you’ll enjoy using them. It’s like dad said – the right tool makes the job so much easier.
Photo by: GC Dolce Living
For our cheese knife overview, we’re going to showcase the Jason Cheese Tool 4 Pc. Set. Hand-forged for an organic look, this design mixes raw nascent steel handles with durable mirror-polished utensils. Whether you’re new to the cheese world or you consider yourself a cheese connoisseur, this cheese tool set includes everything you need to slice, spread, scoop, and serve your favorite cheeses.
Before we get into the tools of the trade, here’s a quick look at the basic types of cheese:
Types of Cheese
Hard
Asiago, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, Cheddar, Swiss
Semi-Hard
Provolone, Gouda, Edam, Gruyère
Semi-soft
Mozzarella, Machego, Muenster, Havarti
Soft
Brie, Ricotta, Feta, Cream Cheese, Fresh Cheeses
The Cheese Plane
This unique cheese tool has a spatula-like paddle with a sharp-edged slit. To slice the cheese, you pass the plane along the top or side of a cheese block. The slice will settle on the top of the plane, making it easy to serve or plate.
If you’ve ever wondered how your host got that platter of Havarti into such perfectly uniform slices, it’s a safe bet that this was the tool they used. Designed for semi-soft to semi-hard cheeses, the plane is the perfect cheese tool for creating attractive cheese boards and making Swiss cheese slices for sandwiches. (Hint: This handy tool makes shaving cold butter into thin delicate slices a breeze.)
This cheese tool gets an honorable mention because a) you can purchase more economical blocks of cheese for snacks and sandwiches and b) you’ll have a time-saving tool to get the job done right. Use it to slice Havarti, Provolone, Swiss, Cheddar, and Asiago.
Pronged Cheese Knife
Another unusual-looking knife, the pronged cheese knife or fork-tipped spear, is a great multipurpose cheese tool for cutting a piece of cheese and then piercing it with the prongs to plate or serve it. The curved, narrow blade offers less surface area for soft cheese to stick to. Many of our cheese knife sets include a pronged cheese knife.
Use this cheese tool for soft to semi-hard cheeses like Brie, Parmesan, Camembert, and Mozzarella.
Cheese Spreader
No prongs or sharp edges, here! The cheese spreader tool is a must-have for your charcuterie boards and cheese platters. It is a flexible knife with a wider spatula-like top for keeping soft cheese on the knife and easy spreading.
This cheese spreader is ideal when serving a cheese ball with crusty bread or crackers. When serving guests various soft cheeses and spreads, you should have multiple cheese spreaders on a board (more on that, later).
Use the cheese spreader tool for fresh cheese, goat cheese, and cream cheese. It is also great for spreading soft butter, hummus, and other delicious spreads on crusty bread or crackers.
The Stilton Scoop
Traditionally used for diving into the center of a creamy Stilton cheese, these tools are also perfect for scooping up a runny Brie or a fresh goat cheese log.
Designed for soft and crumbly cheeses like Brie, Stilton, Ricotta, and Danish Blue Cheese.
Not serving Stilton? Don’t hide away your Stilton scoop! It’s a handy tool for scooping up sunflower seeds and dried cranberries for salad toppings, or chocolate shavings for ice cream.
Display your Cheese Tools
Now that you know which cheese knife to use for the different types of cheese, let’s talk about entertaining at home.
On your cheese platters and charcuterie boards, you’ll want smaller cheese tools for guests to help themselves. Having multiple small cheese knives, stilton scoops, and cheese spreaders allows you to keep cheeses separate and any cheese left behind on a knife won’t interfere with another cheese’s unique flavor profiles. What’s more, your guests won’t have to wait to use the cheese spreader and the smaller versions are just so cute!
The host of this delicious soiree leaves the Jason Spreader 4 Pc. Set by the cheese board for guests to use.
We hope this overview of cheese knives and tools will inspire you to purchase your own set of cheese knives. We invite you to explore the other handcrafted cheese tools and accessories we have available. Paired with our marble charcuterie and cheese boards you’ll have everything you need to host a delicious wine and cheese soiree for you and your friends.
Photos: @ermindacelebrates and @gcdolceliving
Title photo: Photo by Alexander Maasch on Unsplash
