So…you want to create the perfect grazing board for that get together this weekend?
Well, when it comes to putting together a beautifully designed grazing board, there are lots of elements that go into it. You’ve got the cured meats, dips and spreads, crackers and breads, vegetables and fruits. And if you’re a cheese lover like us, than you know the perfect grazer has an abundance of cheese.
An important and overlooked element to the best grazers is the serving utensils. Nobody wants dirty hands all over the food! It’s true, that cheese knife set collecting dust in your kitchen drawer has purpose and we are here to outline the uses of each of those little tools. Here is your ultimate guide to cheese knives:
The Cheese Spreader
This rounded style knife is best used for soft, spreadable cheeses like goat cheese or boursin, which is always a crowd favorite.
The Cleaver
Specifically made for cheddar, this knife is great at cutting into the classic hard cheeses. In additional to cheddar, it can also be used to cut a variety of similar cheeses like havarti and gouda.
The Cheese Plane
Used for shaving thin pieces of cheese, the cheese plane is best for those in-between hard and soft cheeses like muenster and port salut cheese.
The Pronged Knife
This cheese knife is versatile and works with most cheeses. Utilize it for soft cheeses like brie and mozzarella or harder cheeses like manchego and gruyère. The special pronged tip can be used to pick up pieces of cheese and add to your plate.
Parmesan Knife
Parmesan is a seriously underutilized cheese on a grazer. It’s so delicious - it has its own tool! This knife’s pointed edge helps break parmesan into bite sized pieces.
The Soft Cheese Knife
The small holes featured in the blade of this knife help prevent soft cheeses from sticking to it when sliced - perfect for cheeses like camembert and taleggio.
The Flat Cheese Knife
Similar to the cleaver, this knife can be used for cheeses ranging between semi-soft to hard varieties, like pecorino romano and fontina.
Chisel Knife
The chisel knife is perfect for cutting crumbly hard cheeses into chunks - think gorgonzola, feta, & blue cheese.
In the end, cheese can be eaten and served with whatever knife you have around, but specialty knives not only help make your grazing easier, but make your board aesthetically pleasing and will have you looking like a professional grazing expert!