Have you ever received a cheese serving set? Many people have and have wondered what the different shaped tools that accompany the cheese board are used for. The fact is that each of these tools is used to cut cheeses into serving sized pieces. The reason that they are shaped differently is that the different textures of cheese require these variations so that the cuts are clean and that the cheese does not crumble.
Enjoying a cheese’s natural texture is part of the tasting experience and it can be difficult to judge a particular cheese properly if it the texture has been destroyed by cutting it with the wrong tool.
A cheese serving set normally comes with a knife for hard cheeses, a shaver, a spreader and a fork tipped knife. More complete sets may also include a two handled cheese wire. This is a good cross section of the tools that are available and you will often find that it will be enough to handle many off the cheeses that are eaten most frequently.
A cheese knife with a solid blade is ideal for hard cheeses such as Cheddar or Swiss cheese. A good knife is very important for older Cheddars since they can be crumbly if they are not cut properly. You may want to use this kind of knife to cut Parmesan as well although many people prefer to break off a chunk from a larger portion and eat it that way for a rustic and traditional treat.
Unfortunately you cannot cut soft cheeses the same way. A soft cheese such as Brie will need a very different knife. A hollow-bladed cheese knife with an extremely sharp edge can be ideal for this purpose. The holes in the blade prevent the soft cheese from sticking to the blade. You may find that a very soft double or triple cream Brie may be so soft that you will need a spoon to eat it once it has been warmed up properly.
Many people enjoy eating cheeses such as Blue cheese or soft, unripened goat cheese. In this case, it is necessary to find a way to cut the cheese into servings without crushing or destroying the crumbly texture. For some cheeses, it is necessary to use a two handed cheese wire. A cheese wire with a handle can be a very versatile tool as well since it can be used to cut soft cheeses and shave a fine slice off of a block of harder cheese such as Cheddar, Swiss or Gouda. You can also find wire guillotines that can help you cut a wedge of cheese perfectly and cleanly.
A fork-tipped cheese knife is also very versatile. It often has a hollow blade so that soft cheeses will not stick and a blade that is sharp enough to cut through everything except the crumbliest of cheeses. It has a forked tip that is helpful as you can use it to pick up the slice that you have just cut and then transfer it to your plate.
Some cheeses have their own specialty tools. There are uniquely shaped tools such as one designed to cut Parmesan cheese. This is a small knife with a teardrop shaped blade that has a very sharp point. It can be used to cut into a wheel of Parmesan and cut a slice that can be used to evaluate the cheese properly. A corer may also be used to remove a cylindrical slice from a wheel of Parmesan but these are rarely used in a home environment. There are also Brie knives that are quite unique looking. The blade is very thin which can prevent soft cheese from sticking. It is very sharp and can be a fantastic way to get a piece of Brie for your plate.
Specialty cheese knives can be a great gift for the cheese lover in your life and can also make it easier for you to serve them in your own home as well. If you eat many different cheeses you may want to consider purchasing one or more of them to experiment with.
-Written by Lisa Longworth
No comments:
Post a Comment