We must honestly admit that before they joined BOSKA, many of our employees had no clue why there were different cheese knifes with a cheese plate. “Because you can cut any cheese with a knife from your cutlery drawer, can’t you?” No, definitively not! Actually, all those different cheese knives do have a function. What this is, we are going to explain to you in this blog. So, the next time you surprise your family and friends with a cheese plate, you will know exactly which knifes to use with it.
The structure is quite essential
The structure of the cheese determines which knife fits the best with it. A knife for a soft Brie should have other characteristics than one for a hard Parmesan. It is a bit like the difference between cutting bread and cutting an apple; both have a completely different structure. You do not cut bread with a peeler, or an apple with a bread knife. You can try of course, but you probably will not enjoy it very much.
Optimum taste experience
So, the better the knife goes with the structure of the cheese, the easier and more pleasant cutting it will be. And it may also affect the taste of the cheese. A Parmesan, for example, should not be cut but you have to break it. By breaking a piece from the Parmesan it will keep its grainy structure, and it will taste much better than when you cut or slice it. Our Cheese Hero Betty Koster explains this very clearly in this video.
Which knife fits with what type of cheese?
To give you a good picture of which type of knife goes with what type of cheese, let's use our new Monaco+ collection as an example. This complete collection has originated from more than 120 years of experience in making cheese tools. All the characteristics that make cutting as nice as possible have been incorporated in the collection. For instance, the wafer pattern, the special grinding and the non-stick treatment of the knifes reduce resistance when cutting.
The Monaco+ knifes are arranged according to the hardness of the cheese, e.g. the knife with number 1 is used for the softest cheese, and 9 for the hardest types of cheese.
Nr. 1: Spreading Knife Monaco+
- Suitable for: spreadable cheeses likes fresh cream cheese and soft goat cheese. But it can perfectly be used for pâté, (herb) butter and pesto as well.
- Special characteristics: because the blade can be bent, the knife will also slightly blend during the spreading. This makes spreading simpler.
Nr. 2: Wire Cutter Monaco+
- Suitable for: soft cheeses like Roquefort & Mozzarella. And very useful for pâté and tofu, too.
-Special characteristics: the cutting wire reduces resistance when cutting. This makes that you can easily go through the cheese, and the shape of the cheese remains intact.
-Good to know: cutting with a cutting wire is very safe. You can no longer accidentally cut your fingers.
Nr. 3: Soft Cheese Knife Monaco+
- Suitable for: soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert.
- Special characteristics: the slim blade reduces resistance when cutting. This makes that you can easily go through the cheese, it does not stick and the shape of the cheese remains intact.
Nr. 4: Semi Soft Cheese Knife Monaco+
- Suitable for: soft and semi-hard cheeses, like Gorgonzola and young Gouda.
- Special characteristics: the holes in the blade reduce resistance when cutting. The cheese does not stick when you cut it and the shape of the cheese remains intact.
- Good to know: prick a piece of cheese at the serving tip to serve it to someone, so you do not have to touch the cheese with your hands. Handy and hygienic!
Nr. 5: Semi Hard Cheese Knife Monaco+
- Suitable for: semi-hard and hard cheeses like cured Gouda and Cheddar.
- Special characteristics: use the serving tip to prick a piece of cheese to it. In this way you can serve cheese to someone without touching it with your hands. Extra hygienic.
Nr. 6: Hard Cheese Hatchet Monaco+
- Suitable for: semi-hard and hard cheeses like Manchego and mature farm cheese.
- Special characteristics: this tool is very useful for removing the rind of the cheese.
- Also useful: slide a piece you just cut from the cheese on the broad blade to serve the cheese to someone without touching it with your hands.
Nr. 7: Cheese Knife Comté Monaco+
- Suitable for: semi-hard and hard cheeses like cured Gouda and Comté.
- Special characteristics: you use both hands for cutting. This keeps your hand away from the cutting edge, so you will not accidentally cut your fingers. It's the extra safe choice!
- Good to know: the knife is extra sharpened, which makes that you can easily cut straight pieces from the cheese with a rocking movement.
Nr. 8: Dutch Cheese Knife Monaco+
- Suitable for: semi-hard and hard cheeses like cured Gouda and Cheddar.
- Special characteristics: this is the smaller version of the knife many cheese professionals use.
- Good to know: the knife is safe because you use both hands when cutting. The blade is extra sharp; this makes that you can easily cut straight pieces from the cheese with a rocking movement.
Nr. 9: Hard Cheese Knife Monaco+
- Suitable for: semi-hard and very hard cheeses like Manchego and Pecorino.
- Special characteristics: the rigid blade does not bend when breaking a very hard cheese. In this way you can apply more pressure without the risk of losing your grip on the knife.
- Good to know: you use the tip of the sharp blade to prick it into the cheese. In this way you can easily break the cheese to optimally preserve its taste.
Share