If you are the type of person who loves to eat cheese, then you might already be familiar with a tool called a “cheese knife.” You will probably be excited about cutting the cheese you desire to eat along with a loaf of bread and a cup of tea.
There are varieties of cheese all around us; they come in different textures, colors, shapes, and sizes. So, to cut a slice of cheese requires a specific knife depending on how soft or hard it will be. We all know that there are a lot of knives to cut cheese on the market, but you want to purchase the right one that is suitable for your needs. And if you are worried that the cheese might stick to your knife, then continue reading this article to help you find the ideal knife for your perfect cheese.
What is a Cheese Knife?
From the name itself, a cheese knife is a type of kitchen knife specializing in cutting cheese. Different types of cheese require different knives according to how soft and hard they are. So to help you find the best knife for cheese, let us learn the different types of knives and their uses to help you understand them more.
- Soft Cheese Knife: This is a type of knife with holes in the middle of the blade. If you ever see one, then it is known as an open work blade, and its holes are responsible for preventing the cheese from sticking on the blade’s surface. It is commonly used for soft to semi-soft types of cheeses like camembert cheese, for example.
- Hard Cheese Knife: You will find this cheese knife the largest of its kind. Hard cheese knives are made to cut smaller portions of hard cheese by pressing downward and cutting through a wheel or wedge of aged hard cheese. Usually, this kind of cheese knife has handles on both ends to produce a balanced pressure while cutting whole hard cheese.
- Cheese Spreader: This knife is similar to the edge of a spatula. The blade of this kind of knife is round to spread soft cheese on bread, just like cream cheese.
- Flat Cheese Knife: This knife is like a chisel which has a flat blade and sharp edge bottom. It is used to slice semi-soft to a semi-hard type of cheeses like provolone and swiss cheese.
- Narrow Plane Knife: You can easily identify this kind of cheese knife by checking its trapezoidal shape. Its shape is used for chipping away the block cheese.
- Prolonged Cheese Knife: A prolonged knife is a forked-tipped spear tool; it has a narrow blade that gives the surface to prevent the cheese from sticking, allows you to cut a piece of cheese, and allows the prongs at the end for serving or plating.
- Gorgonzola Knife: This type of knife is used to spread creamy cheeses. It has a rounded blade with one sharp edge that is usually used to cut cheese rinds like bleu cheeses.
- Cheddar Cheese Knife: This kind of cheese knife is usually known as a cheddar cleaver knife because of the blade’s wide rectangular shape. This is also known as a cheddar cleaver knife. The wide and cleaver shape of this knife allows you to cut using force to push downward since this knife is designed for semi-hard to hard-type cheeses. The handle is also ergonomically designed that prevents your knuckles from hitting the board.
- Parmesan Knife: This knife has a pointed edge and triangular blade that is used to break dry chunks and hard cheeses. It also has two different styles: the bell cheese knife, which is an arrow-head-shaped blade, and a compact cheese knife that resembles a tooth of a shark. But the two different styles have the same function in terms of cutting cheeses.
- Slim Blade Cheese Knife: It has a thin narrow blade and a sharp edge that prevents soft cheeses from sticking. Its handle is also designed as raided to provide room for the user’s hand to prevent the knuckles from hitting the board. This knife is used for soft to semi-hard type cheeses like Bourgault.
Cheese is delicious and one of the most healthy foods you can include in your regular diet. So in case, you can encounter big chunks or blocks of cheese, you may consider using some of the best knives to cut a particular cheese you want. And see to it that your using knives that are suitable for the cheese you can prepare. There are more types of knives used to cut cheeses, but in my opinion, the knives mentioned are the best of their kind. Cutting chunks of different cheeses might worry you a bit, but you may find these descriptions useful in preparing cheeses to include in your delightful meal.