If you eat cheese often, you've probably noticed how many tools and accessories are out there for displaying, serving and cooking cheese. These five are the ones I can't do without: cheese plates, cheese graters, cheese knives, cheese markers and cheese domes
1. Cheese Plates
You can serve cheese on just about any type of plate or platter imaginable (I often use small cutting boards) but decorative cheese plates are fun to own. They are the perfect size for appetizers or for serving individual cheese plates at the end of meals.
2. Cheese Knives
Cheese Knives. Photo by J. Meier.
These are the cheese knives I own, given to me as a gift, & they are the ones I use the most. Three knives for three different cheese types: soft, hard and in-between. The wide flat knife is perfect for scooping up gooey cheese like Brie. The longer knife with a hook on the end can cut through any hard cheese and you can stab bits of cheese(or olives) off the plate with the hook. The third knife, with the soft curved edge, can cut through semi-hard cheeses.
Many people also like cheese knives made by Laguiole for the high-quality craftmanship.
3. Cheese Domes
Cheese Dome. Photo by Jennifer Meier
Cheese domes are an elegant way to serve cheese at a party, especially if the cheese is going to set out for hours. If you are eating outside, the glass cover also keeps aggressive flies away.
4. Cheese Markers
Cheese Marker. Photo by Jennifer Meier
How many times do you serve cheese at a party and have people ask over and over again, "what is this cheese?" For this reason alone cheese markers are great to have. Guests will always know what they're eating & you don't have to spend the whole party trying to remember the names of all the cheese you bought. Some cheese markers include stickers with general cheese names like "cheddar" and "brie". Others let you write in the specific cheese name.
5. Cheese Graters
Grated Parmesan. Photo by J. Meier
The question is not if you need a cheese grater, but what kind to get. A basic box grater is always a solid choice. There are also graters attached to containers that hold the grated cheese, which is handy. If you serve pasta frequently, look for a grater that lets you grate the cheese directly over the pasta, like a Zyliss. I also use a Microplane zester for grating cheese if I want the cheese to have a very fine texture.
