The Right Tool for the Job - Saxelby's Guide to Cheese Tools

Just like a painter has brushes and a palette, or a carpenter has his toolbox, the cheese lover has a whole host of cheese tools at their disposal. Is it necessary to go out and find all these things to be a legitimate cheese connoisseur? No way! Are some of them fun and useful to have around? Definitely! Keep reading to learn about the wide and wacky range of cheese tools out there, including which tools we deem to be everyday, essential tools, and what some of the more rarefied ones do.


Box grater - You can buy a box grater at just about any supermarket anywhere. They’re affordable and versatile with different sized holes for different fine-ness of cheese! The finest setting is great (pun intended!) for hard cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. The larger holes are perfect for semi-firm cheeses like cheddar and raclette for tacos or mac and cheese. There are even long horizontal slits on one side that are perfect for slicing thin medallions of mozzarella for lasagna.  

Microplane or rasp grater - These super-fine (and super sharp! Definitely watch your fingers and knuckles when using this!) graters were originally used by carpenters to shave down wood! They’re ideal for grating light, fluffy dustings of firm cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, or other firm finishing cheeses atop salads or pastas. 

Long Cheese Knife - you don’t need a fancy one, but a chef’s knife with a blade that is 1-2” thick and is sufficiently long (6-12”) to cut through larger, harder wedges of cheese is essential. You want to have a knife on hand that is longer (front to back) than the slice of cheese you’re breaking down.

Set of Small Cheese Knives - these sets are both useful and attractive for serving cheese and charcuterie boards at parties. Most cheese board knife sets come with four knives – one shaped like a small dagger, one that is flat across the bottom for chunking off bits of firm cheese, a spreader, and one shaped like a big fork (though I don’t use that one very often). Their short, stubby handles make them the ideal size to tuck onto an already crowded cheese board.

Small Cheese Knife - having a small (4” or so) sturdy cheese knife is very handy for everyday use with cheese boards or picnics. We like this small cheese knife with two prongs on the top for slicing, spearing, and serving your favorite cheeses.

Girolle / Cheese Curler - definitely among the more esoteric of cheese tools, the cheese curler might not be for everyday use, but is a hit at any party! To use, you basically impale the cheese on a long spear, and then twirl a blade around the top of the cheese, creating delicate flowers or ‘florets’ of cheese that melt in your mouth! Try it with a small wheel of cheese like Goat Tomme from Twig Farm or a Calderwood heart

Raclette Machine - It doesn’t matter the time of year or the weather… we’re always in the mood for a raclette party! Once you add a raclette machine to your lineup or cheese gadgets, you too will be finding excuses to raclette just about any chance you can get! It’s an easy, delicious dinner… just slice cheese, heat charcuterie and potatoes on the top grill portion, and go!

Cheese Slicer - Boska's mini cheese slicer is the perfect way to serve firm cheeses like Calderwood or Marieke Premium Gouda. This tool slices paper thin ribbons of cheese that will melt in your mouth, and is the tool every cheese lover needs but don't know they need it! Try making a haystack of cheese slices on your next cheese board - your guests will be delighted, and you'll use this new tool all the time.

Cheese Board - Every cheese lover needs a good cheese board… (or two or three!) Lucky for you we have two! A resilient and attractive rectangular bamboo board for larger spreads, and a smaller tasteful round cheese board made of walnut that is perfect for smaller gatherings.

Cheese Paper - To keep your cheese in tip-top condition, it does help to store your cheese in cheese paper. Cheese paper is engineered to let the cheese breathe while simultaneously inhibiting mold growth. If you don’t have (or want!) fancy cheese paper, the next best thing to store your cheese in is foil or parchment paper.





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