Regardless of whether you’re an old-school connoisseur or a budding enthusiast, there are few things more appealing to a foodie with a fromage addiction than novel cheese swag. Here are 7 tools that are guaranteed to make any cheese lover swoon in your kitchen.
1. All a board
Generally you want to look for a good size cheeseboard for entertaining guests and you even get some that have interesting shapes and grooves for holding ingredients. There are also boards that have hidden drawers for holding your cheese knives. There are different types of popular materials; marble is a firm favourite for its naturally cool surface but wood can add a nice rustic touch to any spread. Slate is also fun if you have edible chalk and want to write on it, draw arrows and even create images in-between the food.
2. Looking sharp
The world of cheese knives is certainly intimidating with several shapes, sizes and functionalities on offer. It does actually make a big difference to the taste and texture of the cheese which knives you use to cut certain types. But don’t worry, watch this cheese tools 101 video and you’ll be up to speed in no time!
3. On the wire
If you’re looking for uniform, clean cuts on soft to medium cheeses then a wire cheese slicer is the way to go. It’s also a great lifehack for getting those packed lunches out in record time! You can opt for getting a wire mounted to a marble board as a unit or if you’ve already got plenty of boards in your kitchen, buy it mounted on a handle with a roller and let it live in your cutlery draw.
4. A higher plane
Similar to the advantage of a wire slicer on softer variants, a cheese plane is indispensable when looking for uniform cuts on medium firm to hard cheeses. It’s definitely faster and more consistent than using a knife and is also really easy to clean.
5. In the mix
Whether you grew up with fondue in your life or not, there is something super nostalgic and even romantic about cooking and dipping your own food around a table together. Having a great cheese fondue set is a game changer when it comes to winter entertaining. Ideally you’d like to find a set that’s made of ceramic or earthenware with flat bottoms to keep the cheese melted without burning it. And of course, you’ll want large openings for ease of dipping. Read more about our “3 steps to the ultimate winter cheese fondue”.
6. Get a grip
Getting a three-pronged cheese grip or “clinchers” is the ultimate cheeseboard accessory for allowing guests to slice, shred or crumble cheeses without having to touch it. While it isn’t a big deal to handle cheese with your bare hands when grilling cheese for the family, guests usually prefer not to have dozens of fingers touching their food first on a platter of ingredients.
7. An inspiration station
Every kitchen needs a bank of amazing cheese-infused recipes to draw from whenever the need arises. Browse breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and even dessert inspirations from Checkers whenever you like.
Naturally, it doesn’t hurt to have a steady supply of delicious fromage in your fridge either. Checkers Cheese World has over 400 local and international cheeses to choose from and all at supermarket prices!