Why Using A Cheese Plane Will Change The Way Cheese Tastes
Cheese is one of those foods that stands out as a versatile staple — you can melt it for fondue, mix it in with pasta, or simply enjoy it in slices. You can find different types of cheese around the world, from soft feta to hard Parmesan, depending on how long it's been aged. As a result, cheese can have layers of flavor and texture meant to be enjoyed — but it all depends on how you go about slicing them.
If you've tried every type of knife to cut your favorite cheese, you may notice that you end up with big chunks and uneven pieces — and that's because different cheeses require different cutting methods. WebstaurantStore states that crumbly cheese, such as blue cheese, is best sliced with a gorgonzola knife. Soft cheese, like fresh mozzarella, cuts well with a soft cheese knife with holes for gentle cutting. For even softer ones, such as cream cheese or robiola, all that's needed is a spreader.
But when it comes to semi-hard cheese like Gouda or Gruyère, you'll want to halt using your typical knife or spreader (via Castello Cheese). Instead, reach for a cheese plane.
A cheese plane provides thin and flavorful slices
The reason you want to use a cheese plane is that it slices your cheese in thin sheets, releasing aromas that can be enjoyed quicker than if they were thicker cuts, per Janet Fletcher's Planet Cheese. Because it is so thinly sliced, the cheese almost dissolves when it hits your tongue. America's Test Kitchen shares that thin slices come to room temperature more quickly than if cut into shapeless, thick hunks. As a result, this allows you to fully enjoy the savory notes of the cheese rather than having to focus on chewing.
Getting consistent, flavorful slices from a cheese plane doesn't require much. According to America's Test Kitchen, a cheese plane is a "small trowel with a blade" with a flat head that lays against the side of your cheese as you slice it. All you have to do is start from one end, dragging it across the block of cheese to produce a perfectly thin piece that comes out of the blade's opening.
So while not every cheese can be cut with this tool, the ones that can yield fantastic tasting results. To fully enjoy the complexity and layers of flavor, you'll be sure not to miss out on them by using a cheese plane.