Unlike other products, there is no single way of cuttingcheese, as the anatomy shows great diversity. The different cuts are determined by the texture, which will make us recommend the use of one tool or another, by the shape of the cheese and by its flavor.
Depending on the shape and size, diners should have the opportunity to taste all parts of the cheese, from the rind to the core.
There are also typical ways of cutting for each cheese, established by tradition; the cheese
Tetilla cheese
cheese must be cut in slices; round cheeses, such as the type
D.O. Zamorano
in wedges, and the Cabrales type is best cut in small cubes or blocks. As for the type of cut, it should not be forgotten that a certain irregular touch can give the cheese board a more aesthetic appearance, and that excessively clean and regular cuts give the cheese a more industrial than artisanal air.
Depending on the flavor, we can use two types of cut; diced and sliced; for example, semi-hard and hard cheeses, such as Zamorano cheese, it is preferable to cut it in thin slices to better appreciate its aroma and smell. Very dry cheeses will taste better cut directly into shavings, and not in pieces, because they will dissolve better on the tongue.
An important rule when cutting a cheese is that each portion should contain a piece of rind, since most artisan cheeses concentrate their flavor and aroma characteristics there, thanks to the growth of mold during ripening.
Just as there are different ways of slicing the wide variety of cheeses available, there are also different ways of slicing the different types of cheese. wide range of knives according to the type of cheese to be cutWe must have at least 2 or 3 special knives: a rounded blade knife for the softer cheeses, a sharper one for the harder ones and at least a third knife to cut the stronger flavored cheeses without mixing flavors.
Soft or very creamy cheeses are very difficult to cut because the knife sticks, as is the case of our Tender Campoestrella Cheese. In these cases, if you do not have a special knife, a trick to make the blade slide more easily through the cheese is to spread it with oil.
For harder cheeses, if you do not have a cheese shovel, a good vegetable peeler can also be useful.
For more or less hard cheeses that we want to cut into wedges, we can prevent them from cracking by using a hot knife, and never cutting the cheese cold.