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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

... to ask you about cheese knives?

33 replies

CHJR · 21/05/2017 18:38

They baffle me. Are you supposed to supply one for each guest, one for each cheese, or just one for the whole table?
middle class problems

OP posts:
AntigoneJones · 21/05/2017 18:39

what is a cheese knife?
Does it have the little stabby bit on the end?
Kind of a bit naff aren't they?

harderandharder2breathe · 21/05/2017 18:40

I've only ever seen one for the whole lot but then I'm pretty common Wink and my experience is limited mainly to family dinner tables rather than formal dinner parties

Frillyhorseyknickers · 21/05/2017 18:42

Ideally you have a separate cheese knife for each cheese, to avoid mixing the flavours- not for individual diners.

Original poster
CHJR · 21/05/2017 18:46

Naff, are they? Oh, good, that means I can just get rid of them. Except MIL gave them to us... pesky wooden handles that can't go in dishwasher!
Sometimes I just want to bin everything in the kitchen and start over.

OP posts:
user1495388403 · 21/05/2017 18:47

What!? One for each person? Hahahahah. No! One for each of the cheeses. They aren't naff, they cut the cheese properly.

Oh and NEVER take the nose.

PaperdollCartoon · 21/05/2017 18:48

The different shaped knives are for different cheese. You leave them on the cheese board.

Ethylred · 21/05/2017 18:48

Ok it's things like this that Mumsnet is for.

Well done OP.

Beyond that I'm sorry I haven't a clue.

Crumbs1 · 21/05/2017 18:50

I'm not sure what you'd cut cheese with if not a cheese knife? You need a knife for harder cheeses and a blade for soft cheese.

GloriaV · 21/05/2017 18:51

How many have you got?

How many different cheeses do you offer?

I have a nice old one with a faded wooden handle. My only complaint is that they don't cut hard cheese too well as they are quite blunt.

harderandharder2breathe · 21/05/2017 18:57

I have a fondness now for my mums ancient wooden handled cheese knife and ice cream scoop... I bet she's thrown them out but if not I must ask for them to be handed down to me!

MyOtherNameIsTaken · 21/05/2017 18:59

I've got a cheese knife set in a wooden cheese board. Totally useless as you can't cut the cheese on the board as it would scratch the polished surface. Hmm

HelenaJustina · 21/05/2017 19:07

We have three out, one for blue cheeses, one for soft and one for hard... my DD gets most miffed if DH mixes them!

Nydj · 21/05/2017 19:12

On a slight tangent but does anyone know why it is rude to cut the nose off a piece of cheese?

OhPuddleducks · 21/05/2017 19:15

I have cheese knives. One is massive. We call it the cheese cleaver.

Blerugh · 21/05/2017 19:16

I think it's supposed to be rude to eat the nose as it's the tastiest bit - you're supposed to cut a bit from the outside to the centre so everyone gets som!

maras2 · 21/05/2017 19:27

We've got 5 and the cheese boards that they go with.
42 years old and never used. Smile
That's when wedding presents were surprises and cheese boards and knives were de rigueur.
Waiting for the Antiques Road Show to come to our city.Grin

Puffpaw · 21/05/2017 19:46

different knives for different cheeses like these
www.johnlewis.com/robert-welch-radford-cheese-knife-set-5-piece/p1491545

Puffpaw · 21/05/2017 19:48

The nose is the ripest part of the cheese, so as blerugh said the tastiest, polite to share

AnarchyKitty · 21/05/2017 20:16

I have a cheese knife. It's bloody brilliant for thinly slicing tomatoes (It's sole use).

Giraffey1 · 21/05/2017 20:34

Gah, I've spent the last few decades offending polite company by eating what I now learn is the 'nose' of the cheese. I just thought it was the easiest bit to cut and avoided my causing mayhem on the table when wrestling with the wider sections!

juneybean · 21/05/2017 21:21

Which bit is the nose? Can I have a diagram?

Nydj · 21/05/2017 21:27

Thanks for the explanations @Blerugh and @Puffpaw

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 21/05/2017 21:28

I got a set of mini cheese knives for Christmas from my mum a few years back, like the john Lewis ones linked but cheap!

They are great. No idea which one is meant to go with which cheese but we use a different one for each cheese.

mydietstartsmonday · 21/05/2017 21:33

How can you possible not love cheese knives. Definitely one for each cheese and don't mix up the one for the blue cheese with the one for Brie or Camembert. Love a cheese knife and board. We have one set of cheese knives, various single cheese knife and about 20 cheese boards and a chutney set. We have had to ban cheese themed Christmas present.

user1495388403 · 21/05/2017 21:37

The nose is the tip of the wedge. I thought this was basic general knowledge Shock