With fewer than 20 sleeps until the big Christmas Day, you may dream of the Le Creuset you asked Santa for or are thrilled to gift your S.O. the cool, new hasselback potato cutter from Sur La Table. Screw sugar plums, am I right? I am personally not catching too many winks, as I am staying up late to devise my perfect, photo-worthy family holiday charcuterie board.
I have scrolled through TikTok to see charcuter-trees and Brie cut-outs, but I am just trying to level up my cheese board to look like I’m an artist, a true board professional. If I wanted to make my life easier, I could tap into my Midwestern roots and make a cheeseball, but I think I will tap into my inner Marissa Mullen — of That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life fame — instead. In the spirit of curiosity, good holiday charcuterie boards, and future cheese plates to come, here are the best cheese-cutting tips I have found on TikTok. You can thank me later.
How to cut Brie & Camembert
It may feel easiest to just plop the cheese round in the middle of your board and have everyone fend for themselves, but you can certainly class it up by cutting your wheel into individual wedges. Meg Quinn, the creator of The Cheese Board Deck, recommends chilling your Brie (or Camembert) for 10 minutes in the freezer before cutting.
Additionally, use a sharp knife and wipe it down with a warm towel to avoid sticking. From there, you can style your wedges in a circle as it appeared in the package, make a Brie river down the board, or whatever else your heart desires.
How to cut Boursin, Chevre, & other spreadable cheeses
Did you grab a fancy soft cheese log or box Boursin? The good news is, you don’t have to cut it at all. Professional board makers leave soft cheeses like these intact and make sure a spreading knife is nearby for partygoers to take as much or little as they want. However, you can def make the soft cheese look extra cool by adding a few fresh herbs to the top. TikTok creator @boardbycourtney added rosemary and cranberries to Boursin to make it look like a little wreath!
How to cut Parmesan, Pecorino, aged cheddar, & other hard cheeses
Got a hard, crumbly cheese? Rather than try to slice it, lean into the crumbliness. Torrie Laine on TikTok uses the tip of her knife to twist and crumble. These bite-sized pieces add a textured and “rustic look” to your board.
How to cut Swiss, Gruyère, & cheddar
Hard cheese are definitely the most fun to work with. Marissa Mullen gave a cheese-cutting refresher on TikTok and showed how you can make wedges or sticks with your hard cheeses. Then, you can alternate your wedges, fan them out, or create a cheese river. You can also opt for chopping your cheese blocks up into small cubes.