As far as kitchen tasks go, cutting cheese is pretty simple. But a hack currently circulating on social media is demonstrating that a straightforward task can be made even easier with one tool.
Say goodbye to jagged, uneven cheese slices cut by unwieldy knives. Next time you're preparing to serve a beautiful cheese plate or create perfect strips for a grilled cheese, keep this kitchen tool handy: a vegetable peeler.
According to one woman in the U.K. who stumbled upon this trick recently, this unassuming little gadget produces even, thin slices of cheese — and it's a lot faster than using a knife.
Pictures showcasing the technique were first posted by Chloe Burton in a private Facebook group, Extreme Budget DIY & Life Hacks, the group's administrator told TODAY Food. It wasn't long before the images of cheese slices sliding effortlessly through the peeler quickly made the rounds in various other groups.
Another U.K.-based group, Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, shared the trick with its members, too. Since then, it has been shared again and again through social media, racking up thousands of comments and hundreds of likes.
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One person commented that using a veggie peeler is actually go-to hack in the catering business to ribbon an array of foods (not just vegetables). Kourtney Kardashian has also vouched for using a veggie peeler to make her own Instagram-worthy salad.
Another person stated they've been using a similar item for years that works very well: an actual cheese slicer, which doesn't look too far off from Burton's peeler.
While this cheese-peeling hack might seem like a dream, chef Frank Proto, director of culinary operations at the Institute of Culinary Education, said home cooks should proceed with caution whenever using a tool for something other than its intended purpose.
"I’d recommend using a peeler to peel things," he told TODAY via email. "While not the most exciting answer, I find that peelers are great at peeling but other tools are better for slicing."
He did contend that this trick would work well with semi-hard cheeses like cheddar, Parmesan and pecorino. Others noted that it would not work with crumblier varieties.
As far as Burton's technique? "I recommend staying away from any method of slicing that requires cutting towards yourself," the chef advised.
