How to cut a whole Mimolette?

[Rangen]

Ever since I first tasted it, 20 years ago, Mimolette has been my favorite eating-by-itself cheese. There's just something magical about its flavors to me. And yes, I know about the little bugs that are involved in the process of making it. I don't care.

So when I had a chance to get a whole Mimolette, I jumped at it.



So now it's here, and I'm not sure how to cut it apart. That outer rind is HARD. When I buy a wedge of Mimolette, I use a short-bladed Warther hard cheese knife, and it works great on the cheese itself, but I'm pretty sure it's not up to the job of tackling the rind.

I was thinking maybe my gigantic Chinese bone cleaver, and a wooden mallet, but I figure there has to be a more conventional, and probably better, way to deal with this.

Suggestions?

 

[Michi]

Cheeses such as this are usually cut with wire. Do a search for cheese cutters, and you’ll find them. Basically a garrotte for cheese…

 

[rmrf]

Another knife / gadget to buy!

 

[LostHighway]

Bharbjt is one of the better makers of professional cheese knives/tools. What the video fails to tell you is that the wire in the wire cutters not infrequently breaks. The wire is easily replaceable but you don't want your eye down at that level trying to line up the perfect cut.

Edit: I'm not sure about the current availability of Bharbjt in the USA but failing that I'd go with Boska. Dexter makes them too.

 

[Rangen]

Perfect. I'd never heard of these knives, but they seem familiar somehow, like maybe I've seen them on a work table at the cheese counter. Thanks!

 

[TB_London]

I have a big 2 handle cheese knife, and it’s exactly what you need. Only used a handful of times a year but works well and is good comedy value the rest of the year.
Mines a cheapo and still works well, though handles are plastic abominations

 

[Rangen]

Yeah, the one I ordered based on this thread is a cheapo, too. I shut down the internal voice that asked whether TF would make a knife like that.

 

[Greasylake]

Miura also listed a cheese knife recently. I'm unsure if it would fit your needs though, I don't do much cheese cutting.

Slicer for prosciutto - single bevel MASAHIRO Stainless Size: 23.5cm

Masahiro stainless special slicer knife for prosciutto . Knife 23,5cm Overall length 370mm Blade length 23,5cm Height at blade base 22mm Thickness 1,7...

miuraknives.com

 

[pleue]

Worst kitchen injury I've ever heard was from a coworker who was working with a guy who was using a big 12" gyuto cutting a whole hard cheese and his off hand slipped off the spine and rolled down the tip, basically opening up his whole palm. Don't do this. Cleaver and a mallet, 2 handled cheese knife, cheese splitting wedges, wire cutter, etc. Be safe and enjoy.

 

[Boynutman]

Eh... Something French...?

(and thanks for introducing Mimolette!)

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Ever since I first tasted it, 20 years ago, Mimolette has been my favorite eating-by-itself cheese. There's just something magical about its flavors to me. And yes, I know about the little bugs that are involved in the process of making it. I don't care.

I feel the same way!
It’s awesome cheese!
I’ve watched the cheese monger break three cheese wires trying to slice one up. Yes the double handed blade would be waaaaayyyy safer.