Cheese graters are versatile kitchen tools that can grate hard cheeses, spices, and fruit peels. Different types include the traditional grater, mandoline grater, airplane grater, and rotary grater, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Despite their reputation for danger, cheese graters are some of the most versatile pieces of kitchen equipment. In addition to the obvious job of grating hard cheeses, they can handle hard spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. They can also turn fruit peels into tasty zest. Not all graters work the same, so it’s important to understand the different types before buying.
One of the most common varieties of grater is called a grater. This is the vaguely cowbell-shaped device found in most kitchens for decades. Each side of a grater has a different blade arrangement, from a long horizontal slicer to the knuckle-cracking shredder and finally to the coarse and fine graters for hard cheeses and spices. These graters are held firmly on a clean, dry surface while the user scrapes the cheese or spice against one of the sides. The grated product is generally contained in the package until it is time to transfer. Graters do a good job for most cheeses, but they can get clogged over time and accidental nicks and cuts are common.
If shelf life is an important feature, a mandoline cheese grater might be a better fit than its more grated cousin. A mandolin has a flat panel with a variety of blades and slicers. One of the advantages of mandolin gratins is portability: the cheeses can be grated directly onto a pan, for example. A major disadvantage of mandolins is the lack of sturdiness. Some users find it difficult to hold them steady with one hand while grating cheeses with the other. Slipping can cause injury.
An improvement over the mandolin grater is called an airplane grater. These are commonly carried by waiters in authentic Italian restaurants. Aircraft graters look like files or rasps, with a comfortable handle and semi-circular grating surface. The user holds the grater in his weaker hand and a block of hard cheese in the other. The idea is to scrape the cheese across the grater blades and allow the cheese flakes to fall into the food. Most users of flat cheese graters protect their fingers by wrapping a clean kitchen towel around the cheese.
For a more efficient and safer cheese grating experience, many chefs choose rotary graters. Rotary graters can be manual or electric, but both work on the same principle. A block of hard cheese, such as Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano, is placed in a small chamber on the outside of the grater and pressed against a circular blade. A hinged handle keeps the cheese in place while the user manually turns a side handle or activates an electric motor. The blade rotates around the outside of an empty area, allowing grated cheese to fall in between. The cheese chips can then be sprinkled on food or added to a dish while cooking.
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