The 5 Cheesiest Tips You’ll Ever Need

Large, round slices of cheese can be too big and unwieldy to fit nicely onto a piece of sandwich bread. For a neater fit, use this clever trick, which is especially useful for making drip-free grilled cheese sandwiches. First, fold the cheese slice into quarters, breaking it into four pieces. Then arrange the cheese on the bread with the squared edges facing out and the rounded edges facing in.

Use a clean plastic bag (a large zipper-lock bag works best) to hold the grater and the cheese. By placing the bag around both, you can grate without getting your hands dirty, and you don’t have to worry about rogue pieces flying off into your kitchen. The best part? Leftover grated cheese is ready for storage, no transfer needed.

Raclette and smoked Gouda are perfect for omelets and homemade pizzas. But grating semisoft cheeses is difficult: How do you shred it without mashing it onto the box grater and clogging the holes? Try this: Spray the grater with cooking spray, because it helps keep the cheese from sticking to the surface.

Want cheese shavings as a garnish for your soup or salad? Run a vegetable peeler over a block of Parmesan. The lighter your touch, the thinner the shavings will be.

Butter keepers are (obviously) perfect for keeping butter fresh, but they also keep goat cheese in great shape, too. Store a log in one and you’ll never struggle to get cheese out of the bottom of a wrapper again.

Like these? See more quick tips at Cook's Illustrated.