# Wedge of hard Romano & no grater. Any tricks or do I just have to shave the cheese? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 25, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310 "2009-02-25T02:22:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/1 "2009-02-25T02:22:00Z")
Lacking a grater is there any tips or tricks to make little cheese particles other than slicing thin strips off with a knife and chopping? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/2 "2009-02-25T02:32:41Z")
I’d like to help, but I’ve always had a grater. I wanted shredded cheddar the other day, but I’d just washed my grater and was lazy and didn’t want to wash it again; so I just did the slice-and-chop. Being hard and crumbly, Romano will probably be quicker and easier. OK, so I’m not any help. But I have [one of these](http://www.amazon.com/Zyliss-Rotary-Grater-Fine-Drum/dp/B000AETJ08/ref=pd_bbs_sr_7?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1235528627&sr=8-7). For hard cheeses like Romano or Parmesan it’s just the thing. This particular one has a very short ‘funnel’ thing that falls off easily, so I don’t use the ‘funnel’ ring. But the grater itself makes quick work of a slice or block of hard cheese. But for now? Um… Do you have a rasp in your tool box you can wash? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/3 "2009-02-25T03:32:30Z")
Use a serrated knife and scrape it up and down the cheese. Not perfect, but it does the job in an emergency. ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/4 "2009-02-25T03:35:23Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Use a serrated knife and scrape it up and down the cheese. Not perfect, but it does the job in an emergency. That’s what I’ve done from time to time, using a serrated steak knife. It works ok. Hold the serrated blade perpendicular to the block. You should get lots of little shavings. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/5 "2009-02-25T03:44:59Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > OK, so I’m not any help. But I have [one of these](http://www.amazon.com/Zyliss-Rotary-Grater-Fine-Drum/dp/B000AETJ08/ref=pd_bbs_sr_7?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1235528627&sr=8-7). For hard cheeses like Romano or Parmesan it’s just the thing. This particular one has a very short ‘funnel’ thing that falls off easily, so I don’t use the ‘funnel’ ring. But the grater itself makes quick work of a slice or block of hard cheese. I heart my Zyliss grater. I’m gonna start bringing mine when I go to the Olive Garden, and just tell the server to leave the wedge. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/6 "2009-02-25T04:27:30Z")
A hard cheese might work well with a veggie peeler. ---
**Author:** ![Pigs\_in\_Space](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@Pigs\_in\_Space](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pigs_in_Space)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/7 "2009-02-25T04:56:05Z")
Are you going for a large quantity? If you have a food processor, you can use that. Chop the Romano into half inch cubes, then use the swirling blade at the bottom of the bowl, not the shredding disk. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/8 "2009-02-25T05:42:41Z")
You could just shave it with a Stilleto or an Opinel. Thin, long, shavings… wield the wedge as an arrowhead, whittling down. If you want to be authentic. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/9 "2009-02-25T05:45:58Z")
Or a vegetable parer, such as you might use for peeling potatoes or carrots. There are worse ways for your Romano to land on your food than in thin, slightly curled sheets (such as in little clumps poured from a green cardboard can). ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/10 "2009-02-25T05:48:03Z")
If you have a mortar and pestle, you can crumble bits of it, broken off. Due to the nature of the cheese’s intrinsic structure you should get a fine product with enough grindage. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/11 "2009-02-25T15:23:28Z")
Do you own a Ped Egg? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/12 "2009-02-25T15:27:27Z")
> [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](#): > > Do you own a Ped Egg? You know, that was the first thing I thought of and almost posted it! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/13 "2009-02-25T15:34:10Z")
How about a rasp from the toolbox? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/14 "2009-02-25T16:02:25Z")
> [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](#): > > Do you own a Ped Egg? Just remember to empty and wash the compartment first… “Cheese or foot callus? Hmmm…” ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/15 "2009-02-25T16:09:51Z")
I have used my lemon zester for a small amount of shavings when I was in a hurry and didn’t want to dig a grater out of the cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/16 "2009-02-25T16:26:21Z")
I think I would go for my coffee grinder, which is really my spice grinder. There has never been a coffee bean in it. $10. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/17 "2009-02-25T17:13:38Z")
The veg peeler recommendations are spot-on. You may find that you prefer the little shards and curls of cheese it creates over the texture of grated cheese. I know that I like the “shards” in a caesar salad best. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wedge-of-hard-romano-no-grater-any-tricks-or-do-i-just-have-to-shave-the-cheese/487310/18 "2009-02-25T17:41:47Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > How about a rasp from the toolbox? That was my first thought. Or a rotary rasp on a drill.