Quick Answer: The Grotto Accessories collection includes cheese knives for charcuterie boards, hygrometers for tracking humidity, clay bricks for moisture control, and bamboo or black resin boards that double as Grotto shelving. Each piece solves a specific problem in cutting, storing, or serving cheese, rather than just looking good on a board.

Most cheese board accessories collections online are just a pile of mismatched gadgets. Cut into the Grotto Accessories page and you find something different. Almost every item connects back to one purpose: making a Cheese Grotto, or any cheese storage routine, actually work the way it should.

That distinction matters more than it sounds. This guide walks through what is in the collection, piece by piece, and which ones are worth your money.

Cheese Knives for Charcuterie Board Building

Every cheese board fails for the same reason. Someone reaches for a butter knife to cut a soft brie, tears the rind apart, and the board looks messy before the first guest arrives.

A wide, flat blade scoops soft cheese cleanly instead of tearing it. A firmer, narrower blade handles aged cheddar or alpine styles without crumbling the wheel. This is the entire logic behind buying dedicated cheese knives for charcuterie board setups instead of grabbing whatever is in the kitchen drawer.

The Classico Black Board and Knife Gift Set pairs a resin-infused board with a matching black knife, sized for two to three people. Both pieces come with a soapstone chalk stick, so you can write the cheese name directly on the board or knife and wipe it clean afterward. It is a small detail, but it solves the constant "wait, which cheese is this one" problem at any gathering.

Hygrometers: The Tool Most People Skip

A hygrometer measures humidity, and humidity decides whether your cheese holds its texture or dries out within a week. Most home fridges run drier than cheese actually needs, which is exactly why a wedge that looked fine on day one turns hard and cracked by day five.

The collection includes a Gold Finish Hygrometer at $15 and a Polished Gold Finish Digital Hygrometer Thermometer at $30 for anyone who wants both humidity and temperature readings in one device. Either option turns guessing into something you can actually monitor and adjust.

Clay Bricks: How Humidity Actually Gets Controlled

A hygrometer tells you the problem. A clay brick fixes it. Soaked in water before use, the brick slowly releases moisture into your storage space, keeping the air around your cheese humid enough to prevent drying without trapping condensation the way plastic wrap does.

The Classico Clay Brick Humidifier runs $20, and the smaller Fresco, Mezzo, and Piatto Clay Brick is $15. Every Cheese Grotto ships with one already included, but a spare brick is worth having since the clay does wear down with repeated soaking over time.

Boards and Servers That Double as Shelving

This is where the collection gets clever instead of just decorative. The Classico Bamboo Server, Fresco/Mezzo Bamboo Server, and Piatto Bamboo Board are not just serving pieces. Each one is sized to also function as a removable shelf inside the matching Grotto model.

The black resin versions work the same way. The Classico Black Board, Fresco/Mezzo Black Board, and Piatto Black Board are made from resin-infused paper that resists mold naturally, goes in the dishwasher, and is tough enough that Cheese Grotto describes it as "like slate, but stronger." Prices run from $15 for the Piatto Bamboo Board up to $35 for the Classico Black Board, depending on size and material.

For anyone hosting larger groups, the Adagio Cheese Server is the standalone option. At 23 inches long with double handles for carrying, it is built as a centerpiece server rather than a Grotto shelf, with one side cut with a groove for dramatic plating and the other left flat for a fuller spread.

Grotto Accessories at a Glance

Why Buying These as a Set Makes Sense

Cutting cheese well only matters if you also store it well afterward. Most people buy a knife, then later realize their cheese keeps drying out, then buy a hygrometer separately, then eventually figure out the clay brick. Buying the Grotto Accessories collection as a coordinated set skips that trial and error.

Each piece supports the next step in the cycle: a knife to cut cleanly, a board to serve and store, a hygrometer to monitor conditions, and a clay brick to actually correct them. For a closer look at matching the right blade to each cheese texture, How to Cut Different Cheeses breaks down techniques for bloomy rinds, washed rinds, and firm aged styles in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cheese knife works best for soft cheese like brie?

 A spreader-style blade with a wide, flat edge works best. It scoops the cheese cleanly without tearing the rind, unlike a thinner blade made for firm or aged styles.

How much does a hygrometer for cheese storage cost? 

The Gold Finish Hygrometer is $15, and the Polished Gold Finish Digital Hygrometer Thermometer, which also tracks temperature, is $30. Both fit inside a Cheese Grotto for monitoring.

Do the bamboo and black boards actually work as Grotto shelves? 

Yes. The Classico, Fresco, Mezzo, and Piatto boards are each sized to double as a removable shelf inside their matching Grotto model, not just as standalone serving pieces.

How often do I need to replace the clay brick? 

There is no fixed schedule, but the clay does wear down with repeated soaking over months of use. Keeping a spare brick on hand means you are never without humidity control.

What is the best starting accessory if I only buy one thing? 

A dedicated knife set makes the most immediate difference, since most cheese board problems start with the wrong blade. Add a hygrometer next once you start storing cheese for longer than a few days.