Cook's Knives People Who Love The Kitchen
Of all the tools and utensils used in the kitchen today, it is probably the knife that rewards the most careful selection. When you consider it, a knife is an extension of your hand. To fillet, slice and chop requires manual dexterity. If a knife allows you to move and handle your ingredients in a natural and easy way, this will add to your cooking enjoyment and mastery.
There are several kitchen duties which, if carried out frequently, deserve having a special knife to do the job. Then again, you will find 3 knives that will most likely see the most deterioration: a chef's knife, a paring knife and a serrated knife. If chosen properly, a good set of cook's knives will boost your cooking satisfaction and be a worthwhile expense for a many years to come.
A good chef's knife will typically have a blade that's 6 to 12 inches long. It will be used for slicing, dicing, chopping and mincing. It can even be used for boning large cuts of meat if you do not have a cleaver. The side of the blade is great for crushing garlic etc.
A paring knife will have a 3-4" long blade and will be used for peeling and paring fruit and vegetables and for trimming where a larger blade would be cumbersome. A serrated knife is used for cutting through bread, bagels, baguettes, etc. and should have a blade long enough to cut through a large loaf or a sandwich cake. These three kitchen work-horses will serve you well and, if you're on a tight budget, will serve most purposes.
Regarding the type of material, high carbon steel is generally considered the best performer, but can discolor with use, although this is purely cosmetic. High carbon stainless steel is a popular choice, will look great and will take and maintain a sharp edge. Stainless steel is generally less expensive, will retain its good looks but is not hard enough to maintain the best possible edge. Ceramic blades are so hard that they will maintain a sharp edge for months or years with little maintenance. However, they are more expensive to buy and may require diamond-sharpening.
There are several kitchen duties which, if carried out frequently, deserve having a special knife to do the job. Then again, you will find 3 knives that will most likely see the most deterioration: a chef's knife, a paring knife and a serrated knife. If chosen properly, a good set of cook's knives will boost your cooking satisfaction and be a worthwhile expense for a many years to come.
A good chef's knife will typically have a blade that's 6 to 12 inches long. It will be used for slicing, dicing, chopping and mincing. It can even be used for boning large cuts of meat if you do not have a cleaver. The side of the blade is great for crushing garlic etc.
A paring knife will have a 3-4" long blade and will be used for peeling and paring fruit and vegetables and for trimming where a larger blade would be cumbersome. A serrated knife is used for cutting through bread, bagels, baguettes, etc. and should have a blade long enough to cut through a large loaf or a sandwich cake. These three kitchen work-horses will serve you well and, if you're on a tight budget, will serve most purposes.
Regarding the type of material, high carbon steel is generally considered the best performer, but can discolor with use, although this is purely cosmetic. High carbon stainless steel is a popular choice, will look great and will take and maintain a sharp edge. Stainless steel is generally less expensive, will retain its good looks but is not hard enough to maintain the best possible edge. Ceramic blades are so hard that they will maintain a sharp edge for months or years with little maintenance. However, they are more expensive to buy and may require diamond-sharpening.
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