Nourishments—

Any Way You Slice It, A Good Knife Is A Keen Kitchen Companion

By Nancy K. Crevier

I have never understood why a cook would try to make it through a recipe using a tiny paring knife, or a steak knife, as the only cutting tool. To watch someone do so is too painful for me to watch. No wonder people say that they hate to cook.

It doesn’t matter if you cook occasionally or obsessively. Any way you slice it, a good knife is a good companion in the kitchen. Currently, I have three chef knives, including two with 8-inch blades and one 10-inch blade; a hollow edge Santoku knife; a serrated tomato knife; a 4-inch paring knife; a serrated bread knife; and two utility knives. I also have one 8-inch serrated chef knife that I bought in a grocery store 25 years ago, for a few measly dollars. Surprisingly, it was well made (although the blade is rather thin), and did a good job for years longer than I expected. I keep it to remind myself that the amount spent on an item does not always equal its value.

All of the knives I now own are high-carbon stainless steel. They hold a sharp edge with regular honing, and they don’t rust. I have spent a fair amount of money on these knives, but unless I lose one, I don’t expect to have to replace any of them before I hang up my apron for good.

I also have a collection of carbon steel knives wrapped up and stored in the basement, some of my earlier purchases. They are great knives, but require much more upkeep to prevent rusting, and need to be sharpened more frequently. I’m thinking that they will make a perfect first apartment contribution to a certain young man who is more likely than I am to have the time and energy to clean and sharpen them, until one day he starts his own stainless steel knife collection, too.

Despite my getting the heebie-jeebies from watching food abused by an inappropriate knife, the funny thing is, I find myself gravitating to just one or two of my own knives, no matter what I am doing.

I would be lost without my 8-inch Wusthof chef knife. It is light enough for me to wield for an extended period of chopping, slicing, and dicing. Although it seems remarkably similar to my Cutco, it is a more comfortable knife in some way that I cannot define. Because I do not hack chickens or other animals apart, I find that I don’t need the stronger, heavier 10-inch chef knife from Caphalon that delivers a more solid whack. It has a great edge, but being on the smaller side, I find it clumsier to handle than an 8-inch chef knife.

When I can’t find my paring knife (someone, and I won’t name names, mixes it up with the steak knives and tucks it away in the steak knife box at times…), I go into a tail spin. It is a versatile knife for small tasks, like slicing mushrooms, or peeling fruits and vegetables. Keeping the edge sharp is crucial for the fine work required of this knife.

My serrated bread knife gets a regular work out, as well, whether cutting off chunks of ciabatta or smoothly slicing through a loaf of homemade bread. There is nothing more cruel than crushing the life out of a loaf of bread with a straight-edged knife that clings to each crumb as it passes through, and compresses the whole thing into an ugly mass.

Knife selection is a personal matter. The length of the blade, the handle, the style, and the edge a knife holds can make one brand more desirable over another, depending on the cook and the type of cooking one does. High-end knife manufacturers frequently have a series of lower priced knives that are more than adequate for home use.

When buying a knife, be sure to pick it up and hold it. French manufactured knives are typically lighter than German knives, which may be appealing. The grip of the knife should feel secure and comfortable enough that you will not mind holding it for an extended period of time.

Check that the knife is made of one piece of steel that runs all the way through the blade. In some knives, the top of the blade is visible, in others, you may have to read the literature, as the blade may be fully encased in the handle. A knife blade that is merely set into the first inch or two of a handle will never be strong, and is really a waste of money. It is better, I think, to slowly build up a collection of decent knives, than to hastily purchase a set of substandard knives that you will never be happy with, and have to replace.

A chef’s knife is the most versatile, if choosing just one knife. The tapered blade is ideal for the rocking motion used in mincing, chopping, or dicing. It can be used for slicing, cutting through bone, and removing skin.

The Santoku Japanese knife is another general purpose knife, although the straight blade makes it better for chopping. Many are made with a hollow edged blade that is supposed to keep foods from sticking to it. I’ve never found that to be particularly true with my own, and because I like to use a rocking motion when chopping,  I have never fully bonded with my Santoku, despite its lighter weight and sharp edge.

The paring knife is also all-purpose, for smaller jobs. Use it to get those hot seeds out of the habenero or jalapeño pepper, or remove the nasty vein from the back of the shrimp. A paring knife can slice small fruits and vegetables neatly, and is useful if you are making garnishes.

Use a utility knife for all of the other kitchen chores, such as cutting up apples and melons, summer squash, cheese, and if the knife is very sharp, for slicing tomatoes. A serrated utility knife, just for tomatoes, is gentle enough to not crush the tomato as you slice through.

Filet knives, carving knives, cheese knives, pizza wheels and knives, and meat cleavers are among the many other specialty knives that can be added to a knife collection as the need arises.

Think of a good knife as a good friend — one that can help you in the kitchen, support you through thick and thin, and with a little attention, a friend that will always be your sharpest friend.