Kitchen Tools and Equipment: Episode 3- Knives
Have you ever watched someone peeling and cutting fruits or vegetables with an 8” slicing knife? I have. I spent my entire childhood watching my mother wield an 8” slicing knife like it was a paring knife (paring knives are typically 3’ or 4” in length). She could do this, not on a cutting board. Nope, not my mom! She did this in the air which I now refer to as aerial cutting. What I mean by that is she could hold the food in her left hand, and using the right, peel and cut the item into pieces ready to eat or cook. I never realized how amazing and difficult this was until I went to chef’s school where we had to have our own set of knives and in that set were many knives, all with their own purpose. The 8” slicing knife was not recommended for peeling or aerial cutting. Two knives were needed to do this task, a paring knife to peel and a chef’s knife to chop, preferably using a cutting board. Since then I have learned the skill of aerial cutting but I still only use a paring knife.
So, where do you start when it comes to choosing the right knives for yourself? That cabinet of knives in the store’s showcase are all shining up at you, different shapes, different lengths, which is the right one for you? Well, they all have specific purposes and many only get used a couple of times a year, if that. They’re very impressive looking and sometimes we try to convince ourselves that we need them but really we don’t. Good quality knives can be very expensive so the best use of your money is to buy the knives you will use most, of the best quality you can afford. As you become more experienced in the kitchen, your knife collection will grow but for now, let’s just talk basics.
To start, the knives I recommend you purchase first are a paring knife, a utility or chef’s knife, and a serrated (bread) knife. You can add other pieces like a slicing knife in the future when you feel you need it. The size of your knives is also important. Make sure it feels comfortable in your hand, it’s balanced, not too heavy and you will feel comfortable and in control when holding it. Here’s what I recommend to start:
Paring Knife ~ 3” or 4”
Utility Knife ~ 5”, 6” or 7” (7” is bordering on the length of a slicing knife)
Chef’s Knife ~ 6”, 7” or 8”
Serrated (Bread) Knife ~ 6”, 7” or 8” (8” would be best if you like crusty breads or you’re a cake maker and will have to slice your cakes into layers)
MezzaLuna
This is a great option for those who don’t like or have trouble gripping a knife handle. It could be a personal thing or even an injury like carpal tunnel syndrome which makes gripping anything difficult. A mezzaluna takes the pressure off the hands and wrists and allows you to still be able to chop.
Maintenance is paramount
The next thing to consider is how to keep your knives sharp. A sharp knife is a safe knife so it’s very important to learn how to keep your knives sharp at all times. Typically I have my knives sharpened once a year by a professional but I keep them sharp at home by using a simple to use knife sharpener. You can also use a steel to hone your knives on a regular basis which really means almost every time you use your knives or at the very least a couple of times per week. I use to do this but I would sometimes forget and then it was too far gone for honing so I would use my sharpener instead. To do a true sharpening of your knives at home, you would need a sharpening stone. I’ve always advised people to start practicing with an old knife or one they don’t really like because you might actually make it worse before making it better. It takes some practice to learn…and patience. When it comes right down to it, how to sharpening your knives will depend on your willingness to do the sharpening and your comfort zone. This is why I use a simple, easy to use knife sharpener…it just makes my life easier.
A sharp knife is a safe knife!
Regular care and maintenance of your knives is paramount to keeping them sharp & safe…and they can last you a lifetime if you do!
