Serious cooks realize that the equipment you use can make your daily cooking tasks either an onerous chore or a pleasure. Your knives are your livelihood and are indispensable tools, for without knives food preparation would be virtually impossible.
Knives are probably the most important items used and yet, the most unappreciated. Not until cheap and flimsy cutlery is actually used, will the cook realize this. A master chef will guard his collection of knives with his life and maintain them well; by doing so they will last him or her a lifetime. Aspiring chefs that plan on attending a culinary college will be required to provide their own cutlery, so if possible, buy the best of the basic types you can afford. Specialized types can always be purchased at a later date when your finances are more plentiful.
There are many considerations in choosing which knives to purchase. They will take up a large portion of your equipment budget, but will pay you back in performance. Good knives are made of the finest materials and the best construction; this cannot be stressed too much. Do not be afraid to browse specialty gourmet or restaurant stores before buying to ask questions and compare styles and brands.
Carbon steel is highly preferred by professionals because it takes a sharp edge, but it stains and rusts easily. High carbon stainless steel is gaining in popularity because it resists the corrosive effects of water, acids and salt. Stainless steel, however, is more difficult to sharpen and maintain an edge.
The best blades are forged from a single piece of steel and have a full tang. The tang is an extension of the blade and runs the length of the handle. A full tang is a necessity for heavy duty cutlery such as butchers knives, chef’s knives and cleavers. Half tang or rat-tail tangs are adequate for light duty such as paring or filleting. Stamped knives are manufactured from a single sheet of metal, and may have full tang, but they will not stand up to heavy use as well as a forged full tang knife. The tang should always be secured to the handle with rivets not adhesives.
The handle should be comfortable and heat proof and shaped so that it will not slip in your hand. Check the workmanship of the knife, spaces and cracks will lead to problems down the road, as water and food particles can enter and eventually destroy the knife as well as being unhygienic. Last but not least, check the feel of the knife in your hand. If it feels uncomfortable or is not easy to manipulate, you will end up not using it.
Never store knives in a drawer where they will get nicked up and dulled or in a spot where children can reach them. Wash and dry by hand, a dishwasher can ruin the temper of the steel and may warp the handles. Always use a cutting board with a wood surface or a surface which is dense, but not as hard as glass or ceramic which will rapidly dull the edge. Use a sharpening steel before each use, this realigns the steel edge and makes cutting and slicing effortless. When the edge gets dull, either learn the proper method of sharpening the knives yourself or have a professional do the job. Dull knives are dangerous knives.
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