KNIVES OUT this Season GIVE YOURSELF AN EDGE FOR CHRISTMAS. A SHARP EDGE. Matt Freeman
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T’S THE HOLIDAY SEASON. A TIME OF FEASTING AND merriment and so forth. But some of us, otherwise content and comfortable, don’t anticipate preparing their own feast with any particular joy. That’s because of a surprisingly common privation—we don’t have knives that will cut stuff well. Too many of us have a drawer full of knives, sharp when purchased, but now woefully dull. With meats, these old implements saw more than slice. And they don’t cut a tomato as much as bludgeon it into submission. Cutting carrots makes a series of loud cracks as that old knife wedges through and whacks the cutting board. This is a sad story for so many reasons. First of all, having sub-par knives is dangerous. The extra force needed to make dull knives cut can make them go out of control and cut you. Dull knives damage the ingredients. And some believe these unloved things take the joy out of cooking. The knife is universally acknowledged to be a cook’s most important tool—the “second most important tool in the kitchen, after your hands,” says Andrew Deery, chef/owner of Phoenixville’s popular erstwhile restaurant Majolica. Yet thousands of avid home cooks suffer with needlessly dull knives and have seemingly resigned to live with the situation.
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County Lines | December 2021 | CountyLinesMagazine.com
But it doesn’t have to be this way. It’s easily fixable. If you’ve forgotten how nice it is to use a knife that glides effortlessly through your ingredients, read on. GIVE YOURSELF AN EDGE Start with a quality knife. If you need a good, starter kitchen knife, or want to get someone else one, you’re in luck—professionals agree on how to begin. • What kind? The 8-inch chef’s knife is close to a universal recommendation as your main knife. But Chef Deery has some advice here: get a knife that’s proportionate to you. Chef’s knives are found from 6 inches to 10 and up, so get one that’s the right size for you with a handle that feels comfortable. It should also feel balanced and nimble. This is personal, so try a few if possible. Essentials also include a smaller knife, from a 3-inch to about a 5-inch blade, and maybe a serrated bread knife. • Which brands? You can’t go wrong with the big-name brands you see in kitchenware stores such as Williams-Sonoma and Sur la Table. Zwilling J.A. Henckels (two names, one company, long story) and Wüsthof are the big dogs, and they make fine but somewhat pricey knives. Their classic models typically run from $150 to $180+. But you’ll go home with a very nice knife.
