The joys of giving professional advice

[rikibeth]

eternaleponine is going off to graduate school at University of Michigan at the end of the summer. We were chatting, and she was talking about having to learn to do domestic things like cooking and grocery shopping for herself.

Naturally, I stressed the importance of having Good Knives.

I told her that to start, you really only need three: an 8" chef's knife, a paring knife, and an offset bread knife.

We looked online for my Dexter-Russell offset bread knife, but the exact one I have was not to be found. The Forschner actually looked closer to my model than the Dexter-Russell white-handled one. This one looked the most like what I have, but I knew nothing about that brand's blade quality, never having used one, so I suggested sticking with the Forschner, because they're the same people as Victorinox, which means Swiss Army knives, and it's hard to go wrong there.

Oh, and a sharpening steel because it's important to keep the straight-edged knives in good condition.

And a 12x18 acrylic cutting board. Because they're dishwasher safe and bleachable, and will cushion the knife.

I suggested buying three cutting boards in different colors -- one for raw meats, one for fruits, vegetables, and other ready-to-serve foods, and a third one reserved for garlic and onion to segregate the stinky things -- but even though the colored cutting boards were only $6 each, we agreed that it would probably be too much trouble to train a roommate to follow ServSafe procedures, so one would do for the basics.

Good trustworthy knives are THE most important things in a kitchen. And eternaleponine said she only had crap knives in her current collection of kitchen stuff.

I love the Internet. I got to give good advice AND go shopping with my friend, and help her get the right things, even though physically we're two hours' drive apart.

We probably ought to get together in person again before she goes, though, so I can show her the Really Cool Way to dice an onion with the offset knife.

eternaleponine, got a Tuesday you can trade off with anyone?

Comments

Do you recommend the acrylic cutting board over wood?

[mtfierce.livejournal.com]

Having read some of the more recent studies on wood cutting boards being better than plastic with safety in food prep. in mind, I've been considering getting a new cutting board. (Mine's a cheap dollar-store style plastic I bleach regularly.) As for the knives, well... first I'll learn how to use them, and THEN I'll pay for the good stuff.

[cherrybutterfly.livejournal.com]

Can I quote you on that a girl needs a knife and I got mine LOL Cool!

What do you use the knives for?

[zdashamber.livejournal.com]

Yeah, yeah, cutting...

Anyway, I'm thinking of how I use knives, and I haven't used my paring knife in two years. The only use I can think of for a paring knife is for taking the skin off apple slices for pie. But I know people really adore their paring knives, so I'm wondering what they do differently than I...

I don't own a serrated knife, much less an offset serrated bread knife. If I had to cut bread, I'd definitely get one, but I rarely make bread or buy uncut bread. I think it would be nice to have a serrated knife for cutting watermelon, but I don't know for sure... What else do you do with your serrated knife?

And is it easy to learn how to use a sharpening steel? I'm with you totally on the need for good sharp knives, but I've always heard that knife-sharpening is something that people usually do wrong...

[princejvstin.livejournal.com]

I learned from My Friends the Olsons™ the lore of having good (ie, not grocery store bought) knives.

I am not sure about the bread knife being one of the three, although I'd make it my fourth.

I'd suggest:

Chef's Knife
Paring Knife
Serrated 5" utility knife

I do need a bread knife myself. That can be #4. since #3 should work well for the bread in the meantime and for other purposes.

[djinnthespazz.livejournal.com]

I need to do that cutting board routine, multi colors... it's good.

I am lazy, and use my chef's knife for just about everything. I do have a long serrated blade that cuts bread just fine, but it was a bank giveaway and is not set up to be comfortable for regular use.

I actually have two chef's knives... both inherited from grandparents... and not very expensive... one's a no-name and one's Chicago...

I, too, need to learn how to properly sharpen steel. Maybe Sunday at my dad's... he used to sharpen my jack-knives so razorish that you could actually brush them over your skin lightly and take the hair off your arm... *grin*

Every girl scout needs a sharp jack-knife!

[eternaleponine.livejournal.com]

I can get any day you like off, if you give me enough notice. I just have to know before the end of this month so I can ask for it off for next month. Although July is a bit hairy, because other people have already put in vacation requests. But I could probably manage. :)

Gotta say

[madpiratebippy.livejournal.com]

My best friend Avery sells knives for a living, she has since she was 12. On top of being a fantastic person, she REALLY knows her shit. Her website is www.knifegirlusa.com, which I don't think has a full list of all the things you can buy from her, but if you e-mail her and she'll call you and go over what she can and can't get for you, and the quality of various knives, and the type of metal they're made of, etc, etc, etc.

Oh yeah, she's also the first person in her family to go to college and she's trying to go to medical school to become a doctor, so I can tell you that the profits are going to a good cause.

Bippy