[Sca-cooks] Knives

[Volker Bach]

Am Mittwoch, 29. März 2006 00:46 schrieb Tom Vincent:
> To open a different topic altogether:
>
>   What about knives?  What are folk's favorites, least favorites, dream
> knives, etc?

I have an eclectic collection that I'm fond of, but nothing prestige. when I 
cook, I usually have on hand

- a small, concave-edged paring/peeling knife for small work and fruit that I 
was given for my birthday two years ago. It's actually high-quality and will 
last a long time

- a serrated-edge tomato knife for cutting precise slices. These are cheap, 
and I replace them about anually

- a breadknife I inherited from my mother and so far haven't had reason to 
anything about - it works perfectly fine.

- a 100-year old knife that was originally designed to slice ham. I saved it 
from a junk sale, and it works just fine (and doesn't complain about being 
sharpened in a primitive electric kitchen sharpener)

When I prepare roasts or large fish (which I seldom do), I also have 

- two very fine 'Zwilling' brand chef's knives that were given to me by a 
friend. I use them sparingly, but they've never disappointed me. The downside 
is that they ruin quickly, so I give them to a professional to resharpen, 
which cposts a small fortune. 

For 'period' show, I have

- a 'beavertail' knife with a rounded edge and straight back, uncomplainingly 
workmanlike and easy to maintain and sharpen, but undistinguished

- a blackened-steel cleaver that is sharp enough to work as a knife if 
required (brought that one back from Istanbul - it was worth the funny looks 
at the airport check-in)

I lost my bone-handled small knife this summer and still haven't found a 
replacement for it. A pity, I was fond of it.

> Anyone try/like ceramic knives?

I saw them domeonstrated once at a fair. The salesperson twirled them about, 
pointed out how light they were, how they never needed sharpening, how easy 
they made kitchenwork, then skinned and filleted a fish and sliced sashimi. 
Then dropped the knife, which immediately shattered. That thing would have 
cost the disposable income slice of my average month, and I'm not going to 
carry my knives in a jewelcase. I'm told they have a handle on the problem 
now, but only by people who sell the blades.

Giano


	

	
		
___________________________________________________________ 
Telefonate ohne weitere Kosten vom PC zum PC: http://messenger.yahoo.de