Knives are just about the most important kitchen items.
No, they don’t have to be expensive or imported; there are plenty of good ones around that are reasonably priced. |
| Choosing the right knife for the job: |
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The chef’s knife is the most versatile kitchen knife. It usually has a 6- to 10-inch blade, and the position of its handle allows for easy chopping and dicing. The blade is perfect for slicing meats, too! |
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The paring knife is a handy tool because its 3- to 4-inch blade is perfect for smaller jobs like peeling apples, trimming potatoes, and slicing cheese. |
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The bread slicer has an approximately 7-inch serrated blade (tooth-like, like a saw blade) that makes it perfect for slicing bread, cake, or even some meat. Its blade is usually a bit more flexible than those of other types of knives. |
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A carver knife is a long slender knife that is a bit flexible, ideal for carving roasts and all meats and poultry. |
| When selecting a knife: |
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Be certain that the handle is comfortable.
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Is it the perfect size for your hand? |
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Does it have a safety guide to keep your hand from slipping onto the blade? |
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A knife should be well balanced for easy handling. |
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Is the blade non-corrosive? If so, it’ll be easier to clean and it should keep its sharp edge longer (provided it’s well maintained). |
| Washing Knives: |
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Knives should be washed and dried right after use. Never soak knives because water can harm the handles. |
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Never toss a knife into a sinkful of soapy water because someone might accidentally get cut by the blade. |
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When drying knives, be sure to keep the sharp edges pointed away from fingers and bodies. Remember that a sharp knife can cut right through a towel. |
| Storage: |
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Knives should not be stored loose in a drawer. It’s too easy to get cut that way. |
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Put knives in a holder like a butcher block or on a magnetic type of hanger. |
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The best way to store knives is by sliding a plastic sheath over the blades. That way hands and blades are protected! |
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No butcher block or sheath to protect your knives? Try flattening an empty cardboard paper towel tube; this will work well as a protective sheath. |
| Keep them Sharp: |
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It’s important that knives be kept sharp. There are many types of sharpeners available, and you don’t need a fancy expensive one to get a sharp edge. |
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It’s good to have a quality sharpening steel to brush up a dulling knife; there are manual, hand-held, table-top, and electric types, and all of them work well if used properly. (Most serrated knives never require sharpening.) |
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The most important advice I have for sharpening knives is to BE CAREFUL. A dull knife can cut you just as seriously as, if not worse than, a sharp one! |
| Respect your knives and they should give you years of service. That means not using them as
screwdrivers or for prying off the tops of cans. You could damage the points and bend the blades, not to mention possibly hurting yourself. Cut on plastic or wood cutting boards. Cutting on countertops can damage blades and countertops
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