Kitchen Cutlery and tools

Kitchen Knife Handles

Admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:24:10 +0000

Kitchen knife handles are typically made from three types of materials: wood, metal, e.g.,stainless-steel or synthetic.

Below are descriptions of each kitchen knife handle material along with their pros and cons:

Wood

Kitchen knife handles that are made out of wood are the most attractive of the three and they provide the best grip of [...]

Reputable Kitchen Knife Brands

Admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:12:06 +0000

The following is a list of the most popular mid-priced ranged brands of kitchen cutlery (sorted by brand name, country and URL). Most if not all can be purchased online, in culinary speciality stores such as Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table etc., and in the kitchenware sections of dept. stores.

Note: Shun, a well [...]

Dexter-Russell DuoGlide 8-inch Chef’s Knife

Admin — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:10:46 +0000

In my article titled “Chef knife” I outlined the basic features of a Chef’s-knife. What I did not include in the article was how the handle ergonomics plays a major part as a huge concern for many home and novice cooks and professional chefs.

Because a Chef’s knife is used for so many large and sometimes [...]

Kitchen Knife Blade Production

Admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:45:21 +0000

How a kitchen knife blade is produces determines both its level of quality and expense and it’s difficult to have one without the other.

Good quality and expensive kitchen knives are sharper and harder because they are forged from carbon-steel which allows them to retain their blade’s sharpness for a long period of time.

On [...]

The Ever Dependable Paring Knife

Admin — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:00:13 +0000

The one cutting tool that can be found in practically every kitchen drawer is a paring knife.

It’s like some sort of unwritten law passed down from generation to generation that if you own no other kitchen knife you must own a paring knife.

Paring knives generally comes in 3 to 4-inch long blades and [...]

32 Facts and Myths About Knives and Knife Sharpeners

Admin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:15:38 +0000

MYTH

It’s bad luck to give a knife as a gift because it “cuts” the friendship/ relationship.

FACT Every year, thousands of knives are given as gifts for many special occasions — weddings, birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, graduations — with no reports of negative consequences. For those who want to err on the safe side: [...]

Kitchen Cutting Boards

Admin — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:00:40 +0000

A kitchen cutting board is every bit as important as the knife you use to prepare different foods on it. Not will it protect your kitchen counter tops but your knife’s blade as well.

There are three important considerations when purchasing a cutting board: its dimensions with regard to your available counter space, what it is made [...]

Chef Knife

Admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 08:45:37 +0000

Other than a sharp blade, there are basic points to consider when choosing a Chef knife, with the first and foremost having to do with how it feels and fits in in your hand (weight and balance and handle grip), and how that comfort help to reduce the amount of stress on your wrist and [...]

3 Must-Have Kitchen Knives

Admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:45:02 +0000

Kitchen knives can be a little like golf clubs; you can buy an entire set but you may wind up only using only your favorite ones.

For years my wife and I have been taking turns cooking dinner every night and on some occasions we both cook some rather elaborate meals that require a fair [...]

Quality Kitchen Shears

Admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:32:23 +0000

A kitchen shear is comprised of two sharp blades which allows it to cut from two directions simultaneously, eliminating the need for a large chopping knife and a cutting board.

There are essentially three different types of kitchen shears: those that are perfect for quickly severing through bundles of kale, collards, turnip greens, bundles of [...]

Japanese and Western Style Kitchen Knives

Admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:24:50 +0000

The basic difference between Japanese and Western knives has to do with the hardness and thickness (Western) versus the softness and thinness (Japanese) of their blades.

In other words the properties of a blade’s metal depends on the type of steel alloys (there are dozens of different types) that are used in producing it (heating, [...]

Kitchen Knife Blade Edges

Admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:22:32 +0000

Different blade edges for different uses

Below are the four most common blade edges found on kitchen cutlery:

Straight

A straight edge blade, also called a flat ground, is formed by grinding the both sides of the blade so that it tapers down into a straight razor sharp cutting edge.

This type [...]

What is a Japanese Petty knife?

Admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:51:00 +0000

The Japanese Petty knife is Japan’s version of the Western all-purpose knife and is available in standard blade lengths of 4.5 to 6.0 inches.

A Petty knife is typically thin without a bolster on the blade and is very light. It performs like a longer bladed paring knife (4-inch) and is equally effective for peeling, [...]

Kitchen Knife Holders

Admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:07:38 +0000

The importance of properly storing your kitchen knives cannot be stressed enough. It is so easy to simply discard them to your kitchen drawer when finished with them but in short time the blade’s edge will over time become dulled and nicked.

There are simple three methods of protecting kitchen knife blades: keep them in [...]

13 Golden Rules For Using Kitchen Knives

Admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:55:33 +0000

While common sense generally dictates proper usage of a kitchen knife, more often than not common sense may prove not to be all that common.

According to the National Safety Council thousands of people in the U.S. alone show up in emergency rooms annually with injuries caused from using kitchen knives the worn way. Most [...]

Kitchen Knife Blade Materials

Admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:00:38 +0000

A kitchen knife blade can be made of a variety of materials with each having it’s own attributes depending on what it is being used for.

Some materials are obviously better performing than others in terms of how well they hold their edge or sharpness, whether or not they impart a taste on the foods [...]

What is a Santoku Chef’s Knife

Admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:27:40 +0000

Traditionally a Santoku Chef's knife, which literally translates as “three good things,” is a type of Japanese Chef’s knife. Unlike a Western Chef’s knife it is lighter in weight and its narrow blade edge is straighter, almost flat, and similar in appearance to a smaller version of a meat cleaver.

Western made Santoku knives have a [...]

Basic Kitchen Knives and Their Uses

Admin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:13:37 +0000

A paring knife is designed to slice, core, peel, dice small vegetables or fruit, and mince herbs and garlic. The blade of a paring knife is stiff with a sharply pointed end and can measure from 2.5-inches to 4-inches long.

It is typically made of stainless-steel with a beveled edge, and now, ceramic, which is becoming [...]

Quality Steak Knives

Admin — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:03:37 +0000

Having the right steak knives can make a huge difference between slicing through meat like it was butter or having to saw through it like it.

Below are a few brands of some of the best that are pure bliss to handle and will get the job done, i.e., less effort to cut any [...]

Kitchen Knife Anatomy

Admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:30:47 +0000

A kitchen knife is divided into two major parts, the blade and handle, which are comprised of several components to include a tang, heel, spine, tip, bolster, and edge.

Blade making process

The blade is constructed by using one of two different methods: forged or stamped.

Forged

- A forged blade is made by heating [...]

Important Features of a Kitchen Knife?

Admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:45:33 +0000

Balance

The balance of a quality kitchen knife is determined by the weight of its blade in relation to the weight of its handle. Both should be equal. In addition to that not only should it be balanced in weight but it should have a balanced appearance, i.e. all parts of the best kitchen knife [...]

Ergonomic Cooking Tools

Admin — Sun, 29 May 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Having limited dexterity doesn’t have to mean that you stop doing what you enjoy, and working in the kitchen is no exception. All you need are the right tools that are easy to handle and will reduce the strain and force on the hands and forearms.

Pictured is a set of angled cooking tools that [...]

Non-Stick Paring Knife

Admin — Fri, 27 May 2011 20:19:01 +0000

Like all kitchen knives in spite of those scalloped or dished out oval shapes that line their blade’s edge, a paring knife can’t get through any cutting without food sticking to the blade. Swiping your finger along the edge to release those small bits of food always presents a slight risk of cutting your finger.

Now [...]

The Chop: A Designer’s Approach to the Kitchen knife

Admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:55:21 +0000

Half handle half knife

LucidiPevere Studio, an Italian design firm, has come up with the novel idea of reconfiguring the conventional kitchen chopping knife into one that is a half-circle with it’s handle being the other half.

When not in use the blade can be encased in a protective sheath that is made of [...]

The Partoku Knife

Admin — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:52:02 +0000

What is a Partoku Knife?

The Partoku™ knife, made by Chicago Cutlery, is a cross between a Santoku and a paring knife, however, it is not made to peel as it is larger than a paring knife but it great for chopping, slicing and dicing. The wide blade makes it easy to scoop [...]