| Choosing the right knives for your
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| | should only be used on a cutting board.
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| kitchen can mean the difference between
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| | The down side is that they must be
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| enjoyment and drudgery
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| | professionally sharpened.
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| When it comes to enjoying your experience
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| | Plastic blades are not very sharp and are
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| in the kitchen, the correct knife can
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| | specialized in the use in the kitchen.
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| make all the difference. The knowledge
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| | They are used to cut vegetables so they
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| you possess when making this important
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| | don't turn dark.
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| decision can make the difference between
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| | Laminate blades are made by layering
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| enjoyment or regret.
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| | different materials together. The number
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| Kitchen knives come in all sizes and
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| | of possibilities is endless. The only
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| shapes. Each small variation results in
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| | way to decide if you want one of these
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| a different use. There are long ones,
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| | types is to buy and try.
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| short ones, wide ones, narrow ones,
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| | Steel blades are either forged or
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| curved ones, angled ones and the list
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| | stamped.
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| goes on and on. They are made from
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| | Forged blades are made in a detailed
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| carbon steel, stainless steel, stamped
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| | process that takes a lot of time and is
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| steel, ceramic or even plastic. The
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| | accomplished by skilled craftsman. I
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| better knives are balanced so as they are
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| | will not go into detail here, but this
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| being used they do not feel awkward. By
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| | type of blade is more often than not
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| awkward I mean they feel heavy or light
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| | preferred by chefs.
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| at the pointed end. Proper balance eases
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| | Stamped blades are designed to be made in
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| the strain on the user. Grips or handles
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| | mass. The quality of the metal used is
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| have made great advances further easing
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| | such that it can be worked quickly into a
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| the strain on the user. Sharpness is
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| | finished product. This type of knife is
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| also a key factor in easing the strain on
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| | less expensive than the forged one, but
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| the user. The type of edge used for a
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| | it must be replaced on a regular basis.
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| particular cutting or slicing project is
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| | The Business Edge
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| very important.
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| | The type and design of the knife edge
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| Styles
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| | determines how it should be used.
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| The size and shape of the knife
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| | Flat ground blades are tapered from the
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| determines its primary use. The cook's
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| | backbone to the edge. This blade is very
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| or chef's knife is used for the heavy
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| | strong but is heavy.
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| duty cutting needed in the kitchen. It
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| | Hollow ground blades look a lot like the
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| is normally a longer, heavy constructed
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| | flat ground except starting about halfway
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| knife that will handle the abuse of the
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| | up the blade it is ground into a concave
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| overzealous cook. Slicing, dicing, and
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| | shape. It is weaker than the flat ground
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| chopping are some of the primary uses of
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| | blade but has the advantage of being
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| the cook's knife. The slicing knife is
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| | lighter.
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| for use in slicing food such as ham or
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| | The Serrated blade looks like a saw.
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| large cuts of meat. The Bread knife
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| | It is ideal for cutting things that are
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| normally has a thin serrated blade. The
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| | hard on the outside and soft on the
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| serrated blade allows it to easily slice
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| | inside. It actually tears the food
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| through a loaf of bread or a tomato
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| | rather than cutting, so it should not be
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| without crushing or tearing. The steak
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| | used for all kinds of food.
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| knife is normally a smaller version of
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| | Handle
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| the slicing knife, designed for
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| | The handle of your knife can be made from
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| individual use. The knife used most
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| | an array of different materials. The
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| often by any cook is the paring knife.
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| | basic handles are wood, plastic,
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| It is a small knife that is easy to
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| | composite and Stainless Steel.
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| handle and can be used for cutting,
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| | Wood handles are made from hardwoods.
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| peeling and dicing fruits, vegetables,
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| | Wooden handles are the most attractive
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| meats, cheeses, etc.
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| | and do not become slick when wet. Some
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| Construction
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| | individuals claim the porosity of the
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| The way knives are constructed determines
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| | wood retains bacteria and refuse to use
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| several things. There are several types
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| | them. This is up to the individual as
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| of material used in the manufacturing of
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| | whether this factor is included in the
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| the blade material.
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| | decision process.
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| Carbon Steel blades are made from iron
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| | Plastic handles can be molded into almost
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| with about 2% carbon. This blade is
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| | any shape you can imagine. The modern
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| easily sharpened and holds its edge well.
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| | plastic handle has evolved into
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| The down side of this is they tend rust
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| | ergonomically designed units designed by
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| if they are not dried immediately after
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| | a computer. They fit your hand nicely,
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| washing. Over time they obtain a dark
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| | but a lot of pole people complain about
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| color considered to be the sign of a
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| | the "one-size-fits-all" concept. Also,
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| quality knife. The higher the percentage
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| | plastic handles can be slippery when wet.
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| of carbon to iron, the better the blade.
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| | Composite handles incorporate the best of
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| Stainless Steel blades are made from an
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| | the wood and plastic materials. They are
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| alloy of iron with 10-15 % chromium,
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| | easy to care for and some chefs will use
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| maybe some nickel and molybdenum with
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| | nothing else.
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| only a very small amount of carbon. This
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| | Stainless Steel handles are by far the
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| type of material cannot be sharpened as
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| | most durable. They are the most sanitary
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| sharp as the carbon steel blade, but it
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| | but can be tricky to handle when wet.
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| is very resistant to staining and
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| | Manufacturers form them with bumps and
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| discoloration. Some people think the
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| | finger grooves to help eliminate this
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| discoloration imparts a flavor into the
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| | problem.
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| food.
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| | Conclusion
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| High Carbon Stainless Steel blades
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| | This information is not by any means
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| combine the best of both worlds. They do
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| | everything there is to know. It should
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| not discolor like the carbon blades, but
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| | give you the basic information you need
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| they can be sharpened to a keen edge that
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| | to make a qualified decision. There are
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| is long lasting. They do not impart any
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| | many variations to the ones listed.
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| flavor into your food.
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| | Choosing your knife will be determined by
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| Titanium alloy blades are lighter and
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| | several factors. How often will you use
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| more flexible than steel blades. The
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| | a particular knife, what will it will be
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| carbon in the alloy allows them to be
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| | used for, and how much are you willing to
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| heat treated so they will hold an edge
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| | spend are just a few of the things you
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| well. They do not impart any flavor into
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| | should look at. Hopefully the
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| your food, either.
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| | information given will give you a basic
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| Ceramic blades are made from ceramic.
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| | understanding and an idea of what you
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| They are extremely hard and will hold
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| | might look for when purchasing your
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| their edge for a long time. They will
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| | kitchen cutlery.
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| cut the glaze on a dinner plate and
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