The Kitchen Blog

BASIC SAFETY MEASURES

1. Keep knives sharp. A sharp knife is safer than a dull one because it requires less pressure in cutting. The knife will not slip as easily and your hand will not tire as quickly.

2. Use the correct size and type of knife for the job. Hold the knife firmly in your hand and cut away from the body. Use a wood or poly-ethylene cutting board.

Acrylic, ceramic and similar hard surfaces are tough on a knife edge because they do not “give” with the edge.

3. Make sure that knives lying on flat surfaces are never covered with towels, napkins or other materials. After handling a knife, lay it down in a cleared area, with the blade and point away from the body, and away from the edge of the table or cutting area.

4. Do not reach blindly for a knife. Reach deliberately for the handle. When handing a knife to another person, do so with the handle toward him or her.

5. Never try to catch a falling knife!

6. Sharp knives should be washed separately. Do not wash with other utensils. Each knife should be dried separately, always keeping the sharp cutting edge away from the hand. Dry knife blades from the back to the cutting edge.

7. Do not store knives loose in a drawer! Keep knives stored in a knife block or an in-drawer knife tray when not in use. If using a magnetic holder, make sure magnets are strong enough to hold knives securely in place and that the knives are clean. A greasy knife will not adhere properly to a magnetic rack.

8. Keep knives safely out of the reach of children.

9. Never test the sharpness of a knife by running your finger along the edge!

CARE OF KNIVES

A good knife is an investment. With proper care it will last a lifetime.

1. No metal is completely “stainless”. Do not allow acidic foods (lemon, mustard, ketchup, etc.) to remain on the blade after use. This might cause some slight tarnishing. Should the blade show some signs of staining, use a non-abrasive metal polish for cleaning.

2. Do not put knives in the dishwasher. Banging against other cutlery or pots and pans will nick the blades.

3. Wipe the knife clean with a wet cloth and dishwashing detergent. Dry immediately. Dry from the back of the knife to the blade.

4. Knives are ideally stored in a knife block; they may also be stored in an in-drawer knife tray. Try not to put a good knife in a drawer unless you have an in-drawer knife tray. When put in a drawer together with other cutlery, irreparable blade damage may result. This type of storage also results in higher incidence of injury.

5. Do not abuse knives as screwdrivers or can openers. This is not their designed purpose and may result in bending or breaking the blade or edge of the knife.

6. Wood handle knives will last if properly dried after each use, and you occasionally apply mineral oil to the handle to help maintain the attractive finish. This will also help protect handle from moisture damage.

PROPER KNIFE STORAGE

Knives have to be stored in a safe place, protecting the cutting edge and guarding against injuries. While many professional chefs carry their kitchen tools in their own attache case or compact knife roll, you will want a more convenient method of knife storage. J.A. Henckels was one of the first cutlery manufacturers to introduce safe, easy knife storage for the kitchen.

Wooden knife blocks

The most popular and suitable storage system for fine knives. The counter-top slant block offers easy access and fits underneath kitchen cabinets.

The size of the block varies with the number of knives to be stored. Most J.A. Henckels blocks also have a slot for kitchen shears.

Wooden in-drawer knife trays

Convenient for the customer who wants the features of a knife block and wants to store knives in a drawer. J.A. Henckels In-Drawer Knife Tray is designed with the same expertise as the counter-top blocks. It fits most kitchen drawers easily.

Magnetic wall mounts

Convenient for the customer who wants easy access but does not have counter space, J.A. Henckels offers magna bars.

Cutting boards and surfaces

Cutting surfaces should be:

• Smooth
• Easy to clean
• “Give” with contact with knife edge

J.A. Henckels recommends surfaces that can be easily cleaned and kept hygienic:

• Wooden cutting boards
• Quality polyethylene boards
• Remember: If wooden boards are used, clean them thoroughly, immediately after use to avoid harmful bacteria growth.

Avoid hard surfaces than can damage the knife:

• China
• Porcelain
• Formica
• Tile
• Other hard surfaces

J.A. Henckels is one of the highest quality kitchen knife brands. Read more about their products on http://usa.jahenckels.com.

Other useful information about knives can be found in our kitchen cutlery category.

Why does it make sense to think about a kitchen knife set

1. It is very likely that knives bought in a set will be cheaper than the same knives bought individually.

2. The set may contain a storing system for your knives. There may be a wooden, stainless steel, glass or plastic block with a slot for each knife, which is a wonderful way to store your knives. Some sets even have blocks with free slots for extra knives. You may fill these slots later, with, for example, a pair of steak knives.

With a glass or transparent plastic block, you can see the blades of your knives, which makes it easy for you to find the one you want, when you want it. Alternatively, the storing system may be a case or a box made from aluminum or wood. Such a set is a good variant in case you are a cook and move from place to place, because it offers a safe way of transporting your knives.

3. The set may contain a honing steel. This is a necessary tool for keeping your knives sharp.

When you buy the steel together with the set, you can be sure that they are from one and the same manufacturer and that the firmness of the honing steel conforms to the firmness of the blades of the knives from the set.

4. The set may contain scissors that you can use for different purposes. For example…

• to open packets with food
• to cut kitchen paper
• to snip spices, vegetables or dried fruit…

5. Kitchen knife sets are also a wonderful idea for a present, for example to a newly married couple.

Types of kitchen knife sets

Different sets contain different types of kitchen knives, to cater to various needs and different culinary skills. If you are an experienced cook, you’ll probably have a very good idea of what knives and accessories your set should contain. For example, there are sets with 23 pieces, enabling you to perform just about every kitchen task.

If you cook mainly Asian food, choose a set of Asian knives. There are some sets in which the chef’s knife is replaced by its Asian counterpart, the Santoku. The paring knife, another main knife, has a straight cutting edge and is also suitable for Asian food.

But if you are a beginner in the culinary arts, a good set for you would be this one, containing only the main knives…

• a chef’s knife
• a paring knife
• a bread knife
• just one extra knife at most, for example a utility knife, in case you don’t find a set with only the first three knives

With this set you will meet most of your cutting needs. This is a better option for you than taking a set with a great assortment of knives, without knowing whether you will ever use some of them. It is also a cheaper variant.

In time, when you have a better idea of what knives will best serve your particular cooking needs, you can add other, more specialized knives to your set. For example…

• a utility knife
• a boning knife
• a carving knife (you can find this knife as a separate set in an elegant box together with a fork)
• a cleaver
• steak knives (you can also find these knives as a separate set in a wooden block or a box)
• Asian knives such as Santoku, Deba Knife, Usuba, Fish Knives
• special kitchen knives for cheese, fruit, tomatoes, seafood…

Conclusion

1. You will use your kitchen knives constantly, so select a set with the best knives you can afford. Some of the highest quality kitchen knife brands are the German J.A. Henckels and Wusthof.

2. No matter what set you select, you may always buy knives individually. This might be the case when you want…

• to restore a lost or damaged knife from the set
• to duplicate a given knife from the set if you and someone else will work in the kitchen
• to have a smaller version of existing knife from the set. For example, this might be the case if your hands are small and, in order to work more comfortably, you want a six-inch long chef’s knife instead of the eight-inch one from the set

3. The starter sets, i.e. ones that contain only basic knives, may not include a storing system plus honing steel. Choose a slightly bigger set if necessary, if it has these two useful extras.

Ganka Vasileva is the owner of http://www.helpful-kitchen-tips.com, a website containing useful information about the kitchen; about the equipment of this greatly-used room in our home that occupies a special place in our lives. Buying guides for kitchen cutlery, small appliances, cookware & bakeware, kitchen furniture, storage & organization, plumbing, etc.

Kitchen knives come in all shapes and sizes, each with a different function. To work efficiently in your kitchen you must know which knife to use for what purpose. As a beginning, you need only get the first three knives listed below. As time goes on, and your needs grow and become more refined, you can add others to your collection.

Chef’s knife (or Cook’s Knife)

This is the knife you’ll probably use most often, because it is multifunctional. Its blade, is stiff and wide, and from 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) long with a sharp tip. You can use it to…

• slice
• chop
• dice, mince
• grind spices, for example, with the flat of the blade…

Paring knife

A small knife, ideal for more delicate work. You can, for example, use it to work on items of food while holding them in your other hand, by…

• peeling potatoes or removing their blemishes
• chopping garlic or parsley
• coring peaches or apples
• decorating products for garnish in some more interesting way…

The blade of a paring knife is thin, narrow, and sharp at the tip. It is from 2 to 4,5 inches (5 to 11 cm) in length, and the cutting edge may be either straight, or serrated, or a mixture of the two. (The blade may also resemble a bird’s beak. This is a subspecies of the paring knife, also known as a peeling knife.)

Bread knife

This knife enables you to cut hard, thick bread crusts quite effortlessly. You can also use it to cut very fresh bread, cake, water-melon, etc. Its blade is usually serrated and from 5 to 9 inches (13 to 23 cm) long; enough to cut slices from long or round loaves of bread.

Other kitchen knives for different purposes

1. Utility knife: a knife that is something between a chef’s knife and paring knife. It is especially useful for soft foods, such as…

• the skin of raw sausage or tomatoes
• other vegetables and fruits
• other small items of food with a hard crust…

Its blade is firm, narrow and from 5 to 8 inches (13 to 20 cm) long. In addition to being smooth, the cutting edge may be serrated as well.

2. Boning knife: a good choice if you frequently work with raw meat products. You can use it for boning fish, chicken or beef, cutting through the joints of meat, removing tendons, fat, fish skin, etc. Its blade is from 4 to 7 inches (10 to 18 cm) long. It is flexible (although it may be firm as well), narrow, curved and with a sharp tip. (Some knives of this kind have a longer blade, from 6 to 11 inches (15 to 28 cm) long. These are also known as fillet knives.)

3. Carving knife: to cut meat, poultry or fish that has already been prepared. Its blade is from 8 to 15 inches (20 to 38 cm) long; enough to cut good serving pieces in one motion. It may be firm, for cutting rougher kinds of meat…

• roast beef ribs
• pork
• joints…

Or flexible (these knives are also known as slicers) for finer meats…

• ham
• roast chicken, turkey
• smoked or dried fish…

Some of these kitchen knives are equipped with a fork, to hold the meat while cutting. This both holds the meat firmly while cutting and ensures that you do not cut yourself.

4. Cleaver: a knife with a wide, heavy, firm blade. You can use it to…

• cut and chop big bones
• chop poultry, meat or fish
• crush or grind seeds, garlic, etc., with the flat of the blade…

For generally harder tasks.

5. Steak knives: for use when eating, to cut prepared meat (or other types of food) into mouth-sized pieces. Their blade is narrow, thin and from 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long. The cutting edge may be smooth, serrated, or both.

6. Asian knives: these kitchen knives will be probably more comfortable for you if you cook Asian foods frequently. They are lighter, thinner and sharper. More popular types are Santoku, Deba Knife, Usuba, Fish Knives…

Santoku combines a chef’s knife and, to some extent, a cleaver. This makes it useful for different purposes.

7. Special kitchen knives:

• for cheese
• for fruits
• for tomatoes
• for seafood…

You will find that some of the knives listed above have hollows on the blade. Thus the produce won’t stick to the blade when you want to cut it into very thin slices.

What are kitchen knives made from

1. Metal part

The metal part of the knives may be…

• high carbon stainless steel
• high carbon steel
• stainless steel, ceramic, titan, molybdenum-vanadium…

It may be…

• forged
• stamped
• welded together from different pieces…

Some of the highest-quality kitchen knives are made from forged, high carbon stainless steel. These knives are durable, strong and remain sharp for a long time. They won’t stain, rust or add a metallic taste to your food.

The metal for the blade of these knives continues along the whole length of the knife, so that everything is one complete unit. This gives stability and strength to the knife. Between the blade and the tang (the metal piece to which the handle is attached) there is usually a bolster (a thick piece of metal that aids the balance and the weight of the knife.)

Stamped knives don’t have a bolster because they are made from steel sheet. They are light, and also uncomfortable to use because of the lack of good balance. Further, they become blunt fairly quickly. Hence, their price is correspondingly lower than the forged, high carbon stainless steel knives.

Some kitchen knives are made in a different way. For example, J.A. Henckels use another technology: SCT (Sintermetal Component Technology). These knives are also of high quality.

2. Handle

The handle of your kitchen knives must…

• be durable, not requiring much care on your part
• be easy to grip, with a size that suits the size of your hand (if you have a small hand, you may get tired of a knife with a large handle)
• be closely attached to the metal to eliminate gaps, where dirt can accumulate over time
• have a smooth and level surface. This is a consideration if the handle is attached to the metal with rivets. You don’t want to be able to feel the rivets while working. In addition, the rivets must fit perfectly to avoid the accumulation of dirt between the handle and rivets

The handle may be made from…

• stainless steel
• various kinds of plastic
• wood, rubber…

Plastic and stainless steel handles are strong, hygienic and easy to service. You have to take more care of wooden handles, because they are prone to attack by microorganisms. They may also crack or bend with time.

With a stainless steel handle, look for one that is furrowed or has a piece of rubber attached. Then it won’t slip in your hand while you are working.

How to keep your kitchen knives in perfect condition

1. Store your knives in a knife block, or on a magnetic knife rack attached to the wall, or put them in sheaths.

If you store them in a drawer, at least put them in a separate section. Otherwise, they may become blunt and jagged when they come into contact with other utensils. Another problem with storing your knives in a drawer is that you may cut yourself when trying to take out a particular utensil.

2. Use a cutting board when cutting, made from wood or polyethylene (they are softer and so your knives will stay sharp longer).

3. Wash and dry your knives manually after every use. Thus no food residue will remain on them and their blades won’t tarnish from strong food acids (tomatoes, onion, lemons…).

If you wash them in a dishwasher, your knives may become jagged or blunt because they knock against the other utensils. The rivets of their handles may loosen. Further, hot water may crack the handle or spoil the quality of their steel.

4. Keep your knives sharp. Sharp knives are safer and easier to use than blunt ones. You’ll have to press harder with blunt ones and may cut yourself if the knife slips.

Hone the blade (usually on steel) before or after every use. After a period of time honing will not be sufficient, and you’ll have to sharpen it. There are different quality sharpeners for home use.

It is more difficult to sharpen knives with a serrated blade than it is those with a straight blade. In addition, some serrated blades cannot be sharpened at all; these will need to be replaced after long-term use.

5. Don’t use your knives as a screw-driver or an opener: protect the blade.

Conclusion

1. Quality kitchen knives are sharp, solid and well-balanced. Once you have them, you’ll find them a joy to use.

2. Knives in the kitchen are subjected to constant use. Select the best ones you can afford. Two of the top brands are the German-made J.A. Henckels and Wusthof knives.

If you decide to invest in only one high quality knife, choose the chef’s knife.

3. Consider the possibilities for a kitchen knife set. Knives bought in sets are often cheaper than those purchased individually. The set may include…

• some of the knives described above
• a wood block for storing knives
• steel for honing
• scissors…

Choose a set that includes knives you firmly intend to use (some sets contain a great number of knives, some of which you may never use).

Ganka Vasileva is the owner of http://www.helpful-kitchen-tips.com, a website containing useful information about the kitchen; about the equipment of this greatly-used room in our home that occupies a special place in our lives. Buying guides for kitchen cutlery, small appliances, cookware & bakeware, kitchen furniture, storage & organization, plumbing, etc.