MANILA, Philippines - A good knife is a cook’s most important tool. For rock-star chefs, using the right knife has a great impact on one’s culinary skills.
In an article in Details Magazine, April Bloomfield of The Spotted Pig said she liked using the Misono Western-style Japanese knife because “it has a strong, thin blade and is easy to maintain” while Marc Forgoine loves Korin’s Deba knife because “it’s perfect to fillet a fish and can be used on my cuts of meat.”
Jesse Schenker even has a tattoo for his favorite Misono slicer, which he says he can use for anything. Stuart Brioza of State Bird Provisions is ecstatic over his new Asai chef’s knife, which he describes as “durable, sharp, and beautiful”; and Christ Shephered of Underbelly swears by his Takamura Japanese chef’s knife, whose sleek design and thin blade makes slicing with it much like holding a razor.
These knives, of course, are quite expensive and not within our household budgets. But we can all prepare healthy, hearty, and delicious meals at home by choosing the right and affordable knife.
SM Home shares tips on how to achieve that cutting edge in the kitchen.
Whether you are preparing a gourmet dinner for friends or simply prepping up ingredients for your family meal, SM Home has a wide selection of knives to choose from.
Choose the correct knife to get the right slice. You should have a set of knives which include a paring knife, a chef’s knife and a bread knife. However, some chefs believe that you only need a chef’s knife that is less than five inches to chop it all.
Learn to use a knife. Hold your chef’s knife as if you’re going to shake hands using your dominant hand. Your index finger should be on the top and side of the knife rather than on the bottom of the handle. This will allow you to learn the “rolling chop.”
Always keep the tip of the knife down on the board. Make the knife blade go forward and down at once on the food. Form a claw with your subordinate hand and place the claw on the food you intend to cut. This will make you less likely to cut your own fingers.
Sharpen your knives to cut correctly and sharply. Remember that a dull knife will slip off the item. Use a whetstone, ceramic or steel sharpener to effectively sharpen your knife. Most chefs suggest the use of a ceramic sharpener and they suggest sharpening at an angle between 10 and 30 degrees.
Always store your knife in a block or in a magnetic rack. Never store knives in drawers. Knives are most likely to become dull when they bang with stainless utensils.
Complete your kitchen cutlery at home and use the right set of knives every day with SM Home’s quality brands of knives from Scanpan, Wusthof, Tescoma, Chef’s Classic, Masflex, Hosh and Touchstone, available at the SM Home section at all SM Stores.