Knives
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| French-style chef's knife with full tang anchored by three rivets and featuring grip guards at both the bolster on the blade and the end of the handle. |
1. Of equal use:
a. Paring
b. Chef (6, 8 or 10 inches , depending on the size of your hand)
2. Cutting board (plastic or wood, both need sanitary care; wood also needs periodic applications of mineral oil to protect and preserve)
3. Sharpening stone and honing steel (two different tools)
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| Ceramic blade bread knife. My primary paring knife has a ceramic blade. |
4. Bread (serrated or scalloped)
5. Strong scissors
6. Boning or filleting (if you do a lot of this type of work; I don’t, so I have additional chef and paring knives, instead.)
7. Electric knife (besides carving turkeys, it’s also handy for hard-to-cut-without-smashing items, like deep-dish pecan pie)
About knives
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| Japanese chef knives |
Along with your pots, pans, a spoon and a fork, knives are your most go-to kitchen tool. A good knife will last a lifetime and your kids’ lifetime, too (if you decide to have kids). DO NOT buy cheapo knives. Make sure your chef and paring knives are good quality. Look for full tangs (the metal of the blade extending through the entire handle). You should be able to hold a knife comfortably and your grip should have some protection afforded by the knife handle to help prevent sliding onto the blade.
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| Chinese chef knife above, a cleaver below. These knives are NOT interchangeable; they're as different as a saw and an axe. My second chef knife is a Chinese. |
A chef knife is used for slicing and chopping; it should be slim enough for the former and heavy enough for the latter. When held level with the sharp edge against the cutting board, the blade of a chef knife should meet the board before your knuckles do; this allows much more comfortable, less tiring work.
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One style of a working grip. Note that
the blade will meet the surface before the knuckles do. Both the blade's bolster (where the blade thickens at the handle) and the end of the handle extend down, providing resistance to grip slip. |
DO NOT keep knives in a drawer or anywhere else that they can have their edges degraded by bumping against other metal or glass ware—this includes the sink and dishwasher! Keep your kitchen knives in a block or on a magnet strip mounted on the wall or inside a cabinet door.
There are many different manufacturers, blade materials and styles of knives. Make sure the one you pick has a good return policy in the event the knife ends up not suiting you.
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Spices, herbs, flavorings & enhancements
Listed in order of suggested versatility and utility
1. Salt and Pepper
2. Seasoned salt (Lawry's)
3. Vinegar (apple cider) I prefer apple cider vinegar because of the fruity savor that it brings to recipes.
4. Vanilla, real or imitation (America’s Test Kitchen says either works.)
5. Chicken bouillon (prefer granular) or Better than Bouillon (fridge after opening)
6. Garlic, powdered or granulated (not garlic salt)
7. Onion powder (not onion salt)
8. Poultry seasoning (a blend, usually parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme)
9. A spicy red chili, crushed or powdered, your choice xann be mild or hot (cayenne)
10. Paprika
11. Parsley
12. Basil
13. Oregano
14. Cilantro
15. Rosemary
16. Go nuts . . . .
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The Wine Cellar
It will help if you keep in mind that I really don’t like wine all that much. I’m more of a Coca Cola or raspberry iced tea type of guy. But wine has its time and its purposes, and so…
Table Wine
White Zinfandel, the wine for people who don’t like wine. I prefer Beringer, but will go with Sutter Home or another mid-priced label if Beringer isn’t available. My typically ultra-rural haunts make availability a frequent problem.
Chianti - I credit the Macaroni Grill with honing my taste for Chianti with Italian food. I tend to like dry wines least of all, but the crisp, acidic flavor of a decent Chianti works well for me with red sauces and even lighter fare, especially with strong veggie flavors like garlic or spinach or with mussels or other bold-toned seafood. It’s even harder to find Chianti out in the small towns that dot the boondocks. Usually, if it is stocked, there’s only one label, and it tends to be the basket-wrapped type that is, in my estimation, usually overpriced and none too tasty.
Cooking Wine
As with other kitchen choices, my cooking wine is partially determined by a limited budget and even more limited space. As with my vinegar, I have only one cooking wine on hand: at present, it’s a Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon. My selection had several practical criteria:
1. Full-bodied, so as to impart maximum flavor per ounce.
2. Mid-range variety, for maximum versatility.
3. In a small container, because I don’t use wine very often and can’t afford ‘fridge space between uses. I purchased a four pack of 187 ml (about 6 ounces ) plastic bottles.
Wine-vinegar is also served by compromise. I simply split the difference, adding both some wine and some vinegar from my limited pantry. It may not be haute cuisine, but it’s close enough.
=^)
