Kitchen Best Stuffs
Advantages of buying Kitchen Knives a-la-carte
I have realized over time that having sets of kitchen knives is a terrible idea. The first time I bought a set, I was delirious at the idea of owning a honing steel, a vast number of knives in different shapes and sizes, and a block where I could store all of them in. It sounded so good, especially when the stores salesman convinced me that I would never need to buy kitchen knives again during my lifetime!
Well, the euphoria lasted just a year or so before I realized that the manufacturer had compromised on geometry of blade, quality of material and even size, and had neatly packaged them in a block that made it look so attractive that it couldn't be ignored at first sight.
That's when I seriously started contemplating dumping my set and purchasing kitchen knives a-la-carte, piece by piece and as required for the function they were meant to perform.
Though I primarily cook standard American fare, I sometimes also try my hand at Mexican, Chinese and Indian dishes. One common knife that would be required to prepare any dish would be the 8 or 10" chef's knife. I use it to cut meat as well as thick and large vegetables like melon or gourd. Another essential kitchen knife would be the paring knife in 3 or 4" size. I do light duty work with this knife like peeling vegetables and fruits or getting thin slices and cuts.
I also bought a serrated knife for bread cutting that I could also use for cutting tomatoes, meat which is fatty, sandwiches and similar stuff, i.e., just about anything that appears hard on the outside and is soft inside. I also got a carving knife, a cleaver for meat cutting, and a Santoku for precision cutting and slicing.
Of course, the brands I selected for each knife were based purely on online research and reading customer feedback. I also checked out with friends to be doubly sure about the knives before I placed orders. I have been using my a-la-carte set for the past five years now, and the steel on each one of them still glistens as if they were bought yesterday. I occasionally sharpen the knives, about once a year, but that's about all. I strongly believe these kitchen knives will outlive me and perhaps even my granddaughter or her's, so reliable and efficient are their performance!
I have realized over time that having sets of kitchen knives is a terrible idea. The first time I bought a set, I was delirious at the idea of owning a honing steel, a vast number of knives in different shapes and sizes, and a block where I could store all of them in. It sounded so good, especially when the stores salesman convinced me that I would never need to buy kitchen knives again during my lifetime!
Well, the euphoria lasted just a year or so before I realized that the manufacturer had compromised on geometry of blade, quality of material and even size, and had neatly packaged them in a block that made it look so attractive that it couldn't be ignored at first sight.
That's when I seriously started contemplating dumping my set and purchasing kitchen knives a-la-carte, piece by piece and as required for the function they were meant to perform.
Though I primarily cook standard American fare, I sometimes also try my hand at Mexican, Chinese and Indian dishes. One common knife that would be required to prepare any dish would be the 8 or 10" chef's knife. I use it to cut meat as well as thick and large vegetables like melon or gourd. Another essential kitchen knife would be the paring knife in 3 or 4" size. I do light duty work with this knife like peeling vegetables and fruits or getting thin slices and cuts.
I also bought a serrated knife for bread cutting that I could also use for cutting tomatoes, meat which is fatty, sandwiches and similar stuff, i.e., just about anything that appears hard on the outside and is soft inside. I also got a carving knife, a cleaver for meat cutting, and a Santoku for precision cutting and slicing.
Of course, the brands I selected for each knife were based purely on online research and reading customer feedback. I also checked out with friends to be doubly sure about the knives before I placed orders. I have been using my a-la-carte set for the past five years now, and the steel on each one of them still glistens as if they were bought yesterday. I occasionally sharpen the knives, about once a year, but that's about all. I strongly believe these kitchen knives will outlive me and perhaps even my granddaughter or her's, so reliable and efficient are their performance!