Posts Tagged ‘kitchen knives’

Getting A Japanese Kitchen Knife

Monday, May 17th, 2010

Anyone who has a job to do, should always have the correct tools. Without the proper tools, you may not be able to accomplish your intended job, and quite possibly cause great injury. Chefs who plan to distinguish themselves from others, will pay a good amount of money for the correct blades so that their food is prepared quickly and safely. If you plan to enjoy your Japanese Kitchen Knives, you should focus on purchasing the best.

When it comes to the cutting of food, knives will suffer considerably. This happens because with each slice, the sharpness of the blade declines. The grain of meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts diminish the effectiveness of a knife. A knife has to be sharp in order for the food artisan to create his or her masterpieces. An inadequate knife will do nothing but, ruin the cuisine which is attempted to be cut.

Carbon steel is an extremely rigid metal that is used to make a sword called the Katana, and was also utilized in the making of kitchen knives. A problem arose when people realized that carbon steel deteriorates rather easily. This deterioration caused a different taste in the food which was cut with the knives crafted from this metal. Carbon steel really is not a good metal choice for knives you will use to customize food.

In our generation, the most sought after knives, are being created from stainless steel. These blades are extremely renowned for their precise cutting abilities. Stainless steel is a metal that does not rust very easy. This steel has made appearances in hundreds of operating rooms and doctors offices in stapling wounds and setting bones. So, what better metal to trust?

A razor fine edge is preferred when using food as a medium not only to feed the mouth, but, to give the eyes a presentation that is magnificent. Different types of cuts are made to achieve a certain look in vegetables and fruits, and sharpness is a definite must. Ugly food is not an option when you are trying to impress!

Paring, chopping, cleaving, slicing, and filleting blades are just a few examples of the knives that are reading for your choosing. Remember, the kitchen is your place, and you are the head cook. If you want to fillet a fish with a cleaver, then you go right ahead and do just that! Many chefs, the world over, have about two to five knives that they use in their kitchens, and nothing else.

It is never recommended that you place your Japanese knives in the dishwasher. The edge of these knives are incredibly, razor sharp which makes them a bit more delicate than other knives you may have in your kitchen. Once you are finished using them, simply wash them with warm soap and water, rinse them, dry them with a cloth, and store them so that they will not receive chips on the edges.

Take the time to love your knives and they will give you all the help you need in the kitchen. Sharpen the edges, every so often, so that you will be ready, in a flash, to cut vegetables for your next stir fry, or fillet fish for the grill.

Joe Carter has been cooking with Japanese knives for many years and he is also a writer in a food and lifestyle magazine. He often tips his readers off on the latest online deals for the best Japanese kitchen knives and he does that through his Japanese kitchen knives blog.

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Invest in Victorinox for Your Cutlery Needs

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

Any time that you encounter the word Victorinox, you doubtless associate it immediately with Swiss Army knives. Well, you are accurate in that respect as Victorinox is presently the exclusive supplier of the world-famous multi-purpose tool with the distinctive emblem. A great set they offer is the Victorinox 8 Piece Knife Block Set.

Although, before Victorinox became famous for their Swiss Army knives, Victorinox was an established maker of single blades. Currently, two brand names are manufactured by this cutlery maker: Victorinox and Forschner, both of which are marketed without even mentioning the Swiss Army brand. In this way the Victorinox knife set is now available to you.

Product Features

The Victorinox knives are crafted by the forge process and then the blades are ice tempered. As a result, these knives are all solid and thick with a full tang extending right through the center of the handle.

The Forschner knives are produced with the stamped blade method. These products are additionally manufactured from a single piece of steel from tip to tang, although the knives are more lightweight, which make them just the thing for chopping and cutting at high speeds.

The hilts in a Victorinox knife set normally come in two colors: black and rosewood. There are red handles, of course, but they are usually restricted to the individual knives that you are able to add to a set. If you intend to invest in the block set, opt for the block with two extra slots to make room for your additional Victorinox knives.

Advantages

In comparison with all the knives reviewed, the Victorinox brand consistently is awarded high standing from both everyday customers and the trade publications, including the prestigious Cooks’ Illustrated. As a matter of fact, it keeps up favorably with its well-established competitors including Wusthof and Henckels. A nice set to consider is the Victorinox 8 Pc Knife Block Sets.

First, the display block which holds a Victorinox knife set comes with lovely grain structure in either dark or light oak. It’s absolutely stable to ensure safety and designed to be accessible in the most cramped of spaces on your kitchen countertop.

Second, the knives’ cutting performance vis–vis sharpness, weight and balance are, predictably, the cutting edge in blade production. This performance can be a result of their relatively narrow backs which show practically no wedge effects. Naturally, Victorinox produces exceptionally sharp blades for the Swiss Army knives, so can’t we presume that from their other blades also?

Third, the selection of knives in a Victorinox knife set meets the needs of both amateur and professional chefs. There are not such a variety of knives that a novice chef will be bewildered, but they contain just enough distinctive knives to keep the expert chef from feeling shortchanged.

Fourth, the Fibrox handles may be the most comfortable ones up to this point. You will be able to control the knives easily no matter what the size of your hands, which could be convenient in case you have chefs of all ages working in your home.

Fifth- and this is significant for visual purposes- the entire set appears particularly professional. Just imagine how knowledgeable you will seem with it on your kitchen counter!

Disadvantages

Virtually the only drawback that you can experience with a Victorinox knife set is the pricey cost. Some models can run as high a $1,270 for a 17-piece knife collection! Another nice option is the Victorinox 8 Piece Knife Block Set.

Still, if you consider the good points, you will be open to paying more to benefit from more of the aforementioned advantages. Now, if you could just afford to buy the newest Victorinox digital-age Swiss Army knife, your collection of cutlery pieces will be complete.

Moses Harun is involved with a project that helps visitors make smart decision when shopping for knives. One of the highest rated knives reviewed on his site is the Victorinox 8 Piece Knife Block Set.

categories: kitchen knives,knives,kitchen,cutlery,appliances,food,cooking,home improvement

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Does Kitchenaid Offer Reliable Knife Sets?

Friday, October 16th, 2009

The KitchenAid brand is a division of the Whirlpool Corporation, which produces many kinds of cooking and countertop appliances, food preparation and ventilation products in addition to other kitchen basics. Now, seriously, what respectable cooking equipment company would not provide cutlery among its culinary essentials? Consequently, consumers are treated to the KitchenAid knife set that pledges chopping, dicing and slicing in a fashionable manner. A great specific set to consider is the Kitchenaid 14 Piece Cutlery Set With Steak Knife Block.

Product Features

According to their website, KitchenAid cutlery is broken into four categories: Professional Series, Professional Series Stainless Steel, Cook’s Series and Carousel Sets. The shared features of all this company’s knives appear to be the contoured handles for a secure grip and controlled cutting in addition to the high-carbon stainless steel blades with perfectly sharp edges.

The pieces of a KitchenAid knife set most often include a chef’s knife, a slicer knife, a santoku knife, a utility knife, a paring knife, steak knives, kitchen shears and sharpening steel, every one of which could be stored in a wood storage box. The knife handles come in two kinds of materials – rubber and stainless steel.

KitchenAid knife handles come in black as well as silver, with one series in orange, which lends itself well to any kitchen style. The wood blocks furthermore clearly show KitchenAid’s logo so basically you may have a brand-coordinated cooking area if you want to.

Advantages

A kitchen knife is naturally only as efficient as its capability to cut through meat or vegetables, and those knives in a KitchenAid knife set aren’t going to fail to perform in this area. The forged fabrication employed with the high-carbon stainless steel blades result in top rated knives at a fairly low price. A nice option for you is the Kitchenaid 14 Pc Cutlery Set.

The full tang fabrication and the triple-riveted handles give the knife almost flawless balance and weight. Why not absolutely perfect? Unfortunately, it wasn’t intended to function as well in a deli or meat market as it will in your home.

One of the knife sets comes with a snap-on steak knife block, usable for simple table setting. For less structured affairs such as a barbecue, you could simply tak off the block complete with steak knives, place it along with the forks and spoons and permit guests to remove the knives as they have a use for them.

Additionally, the knives in a KitchenAid knife series are arranged in a way that the steak knives are separate from the cooking knives. Consequently, the danger of spreading bacteria is diminished.

With the many knives in each set, you might at least pretend that you know how to function in a kitchen even when you don’t know a santoku from some katani. Also, it does look pretty when displayed on the countertop.

Disadvantages

Despite the fact that KitchenAid claims that the knives are dishwasher-safe and can resist rust and stains, you ought never depend on that recommendation. Even world class knives will rust and stain when exposed to the severe dishwasher liquids for extended periods.

Additionally, the sheer amount of the different knives might daunt the beginning knife wielder. If you are one, it’s just about always more sensible to procure two or three basic knives and then collect others as you go along.

All things considered, the Kitchenaid 14 Piece Cutlery Set With Steak Knife Block could be a practical investment. It’s not the best quality product in the knife industry, although with its reasonable price, good quality and good appearance, it can be a good choice for a person who just wishes to fillet a trout effectively.

Moses Harun owns & operates a site that assists consumers in making better decision when shopping for knives. One of the highest rated knives reviewed on his site are Kitchenaid 14 Piece Cutlery Set With Steak Knife Block.

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Choosing a Rachael Ray Set for Your Cutlery

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

In a commercialized civilization where practically every celebrity is marketing his or her popularity by advertising endorsements, chat shows, books and websites and eponymous products, Rachael Ray is a great example of that tendency. Fortunately for the followers of the television presence, her eponymous products are related to her primary skill ‘ cooking. This resulted in the Rachael Ray knife sets which complete her cookware collection, such as the Furi Rachael Ray Gusto Grip 3 Piece Knife Set.

General Features

Rachael Ray’s cutlery is produced by F’ritechnics, an Australian cutlery company that also garners recommendations from other cooking gurus like Nigella Lawson. As a result of Ray’s direction, the knives are lightweight and include non-slip handles (in Ray’s words, ’super duper grippy’) and factory sharpened blades. And naturally, with orange being her signature color, almost all the knives are made with orange handles cases, with the noteworthy exception of the onyx-colored steak knife set along with its case.

With regards to the technical issues, Rachel Ray’s cutlery sets are fabricated from a high-grade German stainless steel alloy blade encased in a polypropylene/synthetic rubber handle molded in a patented reversed-cone shape to improve its ’super duper grippyness’. A pair of notable features in the hilts of these knives are the germ-killing ingredients in the synthetic rubber, and the copper insert which could be shaved to re-establish the knife’s balance in the wake of a number of sharpening sessions.

Advantages

Well, as discussed above, the slip-resistant hilt lives up to expectations, thanks to the grip’s reverse-wedge shape which provides super-grip handling even when your hands are wet. You’ll have to agree, you would rather not work with extremely sharp knives which could become hard to control when they are moistened by liquid on your hands, which happens regularly while you are cooking. A great set is the Furi Rachael Ray Gusto Grip Knife Set.

A Rachael Ray knife set is also a great gift as a result of its stylish packaging. Additionally, you may select between the orange and the black case or the bamboo case. And the orange handles are nice bit of sunshine in a dull beige kitchen!

Also, it helps a lot that Rachael Ray touches viewer’s lives through her talk shows. She has personally worked with and tested every knife on her show and showed the knives to be effective. That advertising, when coupled with Rachael’s charm, compels buyers to purchase the items. And that’s star power for you!

Disadvantages

Although this particular knife set delivers cutting performance, customers have some issues about the knives themselves. To begin with, the orange handles could be difficult to decorate around in case your d’cor is in a contrasting hue, or perhaps you simply don’t prefer your kitchen gadgets to visually jump out and greet your callers. Unless you would like to deal with these very visible accents constantly, you may want to consider neutral-colored handles like black or silver.

There are even problems about the risk for the E. coli bacteria due to the open seam that separates the rubber handle and the metal bolster. This, of course, arises from the lack of ease in cleaning between such narrow spaces. Well, it could be the anti-microbial agent in the handle can diminish that danger, yet the chance may be too great for your peace of mind. A nice set to look into is the Furi Rachael Ray Gusto Grip 3 Piece Knife Set.

For the most part, this Rachael Ray knife set is perfect for beginning chefs honing their skills in the home. For customers with professional uses for knives, an upgrade to higher quality blades may be suggested.

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