Knives in the Kitchen

Several posts ago Mary asked me what knives I use. I have a combination of quality knives and a few run-of-the mill utility knives. Here is an explanation of what I use:

I was 33 years old before I had my first real quality knives. They were a gift from Gary for our tenth anniversary. Over the previous several years I had begun to really learn how to cook well so Gary thought I could really use a good knife. The knife he chose was a Henckels Four Star chef's knife. It's five inches long -- perfect for me because I don't like the long knives; I feel like Xena the Kitchen Warrior with anything long than six inches! It is solid and cuts beautifully and the edge can be made almost like new for about $6. Originally, this was the only knife Gary had planned to purchase. However, after his selection of this knife he happened to notice a new style knife that was being introduced....

...and decided to check it out. He really liked the style and width of the blade. He wondered if I would like this style of knife and finally decided he would buy it as well. This knife is a Wusthof Grand Prix santuko. If you look closely at the knife you will notice a small wave in the middle of the blade - that was not original to the knife. The bend in the blade came from my dear sweet hubby trying to help me separate some frozen meat a couple years ago. Because of this wave in the blade, and the fact that the knife was from one of the 'lower' echelon knive collections, I can no longer have it professionally sharpened. The edge has become very dull and is good only for cutting cooked beans. At this point, it is still in my collection for sentimental reasons.

A little over a year ago our local kitchen store was having their annual cutlery sale. Having really enjoyed the santuko style chef's knife Gary had purchased years before I decided to finally purchase a replacement. This is a Wusthof Classic santuko with hollow edge (the divets on the blade).

The only other quality knife I own is this carving knife. It is a Wusthof Classic 8" carving knife with a hollow edge. Carving meat can be difficult so a really good sharp blade is essential.

These are the last of my knives. From top to bottom: bread knife, utility knife, paring knife. None of these knives are from a quality line; in fact, all three were less than $10 each. The bread knife is sturdy and because of the serrated edge I don't have to worry about the sharpness of the blade - so far this knife has cut well through all types of bread, even the hard crust artisan breads. The utility knife also cuts well for the same reasons. The paring knife is the only one that I may consider replacing in the future. It cuts well on most things but there have been times I wished it had a sharper blade (like when peeling plums).

On a final note I would like to add a few points about knives in general:

I've never paid full price for any of my knives. It just isn't necessary. Most stores that sell kitchen goods will have at least once good cutlery sale a year where the prices are at least 30% off of MSRP. If you are looking to purchase a new knife wait until it goes on sale!

A quality knife is WORTH the money even if you have to save for it. I have to save for any quality knives I purchase. The replacement for my santuko was less than $80 on sale so I had to save $10 a month to be able to purchase it. It was worth it to save because I knew I would be getting a good deal on a quality knife that will last me a lifetime! Low-quality knives eventually have to be replaced because they no longer cut. This can become expensive over a few decades. Also, a quality knife is safer - more accidents happen with dull knives than sharp.

It's not necessary to purchase a set of quality knives all at once. These sets are very expensive and often contain knives that are seldom, if ever, used. It is much better to purchase one knife at a time as it is needed.

If you plan to assemble a collection of quality knives here is my suggestion from most important to least: chef's knife, carving knife, paring knife, utility knife, and bread knife.

Try before you buy! Even if you find a better deal online, take the time to visit a local store and check the out actual knife. Although a 10" chef's knife sounds cool, it may not be the right one for you. It may be too heavy or too long. The blade may be too wide. Or, you may deside you just don't like how it feels in your hand. Quality knives are too expensive to order one and then find out you don't like it!

Once you own a quality knife be sure to take care of it properly. Hand wash and dry immediately. Don't throw it in the knife drawer unless the blade is covered. Finally, have it professionally sharpened from time to time. Sur La Table offers this service for $6 and our local knife store offers the service for $15. It's worth it!

[Edited to add:

I choose Wusthof knives because I am familiar with their performance from the first knives I had.

For a list of some of the better knife companies check out your local gourmet kitchen store like Sur la Table or Williams-Sonoma.