Cooking, like everything else, has a number of snobs that will insist that a bunch of expensive tools are imperative to the manufacturing of a decent meal.
I am not a chef. I am a cook and that is that. I am not very likely to make some kind of a flambe whatever or fancy crepe. Sorry about that.
I am, however, a halfway decent cook.
As I write this I am making a breakfast of codfish and eggs.
I look at the knife set in its block and realize that two of the original set are in a drawer somewhere and a pair of my utile knives are in their spaces. Next to the block is a KaBar I very occasionally use.
I generally use the other two. Both are dead simple, inexpensive Russell Green River Works knives. The larger of the two is over 30 years old and has the handle wrapped with seine twine. I did this when I got it back in the 80s and used it for gutting halibut. It made me a lot of money.
The other Green River is a basic utility blade. I bought it as a blank and riveted a simple walnut handle on it. The blank was inexpensive, the walnut free as were the rivets.
It is funny how inexpensive things often get the most use.
I have had many, many people over the house for a meal but have never had anyone gripe.
I have had a couple of people try and show me how to use a French knife. I tell them I already know and continue slicing away with the Green River utility.
I generally explain to people that I am basically a camp cook and not a chef.
To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this:
http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY
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Three usually does it - a big beasty (8 inch or so Chef's Knife in the trade), a whittler (4-6 inch Paring Knife to us mere mortals), and something with mild-teeth for sawing-through items like bread and bagels (10 inch bread knife.)
ReplyDeleteAll the others just do something one of these three do, but juts a bit better.
Homemade, Ontario or Chicago Knife types, something inexpensive but good working like Rada Knives, or full chef-grade. They all get the job done.
Learn how to sharpen you blades.
ALWAYS keep them clean or clean & oil after use.
Lifetime tools, easy.
Of also check out Ragnar's Ragweed Forge - the section on Knives. Good dealer with access to great affordable Swedish knives at a fair price. Will try to leave the link in a second comment.
Links
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ragweedforge.com/kniv.html
https://www.ragweedforge.com/index.html#catalog
Tell him a friend of Pic's sent you!