These will become your best friends in the kitchen. (Photos.com)
Here is my suggestion: Don’t go for cheap. That doesn’t mean that you go out and buy “top of the line” knives that will set you back $500 for a set of five. What I simply mean is, go out and spend sometime looking at knives that best suit you. They will be your dear friends every time you are in the kitchen. You will need knives that are comfortable and right for you and your uses.
Nowadays there are so many brands, sizes, colors, and fancy shapes, that at times you may just want to throw in the towel. Don’t give up! Go get a cup of coffee and head to one or two stores that carry a selection that you will be proud to have.
Once you get there, take a breath and figure out what you want to try. There are Macs, Henkels, Globals, Victorinox, Wusthof, and the list goes on and on. When you are shopping, price is not always what makes them great, remember you are going to have these for a long time, and you need to be satisfied with your purchase. Consider weight and the feel of the handle, make sure they are not to big or small for your needs.
At the hotel where I work, I use a great set of knives but they are not the same as the ones I use at home. Because I am professional chef I need excellent quality knives at work, but I’m not making sushi, turning carrots, or even doing chiffonade cuts of cabbage at home. At home I have a thick wooden cutting board, so there is no chance of it sliding around, and about three good knives for home use.
My suggestion of what types would be great for the household, are as follows: an 8-inch chef knife. Anything longer would be unwieldy at home; this is the one you will use most often. Get a utility knife, which is good for all sorts of smaller cutting such as peeling apples or paring other fruit. And, finally, purchase a good long 10-inch bread knife. I hate trying to cut fresh bread for dinner with anything else.
The rest is up to you, because of how many different kinds of knives there are, just start simple.
Also buy a block for storing the knives. The knives in a block are a great display piece and they are easy to pull out so you can get to work. Be careful with purchasing too many knives because after some time you will realize you have too many, and that there may be some you don’t even touch.
I suggest that if you find a brand you like, see if they make a block for them and you can order it in. Nowadays knife companies all make good knife blocks for you to display your knives so all your friends and family can gaze upon them when they come to your culinary sanctuary. Happy cutting!
