“A kitchen without a knife is not a kitchen.” –Masaharu Morimoto
I like knives. From the wee sgian-dubh to the gigantic claymore, I’m drawn to this cutting-edge weapon (get it? Cutting edge? Ok, I’ll stop.)
Put a knife in a killer’s hand and he instantly becomes more terrifying. But in the hand of a skilled cook, a knife is an appliance, a utensil, and only occasionally, a weapon.
Although knives — plus a healthy dose of anger — will surely make mincemeat out of any intruder, I’m far more likely to utilize them in the kitchen. The chef’s knife, the paring knife, the bread knife, these are the tools I use on a daily basis to make and bake nearly all of our meals.
When I’m cutting food during prep, I enter a zen-like state. The music of the blade slicing through the fruit or veg and brushing against the surface of my board only adds to the sounds of boiling water, clattering silverware, closing cabinets, sizzling entrees, timer buzzes and banging pots and pans.
This year, I received two chef’s knives for my birthday: a Victorinox which was created in Ibach, Switzerland, and a beautiful blade made of Toledo steel that M brought home from Spain. Well-made and well-reviewed, these wickedly sharp knives lack any fancy decoration, which is fine by me; they’re meant for work, not meant for show. And with Thanksgiving right around the corner, I have every intention of putting them to good use.
(Photo by Eans)
