Earthly Eating

A lot if you are a knife.

Browse any knife section at a department stre and the options are overwhelming to most. Is bigger better? Is wider? Is thinner? Smaller? What’s the answer?

Top brands all offer the same range of knives, but you’ll find differences in the shape of their blades and the band of steel where the blade meets the handle (bolsters).

Here’s a guide to the meanings behind the differences of knives that are the most popular on the market today:

• French-made Sabatier and Laguiole knives offer a slim, tapered balde and a rounded bolster. Some chefs prefer them because they give more control over where the knife falls and makes carving some meats easier as well.

• German and American brands like WÜSTHOF, Henckels, and Lamson have square, wide handles and broad, slightly curved blades so you can riock the knife back and forth for fine chopping and mincing.

• Solid stainless steel Global knives from Japan are sleek and light, with thin, straight baldes that keep their edge well. Because they lack the heft of their European and American counterparts, Japanese knives require a bit more elbow grease then it comes to cutting thick-freshed items like winter squash.

• Messermeister cutlery combines European precision with Asian sleekness. They’re shaped more like Japanese knives, with curved, ergonomic handles and seamless bolsters.

• Santoku-style knives, with their ridged, hollow blades and squared-off tips, are very popular. Patterned after the Japanese alternative to the chef’s knive, they have the slicing capacity of a serrated knife but can also be sharpened many times.

Before you run out and buy one of these knives straight away, learn some of the buying strategies that are used by some of the chefs today:

1. Do a little “air chopping’ on a flat surface or a cutting board display. Mimic the cutting motions you would make at home to make sure you hold the knife comfortable and correctly.

2. Pick up the knife and put it down several times. Wriggle it in your wrist. Get a feel for it. You don’t want a terribly heacy knife and you don’t want one that is to light. Make sure the weight is right for your handle and chopping or cutting needs.

3. Test the balance of the knife by holding it between yout thumb and forefinger at the bolster. The weight on either side of your grip should feel even, and the knife shouldn’t tip in one direction or the other on either side.

4. If you find one that you just can’t live without and it’s a must have, do a bit of internet comparison before heading out. You may find the same knife at one place cost $150 where as at another location it’s on sale for $55.

Ways to help keep your knives sharp:

• First things first: No knife stays sharp forever, and steer clear of any product that clains that they do so.

• Give the knife a few swipes before cutting on a sharpner.

• Store knives in a block or a plastic chopping block so that they don’t rub against one another in a drawer.

• Never put your knives in the dishwasher, always wash by hand and soon after using them. Otherwise water or being left dirty can rust or dull a knife quickly.

• Sharpen a knife the moment if is dull, don’t over sharpen though it will wear down in the blade.
(Source: Vegetarian Times 2007)

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Earthly Eating Recipe:

Rice Pilaf
Serves: 1

3. When rice and vegetables are cooke, gently stir in olive oil to coat.

Happy Eating!