Cooks Tool of the Week

Tips for Finding the Perfect Knife…

Louise shares 4 tips on selecting the perfect knife for the home cook. I really appreciate her straight forward approach and am heading to the kitchen to evaluate my knives!

“Every chef, whether the home cook or professional chef, needs to have a great knife. Each likes a knife for there own reasons and uses.

A professional chef may prefer a higher carbon blade for its long and strenous use. A home cook may like a lower rated carbon blade that is easier to sharpen and mantain. Either choice the best knife will fit your hand, be balanced and weighted in a way you are comfortable with.

Fit: You’ll know a knife fits your hand when you grasp the front of handle with the last three fingers and can reach the butt of the blade comfortably with your thumb and pointer finger. This is the proper way to how a knife. If the knife at this point feels awkward and big this my not be your knife.

Balance: Judge the balance by gripping the knife by its handle. If it feels uncomfortably weighted toward the back of the handle, then it probable isn’t for you. An unbalanced knife will make you work harder. Side-to-side balance is also important. When you come down on the blade, the knife shouldn’t feel unstable.

Weight: When you pick up the knife is it weighted well? Some knives are very heavy, this is a bonus for the chef. The extra weight from the knife replaces extra muscle the chef might need to cut. It reduces stress on arms, hands and wrists. So picking the proper knife is a very personal thing, don’t be afraid to try many brands and styles.

Size: An 8-inch chef’s knife is the most popular among home cooks because of its versatility. A 10-incher’s longer blade can cut more volume but may feel intimidating. A 6-inch chef’s knife can offer an element of agility, like that of a paring knife, but falls short when working with volume or when slicing through something large, like a watermelon.

Bottom line: Choose the style that feels right to you. Here’s a couple you may want to check out:” – Louise