|
|
 |
Knives
|
| They reduce, dice, slice, cut, decorate and carve: they are good, true "domestic" arms - knives represent an extension of our hands. Wiping them down and scrupulously cleaning them is all you need to do to keep them by your side for a lifetime. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MATERIALS AND CHOOSING A KNIFE |
|
|
The most widely used types of knife are those with a stainless steel blade (forged and stamped), which have a treated wooden or plastic handle, which is dishwasher safe. Relatively recently, Japanese knives have appeared with extremely sharp ceramic blades that don't lose their edge and don't absorb smells. There was a time when only two or three types of knife could be found in the kitchen drawer. Today the opposite is true - there is a specific knife for every kitchen task. It is, however, worth underlining that, initially, you will not need a large amount of knives. You will collect more as you learn more refined techniques. In order to keep the edge on a knife, you must have a steel. Just like in a duel, the first utensil is grasped with one hand and the other hand is used to pass the blade on top and below, much more efficient compared to the second.
When you purchase a knife, you should look at the handle and feel the total weight. A good knife should be quite heavy, but still easy to use.
|
|
|
|
This will cut bread with its 25-cm long blade, but it is also very useful for cutting up hard-crusted foods such as some cheeses.
|
|
|
|
The jack of blades: this knife can be used for almost any purpose - except for so-called "fine work" (peeling, turning etc.): it is used to cut and slice meat, it cuts vegetables into strips and cubes, it grinds and crushes garlic and much more. The most popular sizes for domestic use range are the 20-25cm (these can be used for crushing hard-crusted or shelled foods) and the 15-18cm (for smaller quantities or softer foods).
|
|
|
|
This term covers the all-purpose knife (8-10 cm blade) used for peeling fruit and vegetables, (if there is no potato peeler) as well as slicing and other jobs, for which long bladed knives would be too cumbersome.
|
|
|
|
A fairly "technical" knife with a characteristic non-rigid and elastic blade (18cm), that makes it ideal for trimming meat from the bone or separating the skin from the flesh of fish. It must always be kept sharp.
|
|
|
|
The heaviest knife. It will be recognised by its wide blade (at least 15 cm), which is rectangular in shape and fairly heavy. As well as being used for cutting bones or legs of meat, it is also put into service for quickly cutting up leeks and small onions.
|
|
|
|
One of the secrets of keeping your knives properly, apart from scrupulous cleaning - they should always be dried and never left to soak in water - is the trick of keeping them apart from each other and to use suitable supports, such as wooden or plastic slots. You should avoid contact with metal and ceramic surfaces as much as possible. If this does happen, our advice is to sharpen the edge of the blade, before using it again. Another good piece of advice for keeping knives sharp is always to use a wooden block, but to keep it well out of reach of children.
|
|
|
|
|
