The Importance of Good Cooking Knives

Cooking can be a labor of love or it can be a huge hassle. There are lots of things that can make or break this delicate balance, including not enough storage space and too little room to move around. But one of the worst things in a kitchen is bad knives.

Have you ever tried to cut something like a tomato with a dull knife? A knife that needs to be sharpened is about as useful as trying to cut something with a spoon. Actually, a dull knife is worse. Every knows that spoons aren't used for slicing. But a dull knife gives the impression of being useful but it really isn't.

There are as many knives as there are uses for them. Some are more for specialty uses and others are very basic and used on an everyday basis. When picking out knives, you have to make a lot of decisions. Knowing what you will be using them for and what features are most important to you is key. A first question to ask is: Do you need a whole set or just one new knife? Knives are sold both ways. Second, what are you looking to do with this new knife? Will you use it to chop celery or slice homemade bread? Is it useful for a big steak or peeling a small apple? Third, are you willing to wash each knife by hand or do you want to be able to put them in a dishwasher. This will determine what type of handle you buy.

For everyday use, there are several knives which are very helpful. To start with, a good chef knife is essential. They come in various sizes, ranging from 6-12 inches. Those who have bigger hands may want to pick the longer blade. Another essential is the paring knife. It's usually between 3-5 inches long and has a straight blade. It's good for peeling veggies or cutting up apples. It's kind of an all purpose knife that can do just about any small job. If you make or eat bread often, a knife with a serrated blade is a must. The tender crumb of bread will smash if you try to cut with a chef knife. And a pairing knife isn't long enough for most types of bread. One negative thing about a serrated knife is that you cannot sharpen it. So if the day comes that it's dull, you have to buy a new one.

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