Kitchen

[Mz iMac]

I've never had to sharpen my knives.  I guess I would consider my knife skillz average.

I have...

butcher knife-Ginsu

carving knife-Eversharp Pro

steak knives (8) - "    "       "

The above I've had for 30+ yrs and all are still sharp since the day I originally purchased them. 

My S.O. who does all the cooking when he's at my place loves my Eversharp Pro knives.  He says they are so sharp, they can cut a single spider web right down the middle w/o disturbing the spider.  He is always amazed that I've never sharpened them in all the years that I've had them.

[momtochloe]

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@ALRATIBA wrote:

Funny you should ask!  Instead of using my mandoline slicer last week, I thought I'd just use a knife to slice an onion.

The wound on my thumb is almost all healed!

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@ALRATIBA if I can offer an upside to this is that you will never make this mistake again . . . trust me.

[momtochloe]

Along with not being able to play the piano, my one regret is my poor knife skills.  I so love watching the chef's on cooking shows blow through an onion or any other vegetable for that matter.  I have gotten better but I am still lacking in that area.

My knives are by Victorinox and I love them and they definitely work better when they have been sharpened but I am ashamed to say the knife that gets the most of a workout in my kitchen is a small, serrated paring knife from Ikea . . .

[Sooner]

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@CelticCrafter wrote:

I wish I could find someplace local where I could get my knives sharpened. I'm just not that good at it.  I try and they are good for a while just not as long as when you first buy them.

I have a set of Wusthof.

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@CelticCrafter

The Chef's Choice electric sharpeners do a great job!  I read the instructions carefully and have watched some YouTube videos as well.  The one I have now has three slots for grinding, putting on a new edge, and polishing/stropping.  It has a 20 degree edge angle and is for German knives.  SOME of the newer ones have a sharper Asian edge of 15, but yours probably are 20 degrees.

The one I have wasn't awfully expensive but does a very very good job!  I'm now getting a new one that works on my Asian knives with 15 degree blade edges.

Also, a local butcher shop or kitchen store may have someone that comes in occasionally.  Our local Williams-Sonoma has someone who does this.   CHeck around at any meat counter and you might find someone.  Try ONE knife first!  LOL!!!

[Sooner]

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@momtochloe wrote:

Along with not being able to play the piano, my one regret is my poor knife skills.  I so love watching the chef's on cooking shows blow through an onion or any other vegetable for that matter.  I have gotten better but I am still lacking in that area.

My knives are by Victorinox and I love them and they definitely work better when they have been sharpened but I am ashamed to say the knife that gets the most of a workout in my kitchen is a small, serrated paring knife from Ikea . . .

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I will admit to having bandages on all my fingers but one at a New Year's party after I got my first GOOD knives for Christmas--and to my horror everyone I met asked me what had happened!  I have come a long way from that, but I am lacking in the knife skills too, but am far better than when I was 30 years younger!  Jacques Pepin is the best!!!  He can whip through an onion faster than a Cuisinart!  And he still has fingers!!!  

I did finally learn the pinch grip and feel that on big knives that is more secure, but I had to get used to it.  I used to cut like that Farm house woman, Nancy Fuller, with my index finger on top of the blade.

[momtochloe]

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@Sooner wrote:

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@momtochloe wrote:

Along with not being able to play the piano, my one regret is my poor knife skills.  I so love watching the chef's on cooking shows blow through an onion or any other vegetable for that matter.  I have gotten better but I am still lacking in that area.

My knives are by Victorinox and I love them and they definitely work better when they have been sharpened but I am ashamed to say the knife that gets the most of a workout in my kitchen is a small, serrated paring knife from Ikea . . .

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I will admit to having bandages on all my fingers but one at a New Year's party after I got my first GOOD knives for Christmas--and to my horror everyone I met asked me what had happened!  I have come a long way from that, but I am lacking in the knife skills too, but am far better than when I was 30 years younger!  Jacques Pepin is the best!!!  He can whip through an onion faster than a Cuisinart!  And he still has fingers!!!  

I did finally learn the pinch grip and feel that on big knives that is more secure, but I had to get used to it.  I used to cut like that Farm house woman, Nancy Fuller, with my index finger on top of the blade.

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Oh my goodness @Sooner you have to hear me laughing all the way by you as I am so guilty of the index finger on the knife move . . . yikes, I wish I could break myself of that habit but try as I may it just doesn't work for me . . . sigh.

In order to console myself, I blame the fact that I am rather vertically challenged and my countertops are not so I do not have the proper angle to properly chop veggies . . . I firmly believe that if I was taller or my countertops shorter my diced veggies would be perfect . . . please work with me on this . . . tee hee!

And ps, there is a great Top Chef episode showcasing basic kitchen skills including dicing an onion that proved to be more than problematic for one of their contestants . . . to say I enjoyed that clip is an understatement . . .

[Sooner]

@momtochloe

I am vertically challenged as well.  We live in a house with extra high countertops--even in the bathrooms!  Yes, I DO feel your pain here!!!    My husband is literally one foot taller than me and doesn't understand my problems AT all!!!!

Try the pinch grip on a big old chef's knife and go slowly,  It helps with chopping veggies when you get the hang of it.  So far, no more band-aids at parties!!!!  LOL!!

[!FitChick!]

My knife skills are not good and I don't have good knifes.  I am the person whio will grab a steak knife to cut things besides steak.  I took a group of students through an introductory kitchen skillls class at the Vo-tech, and the knife unit was the hardest.  To cut everything quickly and maintain uniformity is tough.

[Snicks1]

I don't have anywhere near the speed of the professional chefs, and not even completely their technique, but I do ok. My first husband was a meat cutter, so maybe I learned at least that much from him. I also know how important it is to keep knives sharp, and how to hone them. Also may have learned from a few cuts along the way, lol.

[momtochloe]

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@Sooner wrote:

@momtochloe

I am vertically challenged as well.  We live in a house with extra high countertops--even in the bathrooms!  Yes, I DO feel your pain here!!!    My husband is literally one foot taller than me and doesn't understand my problems AT all!!!!

Try the pinch grip on a big old chef's knife and go slowly,  It helps with chopping veggies when you get the hang of it.  So far, no more band-aids at parties!!!!  LOL!!

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Thanks for your tips @Sooner and I will try them.  I do find using that technique on a larger knife does lend itself to the pinch grip, I just need to keep training myself to do so.

As for band-aids, I have been rather lucky in terms of only nicking a fingernail.  I save the band-aids for my forays into the world of mandolines . . . suffice to say it doesn't always go well but I have learned my lesson(s).