kitchen tools
Colleen Seto
A newbie’s guide to knives
131-6th Ave SW • 403.237.9585
www.parkerhouse.ca
118-8th Ave SW • 403.269.3160
www.tribsteakhouse.ca
I’ve always looked upon knives as lethal weapons.
That’s probably why I haven’t developed a fondness
for them. But since I can’t afford to always eat at
restaurants, I know I need to learn to cook well at
home – or, more accurately, to help my husband
do so. And so begins my knife education.
Coast-to-coast
dining,
one block
at a time.
808-1st St SW • 403.269.7707
www.murrietas.ca
Cellar, 137-8th Ave SW • 403.503.0730
www.cellarwinestore.com
My first stop is at Knifewear in Inglewood,
a knife utopia akin to Tiffany & Co. except it
sells steel blades instead of diamonds.
Owner and self-proclaimed “knife nerd”
Kevin Kent tells me that a good knife “is your
number one tool in the kitchen. If you’re trying to
replicate a good recipe, you can’t do it with a bad knife.
It’s like trying to golf with cheap clubs. It’s just frustrating.”
That view is shared by many of Calgary’s best chefs. “Good knives are important
because they can change a mundane job into a pleasurable one,” says River
Café’s Scott Pohorelic. “Imagine how much more fun the morning commute
would be if you could drive a Ferrari. Dicing 30 pounds of onions with a great knife
is almost as much fun!”
Knife quality can also affect food preparation quality. “If you’re tired of everything you
cut looking mangled, get a good knife,” advises Justin Leboe, executive chef at Rush.
So what constitutes a good knife? For Kent, good is all about
Japanese steel, and Knifewear reflects that with its hundreds of shiny Japanese
blades. Elsewhere, you can find thousands of European blades. How does a
neophyte like me choose?
“You need a knife that’s sharp, that stays sharp and that is comfortable for your
body and hand size,” Kent explains. “Go to a shop that specializes in kitchen
knives, offers a selection of brands, and has staff with a culinary background.
Try the knives before you buy. It’s really important to test drive a knife.” At
Knifewear, Kent keeps potatoes and tomatoes at the ready for your experimental
slicing and dicing.
Another great knife outlet for a wide range of brands – such as MAC, Global,
Henckels, Victorinox, Ceramics and Shun – is The Knifery at Chinook Centre.
In choosing a knife, I need to consider several things: the
material it’s made of, what I want to use it for and how
comfortable it is for me to use.
20
CITY PALATE November December 2009
When it comes to knife-making, there’s a whole art and science behind the
process and the selection of materials. So as not to overwhelm myself, I stick
to blade basics, which involve three types of steel. High carbon steel provides
toughness and will hold a sharp edge longer, but it’s not rust or stain resistant,
so it can discolour from use. Stainless steel is rust resistant, but will dull more
easily and is harder to sharpen. High carbon stainless steel provides the best
attributes of both – a sharp edge that can be easily maintained and a blade that
doesn’t rust.
Next comes knife style – that depends on what you want to
use it for. “If you only needed one knife, it would be a chef’s knife because it
can do every job,” asserts Kent, who formerly worked as a chef. “It may not be
the most perfectly suited for every job, but it can get every job done. Start with
a chef’s knife, then round out your collection based on your cooking needs.”
Jessica Hawrylak, manager of The Knifery, suggests adding a 5- or 6-inch utility
knife and a paring knife as a basic set to get started. She agrees that “comfort
and personal preference are the big factors for choosing knives. It’s important to
try different styles, weights and handles.”
The trick is finding the right fit, like Harry Potter with his
magic wand.“People don’t realize how personal their knives are,” says Chef
Judy Wood of Meez (Mise en Place). Having trained in Paris, Wood admits she’s
“old-school,” and prefers European knives. “Since my knives are an extension
of my hand and I have large hands, the larger, heavier European handles suit me.
Henckels are my knives of choice. They were the only knives my school in Paris
had in its kitchen, and they fit me like a glove. But what works for one person may
not work for another. Try several different types to determine what works most
comfortably for you.”
check out our fall cooking classes!
Willow Park Village
10816 Macleod Trail South
Bankers Hall
315 - 8th Avenue SW
Dalhousie Station
5005 Dalhouise Drive NW
www.compleatcook.ca
“It’s all about the fit,” agrees chef Dee Hobsbawn-Smith. “You have to like the
feel and weight in your hand. In a moment of weakness, I once bought a 12-inch
chef’s knife. It was too long and heavy for me, and I hurt myself using it.”
How much does a good knife go for? At Knifewear, prices start at
$100 and go up to $3,000. “People might think that’s expensive, but if you buy
a decent knife and maintain it, you will have it forever,” says Kent. “That $100
investment amortized over 40 years is pretty cheap. If you buy a cheap knife,
you get to buy it over and over again.” Prices at The Knifery range from $20 to
$550; current best sellers are Henckels, Shun and Global.
Leboe agrees. “Spend as much as you can afford on a good knife. All my knives
are Japanese. They are extremely precise cutting tools, and the more precise you
are, the more finesse you can bring to your work. It’s a point of pride for a chef.”
Compleat Cook City Palate Fall Cooking Class Ad.indd 1
9/30/09 4:54:23 PM
But for common folk like me, do the same rules apply? “I can get the job done
with a $25 knife so long as it’s sharp,” Hobsbawn-Smith admits. “Wickedly sharp
is the safest. A dull knife can do lots of damage because you have to lean on it.”
So the true test of kitchen metal lies in the sharpening. A
$1,000 knife will be useless if it’s dull. “You’d be surprised how much more
enjoyable cooking is with sharp knives,” says Judy Wood. “It’s all about the
ease of cutting and chopping. It shouldn’t be a chore.”
Should you sharpen your own knives? Hobsbawn-Smith suggests learning
how to sharpen them. “Sharpening gets me in a meditative state before I start
cooking,” she says. But it requires effort and know-how to sharpen correctly.
Lacking both, I leave sharpening to an expert like Kent, who shows me how
it’s done. The Knifery, and other knife specialists, will sharpen your knives. (You
can also get your knives sharpened by mobile knife sharpeners, like chef Bryan
Ursulan, 403-248-1591, who come to your house.)
When to sharpen depends on many factors – frequency of use, type of knife
material, type of cutting board, and if it bothers you to have a knife that isn’t
super sharp. You should sharpen your knives when you realize they’re not doing
the job any more. Don’t believe the “forever-sharp” gimmicks either.
To help keep your sharp knives sharp, use a wood cutting board,
ideally made of end-grain wood (where the rings are visible).
Do not use glass, marble or granite boards – they are harder than steel and
will dull knives quickly. Keep your knives out of the dishwasher and dry them
thoroughly before storing them. Store them in a knife block or on a magnetic
wall rack, not all a-jumble in your cooking utensil drawer.
Bottom line: choose the right knife based on what you need to do with it,
how it fits your hand, and your knife-style preferences. If you spend more and
maintain your knife, it’s likely to be a lasting investment. And once you buy your
knife, use it! With my freshly sharpened Japanese knife in hand, I feel as if I can
conquer the world! Well… potatoes, at least.
continued on page 44
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CITY PALATE November December 2009
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kitchen tools continued from page 21
Charcuterie
The Cutting Edge:
The latest in knife trends
Local charcuterie-centric cafes &
restaurants:
According to knife enthusiasts Kent
and Hobsbawn-Smith, Japanese
knives are all the rage. The advantage
of Japanese steel is that it is much
harder, yet much lighter, than European
steel. The hardness of the steel
determines edge retention. A wellmade German knife, for example, has
a fat blade that’s sturdy but heavy.
Japanese blades are much thinner.
Thin blades go through food better.
continued from page 29
L’Epicerie, The Bison Restaurant &
Lounge (Banff), FARM, Parker House,
Rush, District, River Café, Cilantro, Divino,
Buffalo Mountain Lodge, The Ranche,
Deer Lodge, Emerald Lake Lodge.
Local smoke houses and charcuterie
retailers of note:
CRMR @ Home 330 - 17 Ave. SW
Smoked duck breast, wild boar pâté, air-dried
bison, elk salami.
Old Country Meats Calgary Farmers’
Market Cervelat, prosciutto, sausages.
Jan’s Meats & Deli 2436 - 2 Ave. NW
Polish hot-smoked, sugar-cured wild salmon,
European and back bacon, 10 types of smoked
sausage.
“European Evening” by Brent Heighton Acrylic 20”x 24”
Upcoming Exhibitions:
Two Big, Two Small - Nov 21 - Dec 3
Gallery artists will create two large and two small paintings
Representing over 65 Canadian artists
Browse our gallery online, then have it delivered to your door
artymgallery.com
Monday through Saturday 10 am to 5:30 pm • Sunday 12 pm to 4 pm
[email protected] • 250.342.7566 • 934 - 7th Ave., Invermere, B.C.
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Santokuthe shorter-style chef’s
knife – and nakiri-style knives are very
popular. Nakiriknives have a thin,
straight blade edge that cuts to the
cutting board without the need for a
horizontal push or pull – perfect for
easy, clean vegetable cutting.
Damascus-style knives are also trendy.
Modern Damascus kitchen knives
have blades made from folded layers
of steel that create a patterned blade.
Damascus steel can be stronger, but
isn’t always. More often, the knives
are simply what Hobsbawn-Smith calls
“heart stoppingly beautiful.”
There’s some controversy about the
amount of care Damascus knives
require, but Kent says they don’t
demand any more maintenance than
any other good knife to keep them
sharp or free of rust. You may just
be more naturally careful with one
because, as with most beautiful things,
you want to keep it that way.
Tips for giving a knife as a gift
An old saying decrees that if you give
a knife as a gift, you could sever the
relationship between you and the
recipient. So, put a coin in the box with
the knife. That way, the giftee can give
you back the coin so the knife is no
longer a gift.
Surround your family with the beauty and
splendour of over 1.5 million twinkling lights.
This interactive light show immerses you in the spirit
of the season and will tempt all five senses with:
When selecting a knife for a gift, Kent
says “it has to be really pretty so when
you open the box, you go ‘Wow.’ Or,
you have to really know what the
person would like and would use it
for. A knife that makes me sweat isn’t
exactly everyone’s version of beauty.”
™remax holiday video postcard
™santa vision chat live with santa
™XgZVbn hot chocolateVcYXgVX`a^c\ fire pits
™the festival of choirs
™`^YheaVnVgZVh^cXajY^c\snowball alley, snow
bowling, the reindeer stables and snigloo
fri nov 27 2009 – sun jan 3 2010
closed christmas day and excluding dec 31
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm gates close at 8:30 pm
adults $8 children $5
The best plan is to let people choose
for themselves. Take the prospective
recipient of the knife shopping and let
him or her try a variety of styles. That
way, he or she will get the perfect
fit. Plus, it’s a fun way to spend an
afternoon–slicing and dicing!✤
Pre-purchase your tickets online or at Calgary Co-op to beat the lineups
for more details visit www.calgaryzoo.com
Freelance writer and editor Colleen Seto loves to
eat good food, but hasn’t yet developed a love of
preparing it. She is also the executive director for
the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association.
44
Zoolights4.625x5.75Ad.indd 1
CITY PALATE November December 2009
9/22/09 11:16:59 AM
Bite Groceteria 1212A - 9 Ave. SE
Quebecois sopressata, lamb “ham” from
Driview Farms, Rougie duck prosciutto.
Hungarian Deli 4020 - 26 St. SE
Maple-smoked back bacon, astoundingly good
sausages.
Old Fashioned Meat Products &
Delicatessen 532 Cleveland Cr. SE
Fresh and hickory-smoked sausages.
Paolini’s Sausages & Meats
5735 - 3 St. SE
Hickory-smoked Polish-style village sausage,
Hungarian and Mennonite sausages, doublesmoked bacon, cold-smoked pork loin.
Polcan Meat Products &
Delicatessen 357 Heritage Dr. SE
(Acadia Shopping Centre)
Smoked and fresh Polish sausages in a dozen
styles.
Regina’s Fine Meats
1235 - 26 Ave. SE (Crossroads Market)
Impeccable smoked meats and German sausages,
meaty double-smoked house specialties – pork
ribs, pork hocks, whole chickens.
Valbella Meats
104B Elk Run Blvd., Canmore
Landjaeger, chimneysticks and dozens of other
award-winning sausages and pork products.
Who says you can’t teach yourself
how to cut up a side of pork?
Interested in learning more of the art of
charcuterie? Try these books on for size...
Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking
and Curing by Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn
The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating by
Fergus Henderson
The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh
Fearnley-Whittingsall
Cooking by Hand by Paul Bertolli
On Food & Cooking 2nd Edition by Harold McGee
Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook
Bouchon by Thomas Keller
Glorious French Food by James Peterson ✤
Dee Hobsbawn-Smith is a chef, cookbook
author, educator, local foods advocate and
poet. She is a long-time sausage-maker and
has just cured her first batch of bacon.