One of the best investments any home-cook can make is a great knife.
Sure, knives can cost a small fortune. But take care of them, and they will last you a lifetime.
The first time you use a knife that is sharp and fits your hand well will be a revelation. Slicing and chopping will feel miraculously effortless. I know when I plunked down some cold hard cash for my first really good knife, I practically screamed when I cut an onion for the first time. The blade went through it like nobody’s business.
Over the years, I’ve tried a couple Chicago Cutlery knives, in addition to other brands. This moderate-priced line delivers a lot for a modest amount of money. The stainless steel blades also come with a lifetime warranty.
So, if you don’t yet have a well-made set of knives in your kitchen, it’s high-time you went shopping for some. They truly will change the way you cook.
CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win a Chicago Cutlery 13-piece block set, a value of $69.99. The set includes an 8-inch chef’s knife, 8-inch bread knife, 5-inch utility knife, 5-inch partoku, a parer, a peeler, shears, a sharpening steel and 4 steak knives.
Entries, restricted to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight PST July 6. Winner will be announced July 8.
How to win?
Just tell me about a time when you weren’t necessarily the sharpest knife in the block. In other words, an incident when you sheepishly admit you didn’t use your head. Best answer wins.
Here’s my own response:
“Long ago, when I was a reporter interning at the Portland Oregonian for the summer, I was assigned to write a story about the state fair. When I arrived, I noticed that the dairy cow competition was just about to begin. I made my way over to where the cows were penned and I asked a young man if he was entered in the dairy cow contest. He looked at me, then looked at his cows, then looked back at me again and answered, “Ma’am, these are beef cows.”  Uh, right. OK, so on second glance, maybe they did look rather muscular and hefty. What can I say? I’m a city girl. And obviously, I needed Lesson 101 on cows that day.”
WINNER OF THE PREVIOUS CONTEST: In last week’s Food Gal contest, I asked you to tell me your favorite way of enjoying iced tea. The winner will receive samples of Mighty Leaf Tea’s iced tea blends, plus a Takeya plastic iced tea pitcher and Takeya glass water bottle.
Congrats to:
David Silver, who wrote, “I love Ginger Peach iced tea, and to give it more ‘snap.’ I simply add a couple of slices (~ 1/4″ thick and cut through a knuckle of the ginger)) of fresh ginger and half a cinnamon stick. However, there is a process. I add the cinnamon when first brewing the tea, then after the tea has steeped, I remove the cinnamon stick, add the ginger and the ice. Cooked Ginger can be a bit strong. Of course, nothing is better than cutting a round slice of peach and adding it to the glass when serving.”