Читать книгу Home Chef - Neven Maguire - Страница 31

Although you can get by with just the three knives listed on page 17, a full set of good knives is the best investment a keen cook can ever make. I recommend buying the most expensive set of knives you can possibly afford, because they should last for the rest of your life. I use Henckel knives, which are available from most good cookware shops, department stores and online.

When choosing a knife set, one of the most important factors to consider is the type of steel used to make the blades. The majority of knives are manufactured from a blend of high-carbon stainless steel that resists rust and corrosion and is dishwasher-proof. The ‘tang’ is the part of the knife where the metal is attached to the handle. The best knives will have a tang in which the metal visibly extends inside the handle, right to the end.

Good-quality knives are well balanced and feel good in the cook’s hand. Don’t be afraid to try holding them in the shop. They should be easy to handle and should feel solid, not flimsy. As a general rule, a good knife should feel like an extension of your own hand and should allow adequate space between the point where your fingers grip the knife and the surface on to which you are cutting. Once a month, we get someone to come into the restaurant to sharpen our knives, but a good butcher should be happy to do this for you – they normally have machines which will do a good job in seconds. You can also sharpen the knives yourself using a sharpening steel (see page 21 for instructions).

If you do decide to invest in a set of knives, the ones listed overleaf are the basic set with which I would begin. It’s also worth getting a knife block so that the knives can be kept in a safe place and are easily accessible. It helps prevent them from getting damaged or ruined.

1. Sharpening steel

2. Paring knif

3. Cook’s knife

4. Bread knife