The Cooks' Den » Cutlery http://www.thecooksden.com Cooking Tools - Gear for Cooks and Chefs Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:49:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Ginsu Knife Block Set Review, 14 Piece | Stainless Steel Serrated Never Sharpen Blades w/ Black Storage http://www.thecooksden.com/ginsu-knife-block-set-review-14-piece-stainless-steel-serrated-never-sharpen-blades-w-black-storage/ http://www.thecooksden.com/ginsu-knife-block-set-review-14-piece-stainless-steel-serrated-never-sharpen-blades-w-black-storage/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:56:41 +0000 Sharon http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=12819 Ginsu Knife Block Set, 14 Piece If this is your first time shopping around for a set of kitchen knives, then I'm sure this Ginsu Knife Block Set clearly stood out among the rest. It comes with a lot of knives that never need to be sharpened, and it's a great price. You're probably asking, "What's the catch?"

Thing is, these knives are more suited for an occasional home cook on a budget, someone who doesn't need to use kitchen knives daily and may not want a better set that requires maintenance. The knives are made from Japanese high carbon stainless steel and feature double-edged serrated blades that supposedly never need to be sharpened. They arrive sharp out of the box and are paired with ergonomic handles as well as a limited lifetime warranty. (Factor in an average replacement cost of $3 per knife to cover shipping if you ever need to return one.)

The set includes a very well-rounded choice of knife options, better than some I've seen, actually. A chef's knife, Japanese santoku, bread knife, boning knife, utility knife, and paring knife are your main cutting options. Ginsu also includes six steak knives and a pair of kitchen shears to round out the set. Each piece fits into a black hardwood knife block. The knives are dishwasher safe, but to make sure rust is avoided over time, wash by hand and make sure each knife is completely dry before returning to the knife block.

However, if quality is more important to you than price, I'd forgo this set and focus on a smaller collection of well-made knives that could last you a lifetime if maintained properly. Knives that never need sharpening aren't a good match for consumers who take cooking seriously. Knives that can be sharpened and maintained to one's own preferences are a much better choice. Even though they require maintenance, the edges are much sharper in the end, and the quality is noticeably more durable. It's like comparing a Kia to a BMW.

One such option is the Victorinox Forged Knife Set, a starter set that bundles the only knives a chef needs to get by on: a chef's knife, utility knife, and paring knife. They're forged from Solingen steel and are solidly made with full-tang handles.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/ginsu-knife-block-set-review-14-piece-stainless-steel-serrated-never-sharpen-blades-w-black-storage/feed/ 0 Godinger Fluted Cake Knife Spatula Set | Silver Pastry Serving Cutlery http://www.thecooksden.com/godinger-fluted-cake-knife-spatula-set-silver-pastry-serving-cutlery/ http://www.thecooksden.com/godinger-fluted-cake-knife-spatula-set-silver-pastry-serving-cutlery/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:06:53 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=8258 Godinger Fluted Cake Knife Spatula Set The Godinger Cake Server Set will require a return to older times when polishing the silver was a regular household task. This ornate fluted handle pattern is silver plated and will need a good polish before special occasions.

The stainless steel spatula and knife are intended for cakes and pastries and are built appropriately for that work, with a style that's as important as their function. Although most owners wouldn't expect to use these tools for prep work or for cutting hard-crusted breads, the build certainly isn't intended for that. The set is is intended for light cutting and dinner service.

Cleaning is a carefully-done manual procedure and should be completed before pastry or icing hardens on the intricate surfaces of these tools. Putting this set through a dishwasher is out of the question. Use a mild detergent solution, warm water, and a non-abrasive dishcloth for best results. Hand dry after washing.

The parent company, Godinger Silver Art, has been in business both as manufacturer and importer of fine giftware for thirty years and markets silver plate cutlery and other gift items nationwide through many independent retailers and giftware shows. Warranty and exchange policies can vary from dealer to dealer.

The Ricci Argentieri Raffaello serving set is another beautiful design to consider.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/godinger-fluted-cake-knife-spatula-set-silver-pastry-serving-cutlery/feed/ 0 Larien Bagel Biter w/ Stainless Steel Blade | Commercial Bakery Deli Tool http://www.thecooksden.com/larien-bagel-biter-w-stainless-steel-blade-commercial-bakery-deli-tool/ http://www.thecooksden.com/larien-bagel-biter-w-stainless-steel-blade-commercial-bakery-deli-tool/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:58 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=8253 Larien Bagel Biter w/ Stainless SteelThe Larien Bagel Biter may seem like a lot of machine if all you want is a sliced bagel, but that baker's treat stays fresher if you buy them unsliced, and if you want to open one up at home to add a spread of cream cheese, you seldom get even halves with just a knife and a cutting board. For this machine to be practical in your home, you'll just have to love bagels.

Since this is one of very few commercial-quality machines that is also affordable, it's worth a close look even if you're not a heavy user of bagels. Soft breads might not work so well with this diagonal guillotine blade, but the tougher texture of a bagel is something it handles very well. With one smooth stroke, you get perfect symmetrical toastable halves nearly every time.

The ABS food grade plastic construction of base and frame is strong and safe. One-handed operation is easy, and there's no penalty for left handers. Cleanup is simple and should be nothing more than a quick wipe down by hand.

Safety was my primary doubt when I saw this thing for the first time, and should be a concern of anyone who has young children or even teenagers in the house. Although the clear plastic safety shields technically will stop the plunging motion before the blade reaches a playful finger, the shield itself could cause some painful injuries. Store this gadget out of the reach of children, and watch them carefully if you let them work with it.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/larien-bagel-biter-w-stainless-steel-blade-commercial-bakery-deli-tool/feed/ 1 Westmark Mushroom & Egg Slicer | Stainless Steel Ribbon Blade Press http://www.thecooksden.com/westmark-mushroom-egg-slicer-stainless-steel-ribbon-blade-press/ http://www.thecooksden.com/westmark-mushroom-egg-slicer-stainless-steel-ribbon-blade-press/#comments Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:23:17 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=8245 Westmark Mushroom & Egg Slicer If you like kitchen gadgets, you may find this Westmark Mushroom and Egg Slicer fascinating. With a similar concept to the very well-known wire grid slicer, this powder-coated aluminum press accomplishes the same goals with a sturdier and sharper grid of stainless steel ribbon blades. A matching cutting base presses the food completely through the grid, quickly yielding perfectly-even slices.

My personal experience with such gadgets is that they really look like a good idea, but in use they are hard to justify. It's hard to imagine anyone unable to use a knife who could use one of these.

The overly-long jointed arm is spring loaded for convenience, and theoretically that could be a good deal if you have to work one-handed -- but there's enough play in the joint that blades and grid don't always meet correctly. The construction is lightweight, with blades that can be bent easily out of line. Although it could work equally well on hardboiled eggs, kiwi, and strawberries in addition to mushrooms, this is not a high output device.

Add to that the obvious problems when it's time to clean this slicer, full of deep wedge-shaped grooves where food must get jammed, and with a fragile cutting grid that can be pushed out of shape with a scrubbie -- and this becomes a nice companion for the other egg slicers you never really use.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/westmark-mushroom-egg-slicer-stainless-steel-ribbon-blade-press/feed/ 2 Chef’s Choice Electric Food Slicer | Commercial Deli Meat 667 http://www.thecooksden.com/chefs-choice-electric-food-slicer-commercial-deli-meat-667/ http://www.thecooksden.com/chefs-choice-electric-food-slicer-commercial-deli-meat-667/#comments Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:16:13 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=7874 Chef's Choice Electric Food Slicer This large, nearly commercial-grade machine, thirty pounds heavy and capable of making nearly a ten-inch slice through cooked meats, has many of the features of restaurant quality machines and is just as hard to clean.

With a machine this big you get the efficient and precise slicing you want when you invest in an electric food slicer. A few compromises have been made on this design, but not too many to forgive. Some fittings and adjustment screws are plastic, and breaking down the machine for cleaning requires an allen wrench and a screwdriver -- but if you really need a slicer you can depend upon for regular work, this will do fine.

The motor is fairly quiet and packs 180 watts of power, enough to handle most meats although high friction jobs like cheese will have to be broken down into workable blocks. A blade sharpener is built into the machine, and a safety device for handling the ten-inch circular blade during cleaning is a real relief to see. (If you've never nearly dropped one, the only thing scarier is the impulse to try and catch it.) The engineers were very safety conscious, including several welcome finger saving features that don't inhibit operation.

The carriage, often a source of binding and other problems in cheaper machines, is mounted on ball bearings for smooth operation every time. The disappointment comes when it's time to clean the machine -- even though the breakdown is fairly simple, there are several awkward pieces involved, and gaps into which juices will surely creep. Elbow grease is the only real solution.

Also see the Waring Pro Electric Slicer to compare.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/chefs-choice-electric-food-slicer-commercial-deli-meat-667/feed/ 0 Presto Saladshooter Electric Food Slicer http://www.thecooksden.com/presto-saladshooter-electric-food-slicer/ http://www.thecooksden.com/presto-saladshooter-electric-food-slicer/#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:28:20 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4766 Presto Saladshooter Electric FoodOne of the most popular kitchen gadgets ever, the Presto Salad Shooter has been around for decades--a couple--and still has a faithful following of happy owners and users. Lightweight and compact, it solves what I consider one of the most bothersome kitchen problems--making salads. I'd rather cook, and anything that gets the salad out of the way faster is my friend.

Cutting cones with slicing and grating blades snap quickly in and out of the main assembly. Drop clean vegetables, fruits or even nuts into the hopper, point the machine at the mixing bowl, and pull the trigger. Salad slices or julienned pieces shoot directly into the bowl. Mix and serve.

Useful for a number of chores that would be slow or messy with a knife and cutting board, the Salad Shooter is even stout enough to shred mozzarella for pizza. It's a genuine time saver for taco fillings as well as quick prep for stir fry.

Clean up is easy, although you'll have to do that by hand. Cutter cones will fit the dishwasher rack but the edges of the blades stay sharper longer if you do a hand wash and dry. A quick rubdown with a towel and a little vinegar keeps the machine spotless and shining.

Cuisinart's comparable version is the PrepExpress.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/presto-saladshooter-electric-food-slicer/feed/ 1 Progressive International Food Chopper Set | Fruit & Vegatable Slicer Storage http://www.thecooksden.com/progressive-international-food-chopper-set-fruit-vegatable-slicer-storage/ http://www.thecooksden.com/progressive-international-food-chopper-set-fruit-vegatable-slicer-storage/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:18:52 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4760 Progressive International Food Chopper Although the Progressive International Fruit and Vegetable Chopper has some interesting perks, it's a limited capacity gadget that will last only as long as the blades stay sharp. Be careful not to overstress the plastic hinge.

Unlike some slicers, this one won't endanger your fingers--cutting edges are well out of the way. Place a small or medium sized fruit or veggie on the cutting grid, press down smartly with the plastic pusher lid, and sliced or julienned results drop into the storage box base. If you are working with long vegetables like celery or carrots, a side cutter in the lid clips off the section neatly, so pre-sizing is unnecessary.

The finer the cutting grid, the longer the total cutting edge and the more pressure the machine requires. For finer julienned pieces, pre-cut small sections of vegetables to ease the stress on the chopper.

On the underside of the lid is a pusher grid that fits between the cutting blades of even the smallest cutting grids. This reduces waste to nearly zero--no leftover "handle stubs" to chop by hand or throw away. If the lids shifts to the side when you're trying to smash too much potato through the chopper blades, hard ABS plastic will hit the blades instead of the space between them. It doesn't take much of that to dull blades and throw things permanently askew.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/progressive-international-food-chopper-set-fruit-vegatable-slicer-storage/feed/ 0 Bron Original Stainless Steel Mandoline Slicer http://www.thecooksden.com/bron-original-stainless-steel-mandoline-slicer/ http://www.thecooksden.com/bron-original-stainless-steel-mandoline-slicer/#comments Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:01:59 +0000 Alice http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=5159 Bron Original Stainless Steel MandolineThe infinite repeatability, consistency, and precise control a mandoline brings to the table isn't something which many cooks can easily duplicate with a knife. Normally, I'll simply reach for an extremely sharp thin knife. But even professionals and skilled home cooks will have a tough time making the kind of consistent, precise cuts that the industry requires. And when that's what is required, a mandoline is what I go to if I need thin slices or even julienned veggies. But there are times where the speed and precision of a mandoline is exactly what you need to complete a recipe with a minimum of fuss.

A mandoline is something which I consider to be a specialty tool, but there aren't many professional kitchens I've worked in that don't have a mandoline or two in their batterie of tools. Does that mean everyone needs one? Probably not, but if you want to be able to produce professional results without professional skills, this could be well worth the investment.

This is a stainless steel, pro quality tool, which will last most people for a lifetime, making it easy to justify the arguably steep price. Whether you need to create thin slices for a tart, julienne veggies for a slaw, or create veggie sticks for snack trays or even french fries, this will produce the kind of cuts of which anyone would be proud.

Complete your food prep set with a nifty egg slicer from Westmark.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/bron-original-stainless-steel-mandoline-slicer/feed/ 0 Shun Ken Onion Utility Knife | Kitchen Stainless Steel Cutlery VG-10 5 Inch http://www.thecooksden.com/shun-ken-onion-utility-knife-kitchen-stainless-steel-cutlery-vg-10-5-inch/ http://www.thecooksden.com/shun-ken-onion-utility-knife-kitchen-stainless-steel-cutlery-vg-10-5-inch/#comments Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:41:25 +0000 Mike http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=5152 Shun Ken Onion Utility Knife If you can get past the non traditional aesthetic, there's actually a lot tolike about this Ken Onion design from Shun.

The handle is appreciably beefyfor a small knife, a touch which I find particularly appealing, as mostsmaller Japanese knives have handles which feel undersized in my hands. Themodified offset handle design also functions to keep my delicate knucklesfar from the cutting board.

Although the blade is a bit thick due to thelayered warikomi construction, the VG10 blade steel will take and hold afine edge that will outperform anything comparable from Western makers.Although the damascus SUS10 sides are quite pleasing to the eye, they offerlittle functional advantage.

If you're looking for an offset style small utility knife with modern blade materials, aside from the Alton's Angles Utility Knife, Ican't think of another option. However, if you don't have a particularfondness for the Ken Onion and don't wish to pay the premium for the design,there are many other VG10 utility knives which will perform as well at asignificantly lower price.

Another offset knife to consider is the Wusthof Grand Prix II deli knife.

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]]> http://www.thecooksden.com/shun-ken-onion-utility-knife-kitchen-stainless-steel-cutlery-vg-10-5-inch/feed/ 2 Ironwood Gourmet Square Cutting Board | Laminated Acacia Wood End Grain http://www.thecooksden.com/ironwood-gourmet-square-cutting-board-laminated-acacia-wood-end-grain/ http://www.thecooksden.com/ironwood-gourmet-square-cutting-board-laminated-acacia-wood-end-grain/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:33:57 +0000 JT Hats http://www.thecooksden.com/?p=4846 Ironwood Gourmet Square Cutting Board Made from small blocks of laminated end grain acacia wood, this beautiful cutting board, 14" x 14" x 1.25", is durable in kitchen prep applications and pretty enough to double as a serving tray. While acacia wood has been described as an environmentally friendly product, acacia species large enough to harvest for lumber are not common worldwide and do take scores of years to grow. An American species, mesquite, is common but seldom reaches a size that is commercially useful.

Very dense and very hard, this dark and beautiful hardwood has the interesting ability to change color in different types of lighting. Called chatoyancy, this property causes the wood to have the color of dark walnut or the luster of fine teak, depending upon how the wood is viewed. Proper care of the wood is necessary to bring out the best of that feature. Regular treatment with butcher block oil protects the grain of the wood from expansion and contraction damage as well as enhancing the beauty of the wood.

Although this cutting board is sealed, end grain boards are more susceptible to moisture uptake and users should be careful to keep them off wet counter tops. Small cutting boards like these are appropriate for slicing or serving work, but not for heavy chopping.

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