Kitchen Knife Set

• Chef's Knife
  A chef's knife is usually the largest knife in the kitchen, with a wide blade that is 8" to 10" long. Choose a knife that feels good and balanced in your hand. The knife should have a full tang. This means that the blade should go all the way through the handle for the best wear and stability.
• Paring Knife
  Paring knives are generally 2-1/2-4" in length. The most often used knife in the kitchen. It is ideal for peeling and coring fruits and vegetables, cutting small objects, slicing, and other hand tasks.
• Utility Knives
  Utility knives are longer than paring knives but smaller than chef's knives, usually around 5-8" long. They are also called sandwich knives because they are just the right side for slicing meats and cheeses. I have several utility knives in my kitchen as 'extra' knives.
• Boning Knife
  This type of knife has a more flexible blade to curve around meat and bone. Generally 4-5" long.
• Bread Knife
  Bread knives are usually serrated. Most experts recommend a serrated knife that has pointed serrations instead of wavy serrations for better control and longer knife life. I have two bread knives in my kitchen - a long 10" knife that's great for cutting whole loaves, and a 6" knife perfect for cutting sandwich buns. You must use a sawing motion when using a serrated knife.

Knives are made out of several types of material. High carbon stainless steel is the most expensive and will last the longest. These knives will not stain and holds a sharp edge longer than other steel types. ceramic knife are fairly new. These knives don't need sharpening for years, and should be sharpened by an expert when they do wear down. Only use a ceramic knife on a cutting board - never on another ceramic, plastic or glass surface. They're that sharp!
Knife handles are made of wood or a plastic composite. Both are good choices. The only difference is in cleaning and maintenance. Knives with wood handles deteriorate more quickly when cleaned in the dishwasher. 

Sharpening Knives

A knife that is not sharp is dangerous. It can slip off the food you're cutting and easily cut your fingers instead. A steel should be part of your knife collection. This long, round object sharpens knives by straightening out the edge. Take a look at using a steel to see how to correctly sharpen your knives on a steel. Hold the knife in your dominant hand and the steel in the other, with the steel point pressed into a solid waist-high surface. Hold the knife base at the top of the steel at a 20 degree angle. Slowly draw the knife down the length of the steel, pulling the knife back so the entire blade, from base to tip, moves against the steel, as if you were slicing off pieces of the steel. Repeat on the other side. Do this five or six times , then rinse the knife off and dry immediately. Make sure you sharpen each side the same number of times to retain the knife's balance.


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Chef 's Kitchen Knife