I'm Just Here For The Food Part 18

The Basic Culinary Toolbox

The word gadget derives from the French gachette gachette or "piece of machinery." It's a cool word and I dig the way it sounds, but I'm not too fond of the modern connotation, which smacks of infomercial hucksterism rather than the Yankee ingenuity that produced marvels like the ice-cream churn and the s.p.a.ce shuttle. The fact that the word is most often used in a.s.sociation with devices intended for culinary use is a sad statement indeed. In an effort to save time, calories, energy, and so on, people turn to gadgets; then when they find no satisfaction in them, stick them in a drawer. Eventually, there are so many gadgets there's no room to cook. What we need is less gadgetry and more tools. Tools are serious things, meant to last and to be employed in a wide range of applications. Good tools are rarely cheap, but there aren't many that you absolutely have to have either. Here are some thoughts on a few essential tools. or "piece of machinery." It's a cool word and I dig the way it sounds, but I'm not too fond of the modern connotation, which smacks of infomercial hucksterism rather than the Yankee ingenuity that produced marvels like the ice-cream churn and the s.p.a.ce shuttle. The fact that the word is most often used in a.s.sociation with devices intended for culinary use is a sad statement indeed. In an effort to save time, calories, energy, and so on, people turn to gadgets; then when they find no satisfaction in them, stick them in a drawer. Eventually, there are so many gadgets there's no room to cook. What we need is less gadgetry and more tools. Tools are serious things, meant to last and to be employed in a wide range of applications. Good tools are rarely cheap, but there aren't many that you absolutely have to have either. Here are some thoughts on a few essential tools.

Chance favors only the prepared mind.-LOUIS PASTEUR

ROCKWELL.

The relative hardness or softness of a knife is reflected in the Rockwell of its metal. The Rockwell scale is a 100-point scale used to rate the hardness of minerals, metals, and ceramics. Diamonds have a Rockwell rating of 100. Most high-end HCS knives come in between 55 and 58, while carbon steel knives are softer, at 51. Some of the new ceramic knives on the market boast near diamondlike hardness, which their manufacturers claim gives them a longer-lasting edge. I find their lack of heft annoying, and the fact that they break like a plate when dropped is especially painful given their car-payment-like price tags.

Knives

I used to have a lot of knives: five or six boning knives, chef's knives in every size from 4 to 14 inches, and even three or four different paring knives. Why so many? Because I didn't know what I was doing and thought that my mediocre swordsmans.h.i.+p could somehow be improved by a great number of tools. Since I also didn't know how to take care of knives properly, I spread the abuse out among the lot. Now I'm down to five knives. I use an 8-inch Asian-style cleaver, a semiflexible boning knife, a French-style paring knife, a serrated electric knife, and a 12-inch cimeter, which I mostly use to cut the backbones out of chickens and to break down large fish and beef sub primals. The cimeter and the boning knife are stamped-blade knives made by Forschner, the Swiss Army knife folks. The electric knife is specially made for fish cutting and came from a sporting goods store. It's an ugly thing with a two-tone blue-and-gold cha.s.sis, but it has several different blades, two speeds, and it cost less than thirty bucks. My paring knife came from France and cost about thirty bucks. The cleaver was handmade by the only American-born master of j.a.panese blade making and cost more than two hundred smackers. If I had to choose one knife to live the rest of my cooking days with, this would be the one.

To be of real use a knife must be sharp, but it must possess the correct heft, shape, and balance for the job. Most of all, it must suit the hand holding it. Before you buy, you should know what you're looking for (and at), how and from what it's made, and the reputation of those who made it. Once you get it home, you should know how to store it, use it, and maintain it.

Metal Matters

When it comes to metal, there are basically two choices: carbon steel or alloys referred to as high-carbon stainless steel. Stainless-steel knives are widely available but impossible to sharpen, and quality knifesmiths never mess with the stuff unless they're making pocket knives.

Steel is an amalgam of 80 percent iron and 20 percent other elements. In carbon steel, which has been around for quite a while, that 20 percent is carbon. A relatively soft yet resilient metal, carbon steel is easy to sharpen and holds an edge well. No matter what the knife salesman tells you, no high-carbon stainless-steel blade can match carbon steel's sharpness. Carbon steel is, however, vulnerable in the kitchen environment. Acid, moisture, and salt will stain, rust, or even pit the blade if it's not promptly cleaned and dried after each use. (You should probably pa.s.s on carbon steel when outfitting the beach house kitchen.) Slicing even one tomato with a new carbon steel knife will change the color of the blade. In time, it will take on a dark patina that some find charming, others nasty.

Most professional-grade knives on the market today are high-carbon stainless steel. This is an alloy of iron and carbon combined with other metals such as chromium or nickel (for corrosion resistance), and molybdenum or vanadium (for durability and flexibility, respectively). Although the exact formula varies from brand to brand, HCS knives possess some of the positive attributes of both carbon steel and stainless steel. The edge will never match that of carbon steel, but neither will it corrode. The trade-off is acceptable to the great majority of the folks who happily use them.

SUPER STEELS.

More and more knife manufacturers are utilizing very complex and relatively expensive steel recipes called super steels, such as V610 and GS2. These metals seem to embody the best of all worlds: they can take an edge, keep an edge through rigorous use, and are stain-resistant.

KNIFE-BUYING TIPS.

* Steer clear of sets. They may save you a buck or two but they're rarely worth the savings. Besides, they usually come with knife blocks, which take up s.p.a.ce and are impossible to clean. Even if you like blocks, don't buy a set. You're better off buying your blades one at a time so that you get exactly what you need.* Shop around, prices vary widely.* Never buy a knife that you haven't tried out on a cutting board. If the clerk gives you flack about this, walk away.

HALF A DOZEN GOOD KNIFE RULES.

1. Stand comfortably when you're using a knife. Stand comfortably when you're using a knife. 2. 2. Hold the knife in such a way as to gain optimum control with minimum stress. Hold the knife in such a way as to gain optimum control with minimum stress. 3. 3. Steer cutting not with the hand holding the knife, but with your other hand. Steer cutting not with the hand holding the knife, but with your other hand. 4. 4. Keep your thumb on your steering hand tucked back and feed the food into the knife with your knuckles. Or else. Keep your thumb on your steering hand tucked back and feed the food into the knife with your knuckles. Or else. 5. 5. Always slice pus.h.i.+ng forward. Always slice pus.h.i.+ng forward. 6. 6. Whenever possible, work with the tip of your knife on your cutting board in order to stabilize a cut. Whenever possible, work with the tip of your knife on your cutting board in order to stabilize a cut.

Construction

There are three ways to make a blade: forging, stamping or cutting, or separate-component technology (SCT). This is the arena where cutlery marketing departments duke it out. It's also where you'll find the greatest delineation in performance and price.

The best knives in the world are hot-drop forged. A steel blank is heated to 2000 F, dropped into a mold, and shaped via blows from a hammer wielded by either man or machine. The stresses of forging actually alter the molecular structure of the metal, making it denser and more resilient. Forged blades are then hardened and tempered (a process of heating and cooling in oil) for strength, then shaped, and handles are attached. This requires dozens of individual steps involving many skilled technicians, a fact reflected in the selling price. Once upon a time, all Wusthof-Trident, J. A. Henckel, Sabatier, Lamson, and Chef's Choice knives were fully forged, but today most of these labels offer more economical stamped-blade lines too. If you're looking to make a friend for life, full tang, forged knives are the only way to go. Of course, some friends.h.i.+ps can be rewarding even if they don't last forever.

A single forged piece of metal running from point to end of handle

Stamped, die-cut, and laser-cut knives have long been seen as inferior to forged blades. The blade and partial tang is stamped like a gingerbread man out of cold-rolled sheet steel. A handle is affixed, and away you go. Cost is the advantage here; the bad news is, without a bolster or full tang, heft, balance, and the molecular advantage of full forging are nowhere to be seen. However, because they're quite thin, many chefs often prefer stamped blades for fish and boning knives, which are usually employed in such a way that heft and balance don't really matter.

Separate-component technology is a new way for knife makers to get that great drop-forged look without going to all the trouble. SCT knives are pieced together from three separate parts. The blade and partial tang are stamped, then the bolster is formed from metal powder injected into a mold. SCT manufacturers claim this lets them use the perfect metal for each part rather than settling on one steel for the entire knife. The way I see it, even if the thing actually hangs together and even if the balance and weight are great, there's still no way a stamped blade's ever going to dice through the decades like a forged blade-it just doesn't have the molecular muscle. These imposters are tough to spot, so you'll have to find knowledgeable salespeople.

Maintenance

Most cooks who buy good knives ruin them within a year. Here are the best ways to accomplish this.

Store your knives in a drawer with a lot of other metal things. Every time you open or close the drawer your edges will knock up against things that will bend/mangle/mash the fine edge into something resembling a tuna-can lid. Thus impeded, your blade will require a great deal of force to actually cut anything. And a dull knife with a lot of force behind it is about as safe as a shark with a chainsaw. Every time you open or close the drawer your edges will knock up against things that will bend/mangle/mash the fine edge into something resembling a tuna-can lid. Thus impeded, your blade will require a great deal of force to actually cut anything. And a dull knife with a lot of force behind it is about as safe as a shark with a chainsaw.

SHARPENING AND HONING.

When a blade is sharp it looks like Figure A.Given its thinness, it's easy for the edge to develop microscopic bends, even with light use: Figure B. At this point the knife is still "sharp"; it's just out of alignment and therefore not much good to the cook. Continued use at this point will only make things worse.When frequently and properly applied, a honing steel, which is a good bit harder than the knife and is usually magnetized, can bring the edge back to "true" (Figures C & D). The key word here is "properly" and I'm convinced that (like shooting pool or writing poetry) this is one of those things that just can't be taught on paper, as it requires the guidance of a skilled pract.i.tioner. My advice is to find a professional knife sharpener in your area who can sharpen your a.r.s.enal once or twice a year. Ask this person to sell you a steel the right size for your knives and show you how to use it.I give a knife a stroke or two with the steel nearly every time I use it.

Wash your knives in the dishwasher. If banging against plates (which have Rockwells far in excess of carbon steel) isn't enough to do in the blade, the harsh chemicals of the wash and the ovenlike heat of the dry cycle will quickly grant your once smooth handle the topography of a dry lake bed. The fissures will soon fill with kitchen gunk-if the handle doesn't fall off first. If banging against plates (which have Rockwells far in excess of carbon steel) isn't enough to do in the blade, the harsh chemicals of the wash and the ovenlike heat of the dry cycle will quickly grant your once smooth handle the topography of a dry lake bed. The fissures will soon fill with kitchen gunk-if the handle doesn't fall off first.

Cut on a gla.s.s cutting board. Just think of it: a metallic edge with an average Rockwell of 58 coming into repeated perpendicular contact with a surface with an average Rockwell of 98. I simply cannot imagine a better way to render a blade useless (See Just think of it: a metallic edge with an average Rockwell of 58 coming into repeated perpendicular contact with a surface with an average Rockwell of 98. I simply cannot imagine a better way to render a blade useless (See Cutting Boards Cutting Boards).

Sharpen your knives yourself. Sharpening devices are the darlings of the kitchen gadget industry, so you'll have no trouble finding one in your price range to tickle your fancy. Count on the silliest-looking designs to effect the quickest destruction. As far as sharpening stones go, they may not look silly but they require considerable skill and experience to master and they're a pain to maintain. Hone your knives often but never sharpen them-leave that to the pros. Sharpening devices are the darlings of the kitchen gadget industry, so you'll have no trouble finding one in your price range to tickle your fancy. Count on the silliest-looking designs to effect the quickest destruction. As far as sharpening stones go, they may not look silly but they require considerable skill and experience to master and they're a pain to maintain. Hone your knives often but never sharpen them-leave that to the pros.

If you use a honing steel, be sure to use it improperly. If you need an example, find yourself a restaurant that has a big window that looks into the kitchen. Sometimes, when they know you're watching, they'll run their knife up and down the steel very rapidly. This is indeed horrible for the blade, but to the layperson it looks cool, which is why they do it. If you need an example, find yourself a restaurant that has a big window that looks into the kitchen. Sometimes, when they know you're watching, they'll run their knife up and down the steel very rapidly. This is indeed horrible for the blade, but to the layperson it looks cool, which is why they do it.

TYPES OF CUTS.

* To mince is to cut food into very small pieces. To mince is to cut food into very small pieces. * * To chop is to cut food more coa.r.s.ely than a mince. To chop is to cut food more coa.r.s.ely than a mince. * * To dice is to cut food into tiny cubes, approximately To dice is to cut food into tiny cubes, approximately - to -inch square. - to -inch square. * * To cube is to cut food into To cube is to cut food into -inch square pieces. * * To julienne is to cut food into match-stick-thin strips, about -inch square, of various lengths. To julienne is to cut food into match-stick-thin strips, about -inch square, of various lengths. * * Chiffonade is from the French for "made of rags" and refers to food cut into very thin strips (see ill.u.s.tration). Chiffonade is from the French for "made of rags" and refers to food cut into very thin strips (see ill.u.s.tration). * * Lyonnaise-style is in the manner of the city of Lyons, France. Onions sliced Lyonnaise-style are cut lengthwise from top to root, rather than across (see ill.u.s.tration). Lyonnaise-style is in the manner of the city of Lyons, France. Onions sliced Lyonnaise-style are cut lengthwise from top to root, rather than across (see ill.u.s.tration).

Storage

Deciding where and how to store a knife is a big deal to both the blade and your fingers. I like magnetic bars because they don't take up a lot of s.p.a.ce and if there's any moisture left on a knife it will air-dry, but these are not usually recommended if you've got kids, pets, or homicidal tendencies. Storing knives in a drawer is fine as long as the drawer in question contains some device that will keep the blades separate and stable. Counter blocks are okay, but they rarely match up to an eclectic collection, and they tend to take up a lot of s.p.a.ce. The best idea I've seen lately is a long skinny slot cut into the top of a butcher block deep enough for the knives to simply line up along the slot. Whatever device you choose, please make sure that the blades are completely enclosed. A friend had a rolling kitchen cart with a knife block attached to the side. One day he purchased a 12-inch slicer and put it into the block. Later that same day he reached down to the bottom of the cart for a pot, only to realize that the block was 11 inches long and had a completely open bottom. He had time to ponder this fact later as he sat in the emergency room.

Pots and Pans

Sometime during the last twenty years of the past century, the kitchen became the new living room. Not so much because cooking and eating are communal acts connecting us all via the collective rumblies in our tumblies, but because there was a lot of cash floating around and a plethora of expensive new kitchen pretties to spend it on. Suddenly kitchens that had never witnessed an egg boil were being fitted with five-thousand-dollar cook tops. And of course nothing befits a five-thousand-dollar cook top quite like a halo of silently s.h.i.+ning geosynchronous sauce pans. Even I, with my two-hundred-dollar cook top, fell victim to pot-rack fever. Following several years of collecting I finally had to mount flying b.u.t.tresses on my humble ranch house just to support the ceiling joists, which moaned at the b.u.t.ter melters, fry pans, sauce pans, saute pans, Windsor pans, ca.s.seroles, stock pots, and griddles I had acc.u.mulated. Then came the day I dropped two C notes on a French potato pot. My family got together and applied some tough love, slipping in while I was at Williams-Sonoma and taking it all away, leaving me with nothing but my great-grandmother's 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Some might call such intervention harsh, but once I quit my sobbing I found that I was free, finally, to cook. Really cook. My family slowly returned my pots and pans to me as Christmas and birthday presents, but in my new-found Zen-lightenment I gave most of them away. To this day, my rack remains light. Here's the breakdown in order of importance.

12-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet

I recently got into one of those "What pan would you want if you were stuck on a deserted island" conversations you hear so much about. My 12-inch Lodge was the easy choice. Besides all the metallurgical and thermal reasons given in the Searing section, this remains a culinary chameleon. Not only is its shape versatile, the properly cured surface is hard and black and slippery as a newt in Vaseline.37 I've even turned mine upside down and used the bottom as a griddle-oh yes, I have. I've used it as a flame-tamer, too, by placing other pans on top of it. I've baked biscuits in it, baked quiche in it, baked apple pie in it, I've cooked on campfires with it, and one particularly rough winter during my college years I managed to rip a gas heater off the wall, set it up on coffee cans, and fry bacon-wrapped prawns over it. Take care of that cast-iron skillet and it will never let you down. I've even turned mine upside down and used the bottom as a griddle-oh yes, I have. I've used it as a flame-tamer, too, by placing other pans on top of it. I've baked biscuits in it, baked quiche in it, baked apple pie in it, I've cooked on campfires with it, and one particularly rough winter during my college years I managed to rip a gas heater off the wall, set it up on coffee cans, and fry bacon-wrapped prawns over it. Take care of that cast-iron skillet and it will never let you down.

What it's good for: this would take too long. What it's not good for: boiling pasta-that's about it.

Cooking was the only way I could get dates during college.

5-Quart Ca.s.serole

This is a relative newcomer to my collection, but it easily replaces three different vessels in my life, thus allowing for more downscaling. It is essentially a small, heavy stock pot with two loop handles. Since I like finis.h.i.+ng things in the oven I've never been much of a sauce-pan fan-I don't like wrestling with straight single handles, which I think are pretty darned dangerous. Although this isn't a common piece, several companies make one (or something close). Mine was made by All-Clad, the Smith & Wesson of the pot-and-pan world, if you ask me. It costs more than just about anything out there, but you'll only have to buy it once, and since the pieces are so darned versatile you don't have to buy many.

What it's good for: a mult.i.tude of cook-top or oven applications, from soup beans to small batches of pasta, and steaming. What it's not good for: sauteing; pan-frying.

8-Inch Teflon-Coated Fry Pan

I like eggs and this is my egg pan. It cost me twelve bucks. I keep it wrapped in a couple of layers of plastic wrap when I'm not using it so that its surface won't scratch.

What it's good for: frying eggs; scrambling eggs; omelets. What it's not good for: sauteing, searing, or pan-frying.