Jump to content

Interesting Kitchen Knives


Mighty Favog

Recommended Posts

Since there’s obviously kitchen nerds in here I figured I’d show off mine.  This is before it was totally finished, I now have shelves with glass jars of sugar and flour and whatnot on the left.  Looks kinda funny without it. 

 

Anyway, that pot rack is an actual commercial one, solid stainless bar stock, they usually sell for about $800 but I got a killer deal.   Pots and pans are mostly all Lodge cast iron, or Calphalon tri-ply, basically stainless on top and bottom but there’s aluminum sandwiched in the middle for quick and even heating, as aluminum conducts heat better but can change the way things taste. 

 

That fat cutting board is a Boos block, you’ll see them on cooking shows all the time if you pay attention, its nice.  Ended up not being able to afford a Viking or Wolf setup so I settled with a “Best” hood, they’re a good bang for the buck, made by Broan.  Notice the pot filler above the stove, that’s my wife’s favorite feature.  Cabinets are Kraftmade solid maple plywood, tops are Blue Pearl GT granite from Norway, there are neon'ish blue flakes that illuminate when the sun hits it in the morning.  To the right of the stove there is now a magnetic knife rack.  

 

kitchen_zpsd0o3tszx.jpg

 

Amazingly impressive! I think you have all the right brands, too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless its eggs or really acidic Cast Iron is the only way to cook. Best way to sear a steak and you can throw them in the oven or under a broiler and never have to worry about them getting too hot.

 

 

Actually we even cook eggs on it.  We have some fajita skillets that are the perfect size for two over-easy eggs, we do that almost every day.  We raise our own chickens so its fresh too. :)

 

90% of the time we use a cast iron dutch oven, deep skillet, or those fajita skillets.  Sometimes its just not worth cleaning them though.  Pasta?  Yeah right, I'm using stainless. :)

Edited by MetropolisLakeOutfitters
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no need of impressing anyone with "chef skills" as I am not a chef, nor interested in pretending to be one. 

 

Sounds like you cook a lot of "recipes" - stuff with a lot of ingredients.

 

It's just an old hobby.  In the early 2000's my wife went to law school and lived in the dorms 1.5 hours away during the week.  To stay out of trouble I watched Iron Chef and tried to duplicate stuff.  Usually no recipes though, can't remember the last time I followed one in a serious manner like old women do with casseroles.  Just tried to figure out what goes together halfway well and make stuff up like they do on the show.  I mostly cook cajun, stir fry, and tropical themed stuff on the grill like jerk chicken, grilled swordfish, mango/pineapple stuff, grilled plantains, Cuban sandwiches, etc.  You can usually just kind of look around the kitchen and make a pretty good meal from random crap in one of those categories.  

 

Only time I get serious about recipes is with sushi, which is about the hardest thing to cook, lots of stuff can go wrong.  Rice has to be perfectly cooked, perfectly cooled, perfectly mixed with rice vinegar, if you're off on anything the seaweed wrapper will get all weird and chewy, too much rice and it doesn't roll up right, don't use wet fingers and you'll be wearing a rice glove, just lots of exact steps.  In a real sushi restaurant in Japan you have to be a trainee for two years before they even let you cook the rice.  There's a reason.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In a real sushi restaurant in Japan you have to be a trainee for two years before they even let you cook the rice.

 

The Japanese have a very serious cultural appreciation of mastering perfection in things for which most people would pay no attention. In HiFi they have certain masters at making paper speaker cones by hand, and winding phono cartridges by hand, and so on. it's a variation of "less is more."

 

Years ago, I used to cook, so I am not at all unfamiliar with the art, and the use of fine knives. I've just been pulling your leg about the serrated knife. It's a joke here at home, because in fact, it's the only knife I now use since getting out of the so-called "food culture" of commercial and prepared foods, particularly meats. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a joke here at home, because in fact, it's the only knife I now use since getting out of the so-called "food culture" of commercial and prepared foods, particularly meats. 

 

There is nothing inherently bad about intertwining food and culture. It just depends on the balance.

 

As regards health and fitness, if you exercise a lot, you can, and probably will, eat more.  Muscle mass requires more calories to sustain it than fat stores.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is nothing inherently bad about intertwining food and culture.

 

That's not quite my meaning. I put it in quotes as "food culture" to mean the massive campaign to  keep everyone involved in (over)eating. The "food culture" is a mass media campaign of TV shows, magazines, newspaper articles, radio programs and corporate advertising which is aimed to flood the senses 24/7 with images of sugary, greasy, over-the-top food plates and recipes. An invasion of the consciousness to the degree that one can not escape the pull towards consuming ever more food of incredibly bad nutritional value. It's a permanent assault on the senses.

 

I know you don't believe in advertising, or TV or media as an influential component in life, but for the rest of those who study sociology, it is very important. The evidence for this is everywhere you look - meaning, the waistlines of the population. Eating as a phenomenon of entertainment and pleasure is VERY seductive. Do you think those chain restaurants spend 100s of thousands of dollars making those dripping food TV adds because they don't work? Of course they work. 

 

So, Food + Culture might be fine. "Food Culture" is just my pet name for the phenomenon of getting the population to over eat.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see.  Still, I was referring in part to your "Food Culture."  It's nice to go out with friends and have a margarita with a plate of Mexican food.  It's nice to go to Chinese buffets.  That doesn't mean every time you do so, you have to pig out; however, it usually does mean that if you are trying to lose weight, "this meal isn't going to help the cause."  That's fine and all once you get to your goal and if you take on routines, such as exercise, to keep it all in balance.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see.  Still, I was referring in part to your "Food Culture."  It's nice to go out with friends and have a margarita with a plate of Mexican food.  It's nice to go to Chinese buffets.  That doesn't mean every time you do so, you have to pig out; however, it usually does mean that if you are trying to lose weight, "this meal isn't going to help the cause."  That's fine and all once you get to your goal and if you take on routines, such as exercise, to keep it all in balance.

 

There's nothing wrong with the balanced approach as one person's choice. But, my observations tell me that what really happens is more like "a little heroin for fun" and then BAM! they are off the wagon. Then, there is the problem of weaning one's self off all that overly spiced, overly flavored, overly prepared food. Compared to kale and apples and beans it becomes a rather persistent temptation. Since that food has very little nutritional utility (too much bad and too little good), there's no reason to keep doing it. 

 

I observe a lot of people who are obese, and I listen to what they say, and watch what they do. In general, they are giving in to temptations often enough that they can never actually make progress. My program is more like AA. You don't accept the idea of "just one drink." 

 

It's just a different way to go. Nothing wrong with other ways. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't equate the two at all.  The problem with everybody's diets isn't fresh vegetables cooked at home.  The idea that a fancy knife isn't necessary with a healthy diet and is only necessary with horrible ones just isn't reality from my point of view.  

 

Our diet problem revolves around soft drinks, alcohol, trans fats in general, processed food in a box, the overuse of seasoning and salt, meals that always revolve around meat particularly cheap ground beef, the overabundance of mindless eating of snacks and comfort food due to being bored...

 

None of which has a thing to do with fancy knife usage.  It's like the guy who said he doesn't go to church because there's a tree in his yard.  Just not related whatsoever.  

Edited by MetropolisLakeOutfitters
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

It's a joke here at home, because in fact, it's the only knife I now use since getting out of the so-called "food culture" of commercial and prepared foods, particularly meats. 

 

There is nothing inherently bad about intertwining food and culture. It just depends on the balance.

 

There's a difference between having a food culture and having an unhealthy consumer driven culture.  Some of the healthiest populations on the planet have a huge food culture and beat us in most every health test.  The Mediterranean diet folks like around Greece, the Japanese, just a huge food culture yet they're healthier than we are.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ever travel to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore?  The food cultures there are extraordinary, and are easily the best I've ever experienced, including those in Europe.  One of the standing jokes among expatriates is:  "What's the national sport of Singapore?  .....Eating...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a joke here at home, because in fact, it's the only knife I now use since getting out of the so-called "food culture" of commercial and prepared foods, particularly meats.

There is nothing inherently bad about intertwining food and culture. It just depends on the balance.

There's a difference between having a food culture and having an unhealthy consumer driven culture. Some of the healthiest populations on the planet have a huge food culture and beat us in most every health test. The Mediterranean diet folks like around Greece, the Japanese, just a huge food culture yet they're healthier than we are.

I was referring to life in the good ole USA.

And, I have nothing to cut that needs a fancy knife.

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...