| If you are a keen cook and enjoy preparing your | | | | and you could easily go and buy a full set. |
| food then you will certainly have a set of knives | | | | However, if money is an issue, and paying two or |
| which you use regularly, and you may well have | | | | three hundred pounds for a set of knives seems |
| your favourites. You might also watch in | | | | like a lot, then perhaps instead you might |
| admiration as the chefs on television seem to slice | | | | contemplate buying just one or two knives at a |
| away at ingredients as though it was some kind | | | | time. Not only is that easy, but you can choose |
| of magic trick, and it seems impossible to believe | | | | which ones to have, since often the full sets of |
| that we could ever manage to prepare our | | | | knives include ones you're less likely to use. In |
| ingredients as quickly, or as neatly. | | | | fact, just two or three knives are all most people |
| If, when you try to cut a tomato you simply end | | | | need to carry out the general tasks. |
| up with a puddle of juice and two ragged skins, or | | | | The most important knife to get is usually called a |
| when you slice bread you end up with the loaf | | | | chef's knife, and is the most widely used and |
| either half the height it start or a slice of bread | | | | most versatile knife, used for slicing, dicing, |
| that might just as well have been ripped off than | | | | chopping and mincing. The blade on a chef's knife |
| cut, then it may well be your knives which are to | | | | is usually about six to twelve inches in length, and |
| blame. | | | | will be used for preparing vegetables mostly. The |
| Effective knives are an absolute must, and make | | | | important thing to look for is a comfortable handle |
| a huge difference to the ease and effectiveness | | | | because this will be used more than any other |
| of your cooking. Indeed, it is very often the fact | | | | knife, and if you cook everyday, then it will be |
| that people are put off cooking for themselves as | | | | used every day. |
| a direct result of their assumptions or experiences | | | | The next most important knife will be small paring |
| with the fiddly preparation of the ingredients, and | | | | knife. The blades on these are only usually about |
| yet all that would be necessary to make the | | | | two to four inches, and they are used mainly for |
| process so much easier would be a set of good | | | | preparing fruits and vegetables, particularly the |
| knives. | | | | more fiddly tasks such as peeling and coring. |
| Of course, as with anything, you get what you | | | | The third and final knife which you should consider |
| pay for, and paying good money for quality | | | | essential is a serrated one, with a blade about |
| knives will make a terrific difference. If you | | | | seven to ten inches, this will be ideal for cutting |
| struggle with your knives at home, then buying | | | | and slicing anything which has a hard outside and a |
| one or two really good quality ones will open your | | | | soft inside, such as bread, tomatoes and peaches. |
| eyes to the ease that they glide through food | | | | Although there are many other types, these |
| and the speed with which you are able to slice, | | | | three should be considered essential, and if you |
| dice and chop. | | | | only ever buy three knives, make sure it's these. |
| There are plenty of knife sets on the market, | | | | Your cooking will never be the same again! |