[dropcap]K[/dropcap]nives are the one tool that can be found in all kitchens, anywhere in the world. From slicing meat to filleting fish and chopping vegetables, they are indispensable to chefs and home cooks alike. Regardless of one’s qualifications, knives are extremely important and their quality affects the texture of our food, as well as its taste. Unfortunately, most individuals tend to buy a set of knives and use them for years without maintaining them properly or considering getting new ones.
As durable as most knives might be, they can still degrade over time. This will make it difficult to get clean cuts when preparing food, but can also affect the texture and taste of the dish.
A bad knife can ruin a great recipe
Most home cooks usually buy new knives and only sharpen them when they shred food rather than cut it. Unfortunately, this practice often leads to great recipes ruined by offset tastes and horrible textures. As Japanese sushi chefs have been teaching for centuries, a knife should always be as sharp as possible, regardless of the recipe or the type of food that it has to cut. The reasoning behind this is simple. If a knife is not extremely sharp, then it will not make perfect cuts, which means that the food (especially when preparing meat) will be stringy and chewy. This is because the knife will rip the fibres of the food, instead of slicing them.
Poorly cut ingredients can also ruin the taste of the food. Many recipes require that meat, fruit or vegetables be sliced finely and then sauteed to create a sauce. However, if the ingredients are not properly cut, then they will not melt down and create the needed sauce.
Getting new knives is important
Whether we’re talking about a pocket knife or one designed for kitchen use, these items should be replaced regularly, like any other tool. Knife manufacturers are constantly researching new materials to make more durable blades. This means that a knife made 100 years ago will not be as resilient as one that has been manufactured in the last decade.
It is also important to keep in mind that the manufacturing processes are constantly changing, which means that sharper knives can be produced, as the years pass. These updated in knife manufacturing technologies have led to self-sharpening knives and other products that require considerably less maintenance than older ones.
A quality knife can last a lifetime
Some home cooks argue that they do not see the point in paying for a premium knife. However, a quality knife should be an investment. It is a useful tool that can make cooking food easier and more enjoyable. Furthermore, premium knives tend to last considerably longer than cheaper ones. This increase in durability is a result of the fact that better materials are used, as well because the manufacturing processes are more advanced.
