Our Weapons of Choice

Oxo Slicer

This slicer works great for slicing veggies.  It's got a variety of settings, which allow cuttings to vary from ultra thin, to strips, to cross-cut.  It helps immensely when making dishes that require lots of slicing, like scalloped potatoes, fruit platters, and-one that we're excited to experiment with-baked potato chips!  Other tasks, like slicing cheese wedges, such as parmesan shavings for salads and pastas, are made simple with this kitchen tool. Plus, it comes with a safety gadget to help prevent cuts and scrapes.


Review submitted by: Second Little Piggy




Cutlery Reviews
Shun Classic 8" Ultimate Cook's Knife

This knife has been my favorite tool in the kitchen thus far. Most good Japanese knives are not cheap--by any means--but, you get what you pay for. 

I particularly like this blade style because it is universal. It is meant for slicing and sawing through veggies and breads. I appreciate that the non-scalloped part of the blade is curved because I tend use this knife for slicing and dicing. This knife is perfect for this type of prep work because the blade rocks so easily against the cutting board. I'm not a "chopper", so this knife suits me well. Let's put it this way: it saws through potatoes like butter. 

I straighten the non-scalloped edge of the blade about every third time I use it; however, you should never attempt to straighten a scalloped edge. Leave this to the pros, in this case Shun. Shun will sharpen your knives for free and even pay for return shipping. Most grocery stores' butchers will sharpen knives for a small fee (sometimes for free). 

Most people who handle this knife comment that it's a bit heavy; personally, I prefer its weight. The advantage to using a large, heavy knife is that you don't have to apply as much pressure to the food when slicing or sawing. 

I believe you can still find this particular knife online, but I have a feeling that it has been discontinued. 

The blade says, "Ultimate Chopping Knife", but when you do an internet search for this knife, it is referred to as the "Ultimate Cooks Knife". The latter seems more fitting. Personally, I wouldn't chop with this blade. I would reach for my chef's knife for any prep work which involves chopping. 

The handle is made of Ebony-black PakkaWood. The handle is quite comfortable as it sits well in your hand. A secure, comfortable grip makes all the difference in controlling the movement of the blade. We don't want to lose any fingers. :)

Calphalon 8" Chef knife and 4 1/2" Paring knife


If you're not excited about dropping a Ben Franklin on just one knife, Calphalon produces quality, affordable cutlery. You can find their knives at almost any large retailer. I believe the 8" chef's knife sells for around $35.00--such a deal! I encourage you to check their reviews online. I think you'll be surprised at how highly rated these knives are. 

As you've guessed, I'm pretty impressed with Calphalon's knives. They are well-balanced and the blades retain their straight edge for at least a few uses before the blade bends. I love the soft comfortable grip, as well. The Chef's knife is perfect for chopping large fruits and veggies. I use the 4 1/2 " parer for slicing pockets into cuts of fish. Most cooks would argue that a fillet knife works better, but I find that this knife works just as well. 

Calphalon labels each knife on the bottom for easy identification when you reach for your knife in its block.

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I also own a Calphalon 6" Santoku, which travels with me in my lunch cooler to work. I use this knife primarily for slicing lemons, apples, and pears. This santoku is also well-liked by my coworkers as it gets borrowed quite frequently. I often get compliments on how well made it is. My coworkers were surprised when I told them I paid just $25.00 for it. 

J.A. Henckels 3" Parer

I love this little guy. It's considered a 3" parer, but it looks like a mini santoku to me. This knife has a hollowed blade, which keeps chopped bits of food from sticking to it. It is quite weighted for such a small knife. It's very well made. Primarily, I use this knife to slice smaller foods, such as garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes. 

Mind you, these are considered high-end knives, but you often find them on sale at discount retail stores. 

Good knives are a must in your kitchen. They make prep work so much easier. Believe it or not, they are safer to use than their dull, cheap counterparts. 


Also, my last recommendation for you would be to purchase a well-made honing steel. Your knife blades will get small, rolled edges under heavy use. Honing steels don't sharpen a knife's blade; they realign it. You will notice a big improvement in the knife's performance each time you realign the blade's edge. After heavy use, you can actually see the small rolls on the blade. These rolls look like small, shiny nicks. If you see these nicks, the blade needs straightening. You know your knives are sharp when they slice cleanly through the edge of a piece of paper. Look for cutlery straightening videos on YouTube if you are unfamiliar with straightening. Many professional chefs have uploaded their techniques. 


When a blade becomes blunt, it should be sharpened. Sharpening a knife involves shaving off tiny pieces of metal from the edge of the blade to restore its original thin edge. Knives should be sharpened once a year, or so. You can purchase sharpeners from culinary stores, but I prefer to have a professional sharpen my knives. I've read mixed reviews about these home sharpeners and their tendency to shave off too much metal. If you've invested a good amount of money on cutlery, why not prolong the life of it? Take it to a professional. Shun will sharpen your Shun brand knives for as long as you own them--for free! I've believe your local supermarket will sharpen your knives at their butcher counter, often at no charge. However, Shun recommends you send their knives back to the manufacturer as their blades are sharpened to a 16 degree angle, while most butchers sharpen to a 22 1/2 degree angle. 


Review submitted by: First Little Piggy