Do you know the best knife to buy and how to maintain it, have you nailed your knife skills, do you know the difference between Western and Japanese knives and where the first chef's knife came from?
If you're an enthusiastic home cook that can admit to owning blunt knives or possessing less than sharp slicing skills and rusty knife trivia, let US cutlery store owner Josh Donald help you explore the full potential of your knife drawer in Sharp: The Definitive Guide to Knives, knife Car and Cutting Techniques, with Recipes from Great Chefs.
While the title of his new book might be something of a mouthful, the comprehensive guide penned by the owner of San Francisco knife shop Bernal Cutlery and Molly Gore, does exactly what it says - offering an accessible introduction to knives for home cooks—from picking the right knife to maintenance and honing knife skills.
Taking leave of his specialist knife shop in San Francisco Donald also embarks on an overseas adventure in his quest to find the first chef's knife and visiting both western and Japanese knife makers on his way, like Thiers in France and Tsubame-sanjo in Kyoto, Japan.
But, it's not all educational, there's also a recipe section with 15 chefs sharing some favourite recipes and knives they use to make them. From Stuart Brioza of San Francisco's State Bird Provisions' duck breast and cucumber salad to Melissa Perello from Michelin starred, Frances with her autumn squash salad and spiced hone vinaigrette and many more.
And, if you're all about the pictures, there's also wealth of photos from Molly DeCoudreaux capturing the knifemakers of the world plus unique knives and chef dishes, that might just inspire you to dust down your sharpening stone and re-kindle your passion for your favourite knife!
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