I’m always on the hunt for the perfect kitchen knife. Do you have a particular brand favorite? Which type of knife do you prefer for general prep? Also, do you sharpen your own knives? – Kim

I couldn’t survive without my chef’s knife

Hi Kim, I’m a Wusthof Classic series kinda gal. I use my 8″ chefs knife and paring knife most for prep, although I’ll usually have a carving knife in my kit when I got to client’s homes too.

Always buy the best quality knife you can afford. Good knives will last you a lifetime, so when you think about the price per use, you’re getting great value for your money when you go for the best. I recommend starter sets (chefs knife and paring knife), because they’re the two most used knives, and you usually get a bit of a discount when you buy the two together.  You can always add to your collection as needed.

A sharp knife is important for safety

Here’s a Gordon Ramsey clip on how-to sharpen a knife the classic chef’s way with a sharpening steel, but you can also get electric knife sharpener, or have your knives sharpened professionally. The important thing is that you do keep your knives sharpened – accidents are much more likely to happen with dull knives, because they’re more apt to slide out of control, rather than cut through the food.

As a teenager, I used to spend hours helping my mother slice potatoes paper thin to make Potatoes Anna when she would entertain. This simple French classic never fails to get nods of approval from dinner party guests. I recently decided to layer the potatoes with sliced sun chokes, in individual servings rather than one big pie dish full, for a romantic dinner for two (and of course I had to do a taste test myself). Verdict? The sun chokes perked up the earthiness of the dish with a tinge of artichoke flavor, while complimenting the texture.

 IS OUR VERSION OF THE SYNDICATED COLUMN “DEAR ABBEY,” ONLY ON KITCHEN WOES RATHER THAN THOSE OF THE HEART. SEND US YOUR COOKING DESIRES, QUERIES, AND CATASTROPHES TO DEARJEWELS (AT) JULIEANNERHODES (DOT) COM.