Foodies BS Thread.

people don't realize that knives are a personal thing. To get the most out of a knife the handle has to have a good fit in your hand. When I was cooking professionally the only other person that touched my knives was the exec. chef. btw my main 3 knives were/are shun 3" paring knife, 8" henckel chefs knife, and a paderno slicer that I bought for 10 bucks but is really sharp. Of course I have more than that but those are the 3 I always use.

 

Naan Pizzas. turned out better than i thought they would.
Toppings: ricotta, pesto, pepperonis, blackened chicken, 4 italian cheeses, diced roma tomatoes
Baked @ 350* for 12 minutes, took them out, added some more cheese, then broil for like 2 minutes until cheese starts to brown

 

My friend was an apprentice to this guy here:

$22 Bladesmithing with Murray Carter: Modern Application of Traditional Techniques

http://www.amazon.com/Bladesmithing...&qid=1398041313&sr=8-1&keywords=murray+carter

He's actually pictured in, named and credited, this book.

He's mobile sharpener in the way that everything he uses fits in the 5-gallon bucket he half-fills with water for his stones when he arrives. It's all done by hand with various stones from the ground in Japan.

My three knives took about 40 minutes total, with time in there for us to bullshit and drink a brew. He used four different stones on each knife, with one different stone on the newer brown handled santoku than the Shuns, since they have a slightly more brittle but stronger molybdenum ratio, I think he said.

Then he has an old leather strop from a barber shop that he uses an aluminum braseing compound on to polish at the end. Thus the incredible bright edge line in the pics.

He's been to Japan I think 18 times or so for training, he's hella old-school. When I finally get the hell away from the third-world shithole that is Florida, he's one of the few things I'll miss.

I don't care where I move, I'll still be sending him my knives to take care of.

EDITED to add:

Was looking for the name of my newest knife and was having a serious blonde thing going on. Finally had to go dig this up for reference to get the name:

 

Mrs Xaks and I have a standing agreement:

If we come home one day and find that Andrew 2.0 has come though and there's a flat concrete slab where the house used to be...

...

...once in a new kitchen, the VERY FIRST $1000 goes to another Shun knife set and an All-Clad set. With a token cutting board and cast iron skillet.

Everything else can wait. Food is needed *right now*, and every day, by every one, every day going forward. You don't skimp on that.

 

Yea. My first Japanese knife will be a carbon gyuto with a western handle.
Right now I am using vintage French high carbon steel knives. Sabatier and Gustav Emil Urn.

 

You bastards and your knife talk. I'm a knife junkie at heart, but haven't been able to justify the cost of a shun.

I went down the route a few years ago of making my own. This was my first attempt using high carbon steel (1095). It is very durable and will take a very sharp edge. I've had to work very hard to get my wife and son to understand that it can't sit with water on it as it will rust quickly.


I have a large chef/santoku style started. I want to have someone professionally heat treat it as opposed to trying to do it myself.

 

Krap. You're a badass.

 

I wouldn't go that far, but....

 

A couple meals this week...

Running late so I tossed it all together sausage, onion, garlic, squash.

Flounder over red onion, squash topped with tomato and lemon, steamed on the grill. Forgot to take a pic of the finished meal, it was excellent.

 

Looks awesome!

 

I love sammiches!

 

Sounds classic Ital, so I would go with a rice noodle.

 

Yummy!!

 

I like the sound of this, ya gots ta let us know how it goes

 

I went with a skillet full of down-home for dinner tonight, a southern classic

 

Precisely that, good eye!

I think I posted the recipe here a while back....lemme see if'n I can find it...

EDITED to add:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/food-talk/151840-foodies-bs-thread-151.html#post4877319

That's it!