Ode to a Knife

Recently a few posts have popped up about essential pieces of kitchen equipment foodies/amateur cooks would be hard pressed to do without. Everyone has certain items they feel are vital - including me.  When I cook in a strange kitchen, which I have done a lot lately, I find myself very put out that my favourite pieces are not to hand.  My most essential is a trusty old wooden-handled steak knife.  Strange it might seem as I have the Wusthofs, the Victorinox, the ceramic and the Japanese single piece steel (actually I don't have, but my son does) and most of the time he leaves them here rather than have them ruined in a professional kitchen.

My 10" cooks knife - when sharp is brilliant for crushing garlic, chopping herbs, "julienning" carrots or celery but my old wooden knife is the best for almost everything else.  It slices tomatoes with ease, it peels apples, it chops, it shreds, it slices and it most importantly feels like an extension of my hand.  I almost die if I can't find it.  I have banned anyone from putting it in the dishwasher and I have spent days hunting it down when it has gone missing.  If I go to cook anywhere else I take it before anything else.  I have searched every kitchen shop in vain to try to find something to replace it as it has a crack in the handle.  In short, I don't know what I will do when it eventually goes to knife heaven!

Tags: Ode  Kitchen Equipment  Knive