Hello my Foodie Friends!
It is Memorial Day weekend and it is a time of remembering those men and women who gave their lives for America. My father served in WWII fighting on the beaches of Normandy; and my father-in-law served 22 years in the army, training and commanding young recruits. Our parents come from a period that is called “the greatest generation.” The stories that both my father and father-in-law have given over the years about their time in the war or in the service, and the stories both my mother and mother-in-law have told, reflect an incredible period of our history. As I reflect on this holiday, I think about my father at age 22 and realized he was in England getting ready for D-Day on Normandy Beach. It must have a scary time for my Dad. I don’t know for sure because he would never talk about it. The only thing he would say, and this is his Irish sense of humor talking, was “there were many bars in France and Belgium that had banned me for life.”
I lost my father nine years ago. Among the precious possessions that were handed off to us were his knives and a sharpening wheel that I use for knife repair. As a gift to each of my four other siblings, I sharpened and restored my father’s knives giving each one of my brothers and sisters knives that they could use and remember my father through each day as they prepared their meals.
Knife sharpening is a service that I offer at Compliments to the Chef. Did you know that a sharp knife leads to fewer injuries? It does sound contradictory that a sharp knife could cause less injuries. However, a sharp knife means you make fewer cuts and do not have to work as hard as you would to cut when using a dull knife. The law of averages shows that there is less of a chance of cutting yourself with a sharp knife then with a dull knife. A sharp knife also cuts more precisely with less chance of slippage. Overall; a sharp knife promotes better cutting techniques. Even the finest knives will dull with regular use, but periodic sharpening will restore the blade’s keen edge. A dull knife requires greater force, tears at food, tires the hand and increases the odds of cutting yourself. Dull knives cause infinitely worse and more frequent injuries than sharp ones for a few reasons. Dull knives require more pressure to use, which can make them prone to slipping. And if they do, they hit with that much more force, and result in a more ragged, much harder to heal injury than one a sharp knife would make. Yes, it’s possible to sharpen and hone your knives at home, and it’s something everyone should do to preserve the integrity of your blades (and, again, stay safe). However, forestalling kitchen bloodshed should be one of your priorities. If you have your knives sharpened by a professional once or twice a year, you can maintain them without too much hassle. You can tell when your knife is dull, but a good rule of thumb is to try to slice through a tomato or a piece of paper. If the blade goes through anything but easily, it’s time to sharpen or have them sharpened by John.
This Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to summer. We would like to thank all who have either served or are currently serving our country for your service.
Stay close to family and friends this weekend and if you see a serviceman or woman say “thank you” to them! Let us at Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, help you get ready with your culinary needs for the holiday weekend.
Remember my Foodie Friends that “Life Happens in the Kitchen or around the grill.”
Take Care,
John & Paula
Get the grill ready, remember to stock up on the charcoal and grab plenty of ice cold beverages. It’s time to kick off the outdoor grilling season with some Memorial Day culinary creations for the holiday weekend.
