Knives & Cutting Boards

This is perfect for peeling round fruit, vegetables, and garnish, and is an alternative to a regular (potato) peeler.

The usual blade length is 2 ½”.

How to select great knives as well as general info about knives here.

It helps remove bones, unwanted parts (skin, fat, cartilage), and portions the meat.

It comes in a straight blade with a high or curved blade.

The perfect blade length is 6″.

How to select great knives as well as general info about knives here.

A carving knife is great for any kind of carving, especially for cutting roasted meat, slicing ham, or turkey.

The most useful length is 8 – 10″.

How to select great knives as well as general info about knives here.

It is the most universal knife in the kitchen, which can do almost any cutting (and can replace most specialized knives in the kitchen).

You can buy a chef’s knife of multiple lengths and you should select one that is most comfortable for you (or at least sounds most comfortable to you).

For most, I would recommend a chef’s knife with a blade that is 8 or 10″ long since that would provide enough blade but are still easy enough to handle. Rather have just one or at most two good chef’s knives in a household and take good care of them.

How to select great knives as well as general info about knives here.

You will probably never need this knife unless you are a very passionate meat lover — it is perfect for cutting and trimming meat in large quantities.

The common blade lengths are 10 – 14″.

How to select great knives as well as general info about knives here.

Since a lot of chefs (especially in Asia) use a cleaver knife as a major knife, it is definitely a great option for an addition to your kitchen.

A cleaver with a straight (or almost straight blade) can replace a chef’s knife in the kitchen, and is also great for cutting meat (chopping large pieces).

Some people may be surprised when I say that a cleaver increases your safety when cutting. If you use proper cutting techniques, a taller blade is easier to lead by the knuckles of your other hand that is holding the ingredients.

The best blade length is 7 – 8″.

How to select great knives as well as general info about knives here.

Cooking Forks are divided into two basic categories: carving forks and pot forks. Dividing them into two categories in a way makes sense since each kind is more suitable for specific tasks, but you can, of course, use each kind irreplaceably since there is no real reason to have both in the household.

1. Carving fork – has a straight blade, and its’ main purpose is carving meat
2. Pot fork – has a curved blade, and its’ main purpose is working with meat (often used as a pair).

Carving forks are sometimes part of knife sets, and they are often simply called cooking forks.

Proper cutting boards are essential in any kitchen. I would recommend you strictly buy plastic cutting boards (preferably NSF certified, which means certified by the National Sanitation Foundation) since they won’t absorb juice, bacteria, and odor. Keep your wooden cutting boards for serving; and if you insist on using them for cooking anyway, try to at least avoid using them for raw poultry, meat, fish, and seafood.

What to buy for a small kitchen on the budget?

You should have at least 1 larger cutting board (about 12 x 18) and 2 small sizes to work productively.

What is the best option to purchase?

• It is best to buy a commercial cutting board set of six larger color-coded cutting boards.
• If you purchase NSF certified, so you know that you are getting good equipment that will last a long time – I have had some cutting boards that lasted longer than a decade, and will still look new.
• Color – coded cutting boards are great for cross contamination prevention since each cutting board has a different purpose:
  • white is for dairy products and pastries
  • brown is for prepared meat (cooked, baked, grilled, etc.)
  • red is for raw meat
  • yellow is for raw poultry
  • blue is for raw fish and seafood
  • green is for fruit and vegetables
• By using color-coded cutting boards, your productivity will dramatically increase since you will never again run out of cutting boards when cooking, and you will always have enough cutting boards to prepare even a larger feast.
• Their look and shape are standardized, so if you ever end up needing to replace them (which I don’t think you will), you can buy just the one you need.
• Color-coated cutting boards come in two most common sizes (apart from some other specialty sizes). I would recommend buying a large (12 x 18”) one since the extra-large (18 x 24”) are simply a little too big for many households.
• In addition to this cutting board set, I would also recommend purchasing 2 small cutting boards (often called a bar cutting board), which are convenient for cutting small amounts (like a banana for your morning oats).

Since it has a flexible blade, it is great for working with meat (cleaning, portioning, and even slicing) and filleting and skinning fish. At the same time, I enjoy using this knife even for working with fruit or vegetables.

They come in multiple lengths, but I prefer an 8” long blade since it is big enough to perform any task and at the same time is still easy to handle.

It is enough to have just one flexible fillet knife in the household.

How to select great knives as well as general info about knives here.