Paring Knife

Tired of leftover pizza and Ramen noodles? Say goodbye to takeout boxes and say hello to your first X piece knife block Nothing says you're ready to embrace kitchen adventures like getting your very own X piece knife blockand if you have not made up your mind yet which one to get, here is a round-up of our top picks in the knife department.



1. Wusthof Dreizack - Solingen, Germany is not known as the world's Cutlery Capital for nothingand Wusthof's knives are excellent proof that when it comes to knife-making, the Germans have not lost their edge. Wusthof's knives are drop-forged from stainless, high-carbon steel and have ergonomic handles that are specially molded for precision and balance.



Start with Wusthof's entry-level Grand Prix II 8-knife set. It retails at $300, and has most of what you need to start slicing, dicing, and chopping up a storm



2. J.A Henckels - Guess how long J.A Henckels has been in the business? Since 1731 When you produce knives for nearly 300 years, you're bound to have learned a thing or two about knife-making that others have notand that is precisely the case with J.A Henckel's Zwilling sets.



Zwilling, the company's premium knife line, have blades that are specially produced from special-formula steel. These blades have been ice-hardened and laser-controlled for extra sharpness. They also come with soft but molded handles to provide you with a better grip.



3. Hattori - Hattori knives are made in Seki, a sword-making city in Japan. Not surprisingly, the knives in this X piece knife block set are famous not just for their beauty but also for their performance. The knives have a rust-free edge that's incredibly thin, and on each blade is engraved, in Kanji characters, the Ichiro Hattori name. There is no doubting the sharpness, strength, and beauty of a Hattori knife. The only downside is that it is more expensive than most knives.



If you can afford a Hattori, splurge on an X piece knife block set that comes with a paring knife, a chef knife, and slicing knife. They will serve you long and well.



4. Victorinox - Who does not know Victorinox? Since 1891, the company has been making knives for the Swiss armyand for kitchens everywhere. If you pay for an X piece knife block set with the Victorinox name, you can rest easy in the knowledge that you're getting one of the best knives in the world. Victorinox knives come with African rosewood handles, a horizontal tang, and stainless, high-carbon steel. It's used by butchers and chefs everywhere



5. Global - In the world of celebrity chefs, Global has the unique distinction of being Giada de Laurentiis and Susur Lee's blade of choice. What makes them so special? For one, they're made of harder alloy than most knives. They also have a narrower angle. Then there's the handleit's impossible to miss because unlike other knives, it's black and dimpled.



If you're serious about your culinary venture, get a Global X piece knife block set. It's much sharper, it keeps this sharpness longer, and it lets you do more accurate cutting work. If you are working with a tight budget, however, you may want to go for an X piece knife block set with a lower price tag.



Buying knives need not be difficult, daunting, or expensive. Start your search with the knife sets from these manufacturers. There's no way you can go wrong when you put your money on an X piece knife block set that delivers.

When purchasing a new gourmet knife set, you want to make sure you have the right combination of knives in the set so that all your food cutting needs will be met. Additionally, quality sets will have good fringe and complimentary components as well.



Chef's Knife



The staple of most knife sets is the chef's knife. Also called the French knife, originally this knife was used primarily for cutting meats. Typically the blade measures about eight inches in length and one and a half inches in width. Currently the functionality of this knife serves more of an all purpose role. It is used for cutting, mincing, slicing, and chopping various food items such as meat, fish and vegetables.



Santoku Knife



The Santoku knife can be thought of as the Japanese version version of the chef's knife. It is different enough that most good gourmet knife sets include both a chef's knife and a Santoku knife. It is thinner and not as long as the traditional chef's knife. The Santoku knife is designed mostly for cutting boneless or lightly-boned meats, poultry and seafood. It is also great for handling vegetables, whether you are slicing, dicing or chopping them.



Paring knife



A paring knife is a small knife that is ideal for peeling fruits and vegetables. It is also good for precision cutting, such as de-veining shrimp or removing seeds from fruits. This is a common knife found in all good knife sets.



Bread Knife



Bread knives are long, thin knives that are serrated so it can cut soft bread without crushing it or causing it to crumble. These are a must for any knife set since bread is one of the most commonly eaten foods there is.



Boning Knife



A boning knife is a long, thin extremely sharp knife that is used to separate meat from bones in beef, poultry and fish. The material connected to the bone is usually tougher and more elastic than the actual flesh, so the narrow sharp boning knife is perfect for this function.



Complimentary Components



There should also be useful complimentary components in a good gourmet knife set. To house the items, knife sets use a wooden block with slots for the items. This should be made of quality wood such as bamboo or oak. Also, most sets include kitchen shears, which are perfect for cutting string and twine.



So make sure the gourmet knife set you intend to purchase includes the above items - this will ensure all your kitchen cutting requirements will be met.