Favorite?

"Do you have a favorite piece of kitchen equipment?" That is a question I get a lot. There are so many things that I love having in my kitchen, from my Kitchen Aid mixer (that I can't believe still works after what I've put it through for all of these years) to my all of my Microplane graters and fun gadgets that I pick up from time to time. Those kitchen essentials, however, stay at home when I cook in my commercial kitchen or some other environment. My knives go with me. So, I guess there's my favorite. What it really boils down to though is one knife. I own about ten, but I use just one about 90 percent of the time. I actually bought it for Mark, but the truth is even when he's cooking with me, it's the one I use. He's never said anything about that, I suppose he knows better than to stand between a cook and her favorite knife - even if does "technically" belong to him.

For me, it's all about the knife being completely comfortable in hand and under my control. I have a lot of work to do quickly and safely. If the blade is too long, the tip at an unfamiliar angle, I am not as secure. So, my knife, and usually a pairing and serrated, go with me wherever I cook. This, by the way, is a Shun.