How to choose a great knife ? 如何選一把好刀 ?

My husband and I were very lucky guys. We didn't get too much time to stay with our family when we were really young, but we always met some nice person around. When we just came to US. There were so much troubles in the beginning to get into the daily basis. Where to shop, where to dine, where to have a hair cut, seeing a doctor. These little things were big when we couldn't speak in English in this unfamiliar new country that we live in. Thanks to God sent us this sweetest couple to us. Alex the husband was a great cook, good at took care of people by nature who just liked me, and his wife Jackie was a very sweet and realistic, and humor person which just liked my hubby. They were all treated us very well. They would invite us to their house for dinner, and gave us the convenience to do our laundry. Alex always knew my picky husband who won't eat pork, and he would make sure my husband always got something to eat. I adored his ox tails soup very much, slowly cooked with some Chinese herbs for hours. Every time he made that, he would call. I enjoyed the conversation with Jackie too. She always gave me the different perspective to treat things in very talented way. They welcomed us like the big brother and sister, we were really blessing !

My first knife was Alex got it for me. A medium size cleaver, very similar liked traditional large size cleaver, but smaller. It had almost square front top, thin blade from the knife tip to the end, perfect for Asian preparation on any ingredients. I could use it for thin slices, shredded or dicing, great to smash garlic or mash fish or shrimp when I tried to make some seafood dumplings.

My second knife was a big traditional Chinese cleaver which was given by my mother in law. It might looks very humble, but sure worked like charm, as my first knife. The only thing bothered me was my hand was not big enough for it, so when I chopped a little too much. I would get a blister under my index finger. Other than that, I had to say, our ancestors were sure brilliant to create this kind of knife and people as we were still continuing to use till today ! ~

A couple months before, my husband got me my third chef knife as a gift. A fancy one which cost him more than 200. Nice details hand crafted blade with beautiful marble wood handle. The blade was thin in the front, getting thicker toward to the end. Nice for chopping a big piece of meat, great weight and sturdy, but the length of knife is kind too long compares to my arm. So, I have to find that certain angle when I use it.

So, if you ask me. How to choose a great knife? Well, I would use these conclusion to suggest to you.

1. A sharp knife is a great knife, because it will cut thing clean without any extra force. Any extra forces from your hand could be leading you to unpredictable dangers. 2. The knife size should fit your hand almost like a glove, not too big or small. Using a small knife to chop the big hard ingredient or use the big knife to chop to tiny food are silly also, especially you are not a Pro. 3. How to choose the thin or thick blade. I have to say, it's all depends what kinda of food you usually chop the most. If you are not doing lots thin slices than any blade should be fine. 4. A good knife should have a nice weight but easy to carry and in control in your hand when you are holding it. This would keep you work steady and easier to achieve your tasks.

All above these is just one word, " Try it " to get that feel of it, before you make a deal with it. But please don't argue with me, a fancy knife is really better than a traditional knife. Because I would tell you, what will make it really better is your chopping skills with a sharp knife. It's not the brand name or a pricy knife neither. If you still has problems with that. I will prove to you by chopping the same thing like paper thin, with those different knives, and make you speechless ..... Sorry ! ~ I just want to be a smart shopper, That's all !!! 😁😅😉😘

我老公和我都是很幸運的人, 年輕時的我們和家人相處的時光不多, 但是出門在外我們總是遇到許多貴人環繞著. 剛到美國時, 我們的基本生活中有許多的麻煩, 像是去哪裡採買, 哪裡吃飯, 哪裡剪頭髮, 看醫生. 這些小事情都成了大問題. 因為當時的我們生活在陌生的國度裡卻不會說美語. 感謝老天爺, 為我們送來了這對夫妻. 先生艾力克做了一手好菜, 天生會照顧人和我挺像. 太太潔琪是位甜美, 實際和幽默的人像我老公. 他們會邀請我們去家裡吃晚餐, 並且給予我們方便冼衣服. 艾力克總是貼心的知道我老公不吃豬肉, 所以他一定會確定有他可吃的東西. 我非常喜愛他的牛尾湯, 配上些許中藥材經由長時間燉煮. 每次他煮這道菜時總會打電話叫我去. 我也很喜歡和潔琪聊天, 她總是有不同的人生見解和聰明伶俐處理事情的方法. 他們就像哥哥和姐妹們一樣的歡迎我們. 我們的真的很有福氣!

我的第一把菜刀就是艾力克幫我買的. 中型尺寸像是傳統的中式菜刀, 但是小了點. 它有著幾乎方頭和從頭到尾都是平薄的刀刄, 超適合用在亞洲的前菜準備功夫上, 切片,切絲, 或是切丁. 也可以拿來拍扁蒜頭亦或是拍扁魚蝦肉泥來做成丸子.

我的第二把菜刀則是我婆婆幫我買的中式傳統菜刀. 它看起來像是很樸實, 但是用起來卻是很有魔力, 和我的第一把刀頗像. 唯一令我困擾的是, 我的手不夠大, 如果切多了些, 食指的下方總是容易起小水泡. 除此之外我必須說, 祖先們實在是非常聰明有了這樣的發明. 而且可以繼續傳承下去直到今天, 人們還是持續在使用著.

幾個月前, 我老公買了我人生中的第三把菜刀送給我當禮物. 一把花了美金200多塊的昂貴菜刀. 這刀刃上有著細緻手工製作, 和漂亮的木頭大理石紋路手把. 刀片開始較薄然後使向後方則微寬了些, 很適合拿來切大塊的肉類, 有一定的重量所以很穩固. 然而刀柄對我的手臂來說有點長, 所以我必須調整某個角度來使用它. 因此, 如果你問我如何選擇一把好刀 ? 我會用這樣的結論來建議你.

1. " 一把鋭利的刀就是一把好刀 ". 一把好刀可以將食材切的乾淨利落而無須多餘的施力. 因為多餘的施力容易導致成不必要的危險. 2. 刀的尺寸必須幾乎像是手套一樣依附著你的手, 不應過大或太小. 拿小刀來切又大又硬的食材或是拿大刀來切小食物都是很傻的行為, 尤其是你不是專業的人士. 3. 如何選擇刀片的厚度呢？我必須說得依照平常你最常切的物質而定. 如果你沒有做很多的切細片的動作. 一般的刀片都是可以的接受的. 4. 一把好刀要有適當的重量, 但卻又能握在你的手裡輕易的掌握及操控. 這會確保你的切菜穩定度而輕易完成任務.

以上這些其實就只有一句話, 那就是在你未下決定要購買之前先" 試一試刀子" 然後去感覺一下它. 但是請不要和我爭論, 昂貴的刀子會比傳統的刀子還要好上許多. 因為我會告訴你, 會令你覺得比較好的原因是你的刀工和一把銳利的刀子, 它更不是一把名牌或是昂貴的刀子. 如果我做了這樣的解釋, 你還想和我爭論的話. 我會向你證明, 用兩種不一樣的刀子切一樣的東西, 然後把它們切的一樣薄, 令你啞口無語 ...... 對不住啦! ~ 因為我比較想當一位聰明的消費者, 如此而已 !!!