Saturday 17 September 2011

paring knives - where can you get them?

Those little knives that are so useful in the kitchen, paring knives. Why can't you get them any more. I don't mean  razor sharp plastic handled knives. I mean little knives with wooden handles, often a little bit blunt, that your mum used to use to scrape potatoes, imagining she did such a thing. Sitting on a stool in the summer, with a bown soaking the spuds and loosening the skin. With a saucepan full of water for the peeled, pared or scraped veg on one side. There were always too many potatoes for the gathered masses.

We need more paring knives. Couteau d'office in French. It's official.

although treasured, this knife has been in the compost for some time... 

... but a perfect example of a paring knife, balance of blade and handle just right


a modern equivalent, blade's too long, handle is plastic

small sabatier, carbon steel, king of knives, but not a paring knife
Everyone has their of perfection. Like Goldilocks, I like to try things out before pronouncing, and yes, sometimes things do get broken along the way. No forced entry here, these knives are all mine, and paid for. The small slightly rotted paring knife at the top is the elusive ideal. That one probably dates from the 90s. If anyone knows where I can get another, I'd be grateful for the information. It's a good scraper, ideal corer and, aesthetically, just lovely.

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