Alexandria Insider: Where Chef Susie Shops (+ Knives 101)
It has been such a pleasure to share my recipes, and I love hearing your success stories. Of course you know Coco has you covered for gorgeous dinnerware, cocktail and barware, unique serving pieces, table décor, and even entertaining tips, but people always ask me where I go to buy a recipe’s hard-to-find ingredients, or specialized cookware and kitchen tools. The answer is local treasure La Cuisine.
La Cuisine is Alexandria’s go-to source for the highest quality gourmet items and pro-quality tools – as they say, they “sell products that are simply the best, not to be confused with the most expensive.” Proprietor Nancy Pollard has been the expert for more than 30 years, so who better to ask about one of the most important tool in a cook’s arsenal: the knife.
Or, actually, knives. There are LOTS of knives out there, one suited to just about any specific purpose (doughnut cutter or picnic knife, anyone?). But for home chefs, there really are some basics everyone should have on hand. When prepping in my kitchen, I find I am constantly reaching for one of four knives, each with its own purpose, and each indispensable. La Cuisine carries a few lines of knives; the ones I love are the San Moritz Series from the German company Messermeister.
The 4 Knives Every Cook Should Have in the Kitchen
Chef’s Knife
A chef’s knife is the most important knife in your kitchen – you’ll use this 80 to 90 percent of the time. Go with a chef’s knife that has an 8- to 10-inch blade, which at first may feel slightly longer than you are comfortable with. But remember, it’s that longer edge that makes the knife more versatile and efficient. A bigger blade gives you more leverage to more easily slices through an ingredient, so it is actually safer to use that a knife that’s too small for the job. Use this for slicing, dicing, and chopping fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish.
Serrated Knife
Also known as a bread knife, since that’s what a serrated blade is most commonly associated with, a serrated knife has other capabilities that make it a staple. Its toothed blade makes quick work of foods with tricky, waxy surfaces (think tomatoes, pineapples, oranges, lemon, limes, and peppers). But unlike other knives that can be used to chop and slice, since serrated knives have teeth like a saw they should only be used for slicing, rather than chopping. A sawing motion lets the knife’s blade grip and cut through ingredients.
Utility Knife
Sometimes you don’t need the blade power of a chef’s knife, and that’s when a utility knife comes in handy. Midway in size between a chef’s knife and a paring knife, a utility knife is a great bet for cutting foods that are not large enough for a chef’s knife but require a bit more slicing ability than a table knife (think sandwiches).
Paring Knife
The smallest knife in your set, a paring knife picks up where a chef’s knife leaves off. This smaller blade is ideal for more meticulous, detail work — fine slicing or mincing items that are too small for a larger blade, like garlic, shallots, or berries. But because the blade is shorter, this knife doesn’t have the heft necessary for cutting hard foods (think carrots), which can cause you to increase the pressure or tighten your grip as you chop – not safe.
- About the boutique
Using the soothing color palette of a coconut by the sea—whites, neutrals and splashes of turquoise—Coco Blanca has created a trademark look. Her lifestyle boutique offers expert solutions for home design and women’s fashion—blending a clean, fresh, sophisticated, feel-good style.
210 South Union Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.535.8002
