Knife Sharpening Made Easy
November 25th, 2011 by chefkevin“How do I keep (or get) my knives sharp?”
That’s one of the most common questions I hear in my cooking classes, and even when I’m catering in-home dinners parties. Seems to be an on-going problem for most people.
Folks are always dazzled when I grab a steel and swish my knives a couple times to return the edge to “shaving sharpness”. That’s something that we, as Chefs, learn very early in our training. If not, well, it’s a life of torture working with dull (and dangerous) knives.
That’s not the whole process, though. Putting an edge on a knife is a two-stage procedure that involves sharpening (creating minute grooves along the knife’s edge), and honing (straightening these grooves into a fine razor’s edge). This process is usually done with a stone and steel.
However, most don’t have access to this kind of knife sharpening education, and for them it’s always a challenge to not only get a razor’s edge on their knives, but be able to maintain it.
Well, your wait is over folks! My VERY good friend and fellow Chef, Maurice Thiebaut, has the answer to your knife sharpening prayers. He has been providing the “sharpening solution” for a while now, and when I finally got my hands on it… I was impressed!
As I said, I’ve been trained in “the ways of the knife” for many years, and am always skeptical (at best) when I hear about the next best thing in knife sharpeners. They come, they go, and then there’s another one to follow. So when I tried this one I wasn’t prepared for what I found. Not to doubt Maurice, but how good can a simple hand-held knife sharpener be?
As it turns out, excellent, easy and efficient… three killer qualities for any product destined for long-term survival in the revolving-door of kitchen gadgetry. The CWP Ultimate Knife Sharpener is easy enough for the unskilled novice to master quickly, but efficient enough for a Master Chef’s toolbox (I know it will always be in mine). It’s even reversible for left or right handed use.
The CWP Ultimate Knife Sharpener comes with the dual-purpose tungsten-carbide/ceramic head for the sharpening AND honing required for maintaining a sharp knife.
It also comes with an inter-changeable dual diamond sharpening head, essential for the high-quality expensive knives that we use as Chefs. Get this… it evens sharpens ceramic blades… unheard of in other sharpeners!
I’ve checked around, and most hand-held sharpeners (which I haven’t tried) go for $40-50 and up. This complete, Chef tested knife sharpening system goes for $29.99 (plus tax and shipping of course).
I highly recommend The CWP Ultimate Knife Sharpener, and suggest you check it out yourself. My buddy Maurice has even added a special gift for all my Foodies that purchase one (for a limited time).
Drop on over to THE CWP ULTIMATE SHARPENER and see for yourself what a great deal this is. Did I mention you get a special gift for being one of my flock 
Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin
Posted in Catering Info, Food Facts, Foodie Ramblings..., Recipes & Repairs || 11 Comments
Celebrating Spring Veggies
April 2nd, 2011 by chefkevinContinuing an Ancient Ritual …
While March 21st is the official start of spring, here in Nova Scotia our own fresh local produce is still a long ways off. That’s really hard on our psychological make up since we are genetically hard-wired to want fresh, energy-filled veggies with the coming of the spring equinox. That probably explains our hunger for spring to begin.
Since the days of our pagan ancestors, spring has been celebrated with pomp and ceremony as a rebirth of the Earth. The ancient ones knew of the magic in the cycle of life and the seasons. While not historically proven, it’s likely that the mystery of fresh green plants pushing up through warm, moist earth fed the search for meaning in all growing things. Folklore and myth date back to a similar time as the early herbs and vegetables themselves, so it’s not a stretch to assume that some of that primal knowledge has survived in our collective consciousness to this day. These ancient folk would go out and gather the fresh young plants and create a feast of these, since they felt that by eating these growing, bright green veggies it would bring the same energy to their own bodies.
While we’ve evolved in many ways, there is much we can learn from this ancient practice. Spring is a time to move away from the stored hard winter vegetables and start using the freshest ingredients we can find. This first spring produce is usually green, since most are the first shoots and buds of young growing plants.
Even after all this time, the most common greens found today originated as plants found in our ancestral homelands of Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Following are some present day representatives of these ancient plants…
Artichokes- The unopened flower buds of a variety of the thistle plant. They are a good source of iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C.
Asparagus- A tall perennial plant that sends up stalks from the thick roots. As the stalk meets sunlight, the colour turns from white to purple-green as the chlorophyll is activated. Asparagus is an excellent source of the B vitamin folate, a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin A and vitamin C.
Snow Peas- The French name for snow peas is “mange-tout”, which literally means “eat it all”. Since they truly are, this rings true. These are available year-round but peak in the spring and fall. Snow peas are a rich source of vitamins C, A, B1 and B2, and are a good source of dietary fibre and protein.
Dandelion Greens- The best time to collect wild dandelion greens is before the flowers arrive and they become very bitter. You can harvest again in the fall when fresh greens appears, but their high levels of vitamin A and vitamin C, along with vitamins B and E, potassium, magnesium, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, proteins, resin, iron, sulphur and zinc are at their peak in spring. Dandelion leaves stimulate the body to eliminate waste and toxins.
Rhubarb- A vegetable (yes, vegetable) that’s usually cooked like a fruit, and combines exquisitely with strawberries. On its own it has a bold taste, however the sharp flavour compliments pork, game, and properly seasoned, also fish. It is high in fibre and contains generous amounts of vitamin A and potassium. FYI… One cup of cooked rhubarb provides as much calcium as a glass of milk!
Fiddleheads- The unfurled fronds of the Ostrich fern, found growing on river banks along the north-eastern U.S. as far as Newfoundland, and west into Michigan. The season varies from region to region and year to year depending on spring water levels, but generally they begin to appear in markets around the beginning of May. Fiddleheads freeze well and it is an excellent way to preserve them. Dr. Richard Beliveau, author of the bestselling book “Foods That Fight Cancer”, says: “Studies done in our lab indicate that (their) nutrients make fiddleheads one of the most antioxidant vegetables out there and they can play a significant role in hindering the growth of cells that lead to several types of cancer.”
Sorrel- If you have a local gardener growing greens; chances are they also have sorrel since it is a perennial. Sorrel can be used wherever spinach is called for in recipes, and provides potassium, vitamin A, iron, vitamin C and plenty of chlorophyll to the body.
Swiss Chard- Rainbow colored, Swiss chard leaves show as red, white, pale green, gold or pink ribs. The ribs are can be tougher so are often cooked separately from the leaves. Regardless of the variety, chard is a good source of beta carotene, vitamin C, and some B vitamins along with iron, potassium, sodium, and magnesium.
Green Spring Peas- Originally very starchy; gardeners cultivated the sweet green garden pea during the Renaissance period. While our colder climate delays these until early summer, we still look forward to the first sweet peas. Green peas are rich in dietary fibre, iron, vitamin C, folic acid and vitamin B6.
Yes, living here in a colder region is a challenge because it means that our own local fresh spring produce is going to be a while coming. However, many of these can be found imported from the southern regions of the U.S. and then a bit later from warmer areas of Canada.
Regardless of where you get them from, your body will thank you for the gift of spring veggies. They’re quick to cook, deliciously fresh to taste, and nutritionally powerful for your health. Also, they reassure your inner Pagan that spring has arrived and the world has begun to grow again. Be sure to start eating them as soon as you possibly can…
Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin
Posted in Food Facts, Foodie Ramblings..., Foods That Heal, Recipes & Repairs || 111 Comments
Detoxification & Water
February 14th, 2009 by chefkevin
Got this inquiry today re:detoxification and how water is involved, so I started to write and, well… see for yourself…
“Hi Kevin…
I have just read your “healthy blog”….very interesting, with your comments and different replies. I am wondering about this “detoxification” you speak about and others talking about lots of water.
What else is there? The only time I have heard that word is in an Avon catalogue there it was advertising “detoxifying pads” that you put on your feet at night when you go to bed. I did,however, catch something on a program recently when a guy said that a lot of water isn’t necessarily needed, as a person’s liver does the job anyway….so, just wondering about it all…”
My reply…
Thanks! I think the nutritional part of my blog will become more interesting and controversial than any recipes, cooking tips, or anything else I write about. You know how passionate I get when I talk in class about my own personal nutrition and health. It will be all over my blog now, and those comments will build a great “publication” for folks to access. Many different points of view… some in agreement… some not… but all informative. Exactly what I wanted this blog to be
“Detoxification”, in my mind, simply means removing poisonous substances (toxins) from our bodies… in this case unhealthy foods and additives. Let me set the scene…
Back in November when I came back from vacation in BC I was running around 205 lb. I had enough energy to do what I had to all right, but not boundless. I took a hard look at myself and said “That’s enough!” With my lymphoma condition to look after, running the hours I need to, and my age of 51 it was time to either slap myself and wake up, or continue on a fatal slide. Maybe not a fast slide… but a slide no less. I feel I’ve jammed the brakes on and reversed it.
As you know from seeing me nearly weekly, I totally revamped my “diet”, which is a nasty four-letter word, but one people understand. We are all on a diet or… well… we don’t eat Anyway, I removed all the “poisonous foods” from my diet. I eliminated or drastically reduced things like sugar, wheat & dairy that put & keep weight on, and are harder to burn off than almost anything else. I removed all processed “anything” I was eating. Instantly (as in a week) I began to see changes. Increased energy, weight loss, stamina & endurance, all those things. Within 3 weeks I dropped (more like plummeted) 15+ lbs off my body! Three weeks! Yeah, I know what they say. “Not healthy to lose weight that fast” Explain then why I felt and continue to feel so great? After 3 months I’ve gone on to lose a total of 24-5 lbs (depending on the day) and am maintaining it easily, dropped my waist size by 4 inches, have boundless energy and mental alertness… I could go on… and will later…
As to the water issue, we do not need the magical 8-10 glasses a day as was the norm for so many years. However we do need “adequate amounts”, pure water. Not purified, de-mineralized water because we need those minerals. Good, clean tap water for me unless I need a bottle on the road and don’t have my own (which I nearly always pack). You’re right when you say our liver does remove toxins from our bodies, but it requires “adequate” amounts of water to flush our system and get it there. However, adequate is different for everyone. It’s dependant on age, physical activity, location (climate), illness/fever (requires more to replace dehydration)… many factors.
So how much do we need? A “normal” adult loses 8 cups of water/fluid a day with body functions… urination, sweat, bowel movements, even breathing (e.g. steam). For a long time the rule was “8 a Day”. However, it didn’t take into account the other liquids we consume over the run of a day, and for some that’s a lot. Coffee, tea, juice, soup, etc. all add up and pounding 8 glasses on top of that will simply make you slosh Sure, if I’m working out, or if it’s a hot day I need to “replace” more water. Common sense. But balance is the key…
Each person is different and I believe that all those “blanket policy” diets don’t work for everyone. As I always say, in class and online… ’body specific’… See what works for you. Listen to your body… it’s your best indicator if you do. Most people can’t hear theirs. I just happen to totally in sync with mine these days
Nuff for now… You know you don’t want to get me started. I can go on forever about this…
Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin
Posted in Food Facts, Foods That Heal || 92 Comments