Know this!!! High quality "Ice Forged" steel knives last hundreds of years just like the Japanese Samurai and German Wehrmacht weapons. Properly, easily, cared for, they  will  be revered and live in your family for generations to come. You will be immortal!!!

You see, in Grandma’s days, the average kitchen had at most two electric appliances. That was the toaster and a stand or hand mixer. They lasted 15 yearsIIi  In the 70s came the onslaught especially at Christmas gifting of any thing  plugged into the wall. They lasted 15 minutes!!!!!  Think about worthless $100 plus gadgets such as breadmakers, electric pastamakers, electric  hand choppers,  non-stick electric woks (why??) electric soft ice cream makers, electric multi- juicers, dreaded electric knives that rip food, electric heated spoons ( it's true). and even my invention, the electric fork for twirling pasta (?????), a gross failure because of that dangerous primavera sauce.   That was a good reason for increased silk tie sales... when we wore them.

The stuff just kept piling up, forgotten on shelves along with that collection of finger lacerating, unsharpenable blades, displayed in a showy knife block worth more than the knives. Keep the block!!!, Trash the knives and send the junk with cords to Goodwill for a tax credit.   Replace it all with a small  indestructible heirloom for future generations. And.. Oh boy…space!

While your loved one may have not realized it all this time,  the new generation of serious home cook really  needs only two very good knives. Thus, in today’s world that seeks basic value in a gift, give an heirloom knife (for future generations) or two that makes it fun to do what was the bloody, annoying and time consuming daily work of cutting, slicing, peeling, dicing and chopping.  It’s amazing.  A good, sharp knife makes all of that fun, perhaps even an adventure. Spouses love to do all that work... if the knife is sharp.   I can't help with the cooking  without a good sharp knife.

To support my premise, you should understand this. If you ask any professional chef “What are the most important tools in your kitchen?”, his response will be his always sharp German (or more recently) Japanese knives.  He usually needs only two knives 95% of the time. They are a 6" or 8” chef’s knife and a 5” parer-boner all shown above.  If that is good enough for Thomas Keller, Mario Batali, Tommaso Barletta  Robin Nishizaki and the now famous  Fabio,  it should be good enough for your giftee.  Just check the tools in use right now by workers during “Top or Iron Chef.” That hernia producing food processor is rarely in view.

So, if you are in a Holiday Hurry, just read this paragraph:

If you are willing to spend just $100 prox for a valued family heirloom that will be passed on for generations go to your local housewares store (The personnel there will know about knives) and spend 5 minutes listening to the four choices for that kitchen workhouse in an  “Ice forged Chef’s knife."  

Or spend another 5 minutes reading below and become an instant pro.

Up until recently, the German Henckel, Messermeister and Wusthof brands dominated the quality ice forged knife arena. Henckels has compromised their own name with some low end stamped non-German knives so dismiss them.  But with the explosion of Sushi Bars, interest justifiably developed in Japanese cutlery as we watched the magic of the sushi chef effortlessly slice and carve. Thus, the Japanese have now invaded finer houseware stores with names like Global and  Shun. It has, however  made the purchase of a quality knife as a gift somewhat complicated.  I make it simple.

1. First, know this: Sadly, no American manufacturer catering to the consumer has been able to produce a quality knife comparable to what the German and Japanese warlords have been producing for centuries.  Buy only a fine cold forged knife! Avoid buying $400 prox knife block sets. You don’t need a block for just two knives. You can spend $100 or less and still give that heirloom.
    

2. The current German and Japanese knives are slightly different from each other.In fact the first Japanese knives that came to the United States were failures.  Their blades were thinner and had an edge only on one side. They were ultra sharp and held an edge slightly longer. But in fact they were designed and could be resharpened only for use in Japan where most of the cutting is for fish and sushi and small soft vegetables. Now they are offered with a double edge similar to the Germans but still require a different sharpening technique. They are lighter but thus may lack the heft and crown needed for dealing with large cuts of meat and hard vegetables.
    

3. Prices are similar for both. The very versatile Wusthoff  boner-parer  is around  $70s and the 8” Global Forged Chef’s knife is under $150. 6” is less The very deluxe Shun forged chefs knife with very special blade is over $200. For all home chef’s, all these knives will make a wonderful gift. If the receiver has a similar knife, they can easily exchange it at an amiable store for a different knife that is somewhat advanced such as a cleaver or a Sentoku or perhaps better yet...a  quality sharpener. Because ...
    

4. KNIFE SHARPNESS IS CRUCIAL BUT OFTEN  OVERLOOKED. If your giftee already has the right cold forged knives, consider a quality sharpener. Chef’s Choice offers separate two stage German or Japanese electric sharpen and hone units for $89.95.  A three stage unit that does all knives, German, Japanese (both styles old and new. )  is $169.  Shun offers an electric sharpener only for the Japanese angle at about $50.
    

5. A low cost worthwhile choice that I personally prefer (and has a lot of value), is a manual diamond sharpener (below). It does all knives, but you have to control the different angles. It is not too hard to do. It is also about $50 . Wet stones produce wonderful results but require skills that often are beyond anyone that wasn’t a West Virginia whittler.  

6. To ensure that any problems can be quickly and easily handled before and after for this somewhat complicated but rewarding gift decision, we suggest using a professional vendor. Our local choice is “Lets Get Cookin”on Lakeview Canyon near the small theater in Westlake. Their friendly knowledgeable personnel have been on the job for years.
    

7. Further, they will offer you special competitive price incentives to match the “Big Boxes” if you tell them that “FrankAbout Food.com” sent you.

 Keep on Slicin’

And Finally!!! A Wine Gadget Gift That I Think Works 

Over the years we have all been given various wine gadgets (often expensive) but relatively useless. Magnetic Wine Agers (were they serious?), $200 leather wine carriers to ostentatiously show off at the restaurants and then forget them there, $250 desktop  wine openers, $50 Rabbits, anti spill inserts, etc. Mostly overrated.

But now comes along comes the Venturi instant wine aerator that is effective; seeming to open up the drinkability of every day wines and also may aid in easily decanting aged wines.