A cut above

Published September 21, 2014

I now have a new object of desire to add to my list which currently comprises of a Lamborghini and a card that allows me to eat free at any restaurant I walk into. This latest addition is a kitchen knife. Not just any kitchen knife, but the Rolls Royce of kitchen knives. I chanced to see my dream knife in the magazine section of the San Francisco Chronicle that contained an article on Bob Kramer and his handmade kitchen knives.

The writer went on to extol the heft and balance of these ultimate blades. Apparently, Kramer auctions the few knives he makes every quarter at prices that reach up to $30,000. One collector has acquired 20 of them, and plans to hang a couple on his wall. Clearly, these are extraordinary instruments, but won’t become household objects anytime soon.

However, there is hope for impecunious kitchen freaks like me: a manufacturer mass produces Kramer’s knives under license and his overall supervision. These replicas sell for around $200. Although I get no commission, I urge readers to have a look at these masterpieces at www.kramerknives.com

Every serious cook should have at least one good kitchen knife that he cares for; ideally, nobody else ought to use it as we all have our own way of cutting and chopping. A good blade will retain its edge for a long time, but never place it in the dishwasher as the high temperature will erode the chemicals that go into high quality steel. And when the edge does lose its sharpness, use a good grindstone to restore it.


A good, sharp knife is an invaluable asset when it comes to kitchen accessories


I remember the knife sharpener who would come around when I was a kid. He would have a big wheel that he rotated with a pedal against the edges of the knives we handed him, and we would watch in fascination as the sparks flew off in a shower. While this profession might be extinct in Pakistan now, it is alive and well in London. Here, a company collects knives from restaurants and sharpens them. This saves trained cooks from spending their time honing their blades.

But while I might not (yet) have my Kramer, I received a wonderful birthday present recently that consisted of a set of three Global knives. This famous Japanese manufacturer has a wide range of knives that are used by chefs around the world. Finely balanced with dimpled grips that cling to the palm, these are serious instruments. I have kept them separately from our other knives to prevent She Who Must Not Be Named from carelessly tossing them into the dishwasher.

I hate cooking in somebody’s kitchen where the knives are blunt. Apart from being just annoying, dull edges result in tearing ingredients rather than slicing them. This is just as true for cooked food, and specially steak and roast: you don’t want to do battle with a hunk of meat on your plate with a dull knife. To prevent this, a friend gave me a set of Laguiole steak knives. This classic French design has achieved iconic status for its elegant lines, wooden handle and exquisitely sharp edge. It slices through a steak as if it was going through butter.

Talking of France, I have just seen a wonderful feel-good foodie movie called The Hundred-Foot Journey. Set in a small French village, this is the story of Papa Kadam (played by the incomparable Om Puri) who ran a successful restaurant in Mumbai until it was burned down and his wife killed in a post-election riot. The family migrate to Europe, and find themselves in a village with a wonderful food market and a restaurant site for sale.

Immediately opposite is Madame Mallory’s (played by Helen Mirin) Michelin starred establishment, and hence the name, The Hundred-Foot Journey. Hasan, Papa Kadam’s second son, is a gifted cook, and, curious about French cuisine, learns techniques and recipes from cookbooks given to him by Marguerite, a sous-chef at Madame Mallory’s restaurant. A cold war erupts between Papa Kadam and Madame Mallory who looks down on the Indian interlopers.

However, when she fires her chef for a racially motivated arson attack on the Indian family, Hasan sees an opportunity and applies for the job. By subtly working Indian spices into traditional French dishes, he impresses a Michelin inspector, and Madame Mallory gets a second star, the penultimate accolade. Hasan is immediately offered a job in Paris, where he wins much acclaim.

However, he misses his family and Marguerite, and returns to the village where he promises he will win a third Michelin star for Madame Mallory. This is a movie you should not watch on an empty stomach as it’s full of images of delicious food.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, September 21st, 2014

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