Chad

Oh, c'mon. You were looking for an excuse to buy more Edge Pro stones anyway. Admit it! Actually, what you have will work fine for the time being. The 320EF stone is about the equivalent of a 1200 grit Japanese water stone, so it'll still be a little finer than the factory edge. If you want to splurge, the new 800 grit UF stone is $14 and will last the rest of your life. The high grit ceramic rod is a good addition to your knife block/kit. It'll do a much better job than any grooved steel available (and do a lot less damage to your edges). Ben Dale has them on the Edge Pro website if you want to consolidate your purchases. As for edge bevels, the 16-degree-per-side factory bevel isn't bad, and it's simple to match on your Edge Pro. If you feel like doing a compound bevel, go for it. The knife can easily handle a 10/15 compound edge if you feel like putting one on it. (For those who haven't read the sharpening tutorial, that is a 10 degree back bevel and a 15 degree primary edge on each side). And, no, the Shun's are not chisel ground like traditional Japanese knives. They have a symmetrical bevel just like the European style knives everybody is used to. Shrine and mood lighting? Pfff! My knives rise from the center of my cutting board in a swirl of dry ice smoke, just like the secret ingredient on Iron Chef. Top that! Actually, I believe the Ken Onion comes with the wooden presentation stand, doesn't it? Take care, Chad

Hi, Chris. Congratulations on your new knife! Perhaps I can help out with your questions. The Shuns are very good knives. I don't get along with the Ken Onion version, but I don't like "ergonomic" handles in general. They all seemed to be designed for three-fingered aliens. If you like the way it feels, that's all that matters. Shun knives come with factory edge angles of 16 degrees per side. The factory edge is reasonably well applied -- and is certainly better than the crappy factory edges that most German knives come with -- but isn't anything special. You can do much better with your Edge Pro. If you have the stone upgrades, taking the edge up through the 600 stone will put a fine polish on the knife that will leave the factory edge in the dust. The core is VG10, one of the best kitchen steels available. It's not as high tech as some of the new exotic supersteels, but it strikes a great balance between hardness, sharpenability and stain resistance. I'd have to check my notes from my interview with the Shun designer to be sure, but I believe Kai/Kershaw/Shun hardens their kitchen knives to 58-59Rc. You can take the edge down farther if you'd like. I've taken 60Rc VG10 down to 10 degrees per side without requiring undue maintenance, but I also sharpen my knives every couple of months to keep them at peak performance. The factory edge should last approximately a year with light use, 6 months if you use the Shun as your main knife. These knives respond well to steeling with a high grit ceramic rod like this one from Epicurean Edge. Just touch it up lightly once a week or so. That will extend the life of the edge and keep the knife cutting well. Check the eG Sharpening Tutorial for proper steeling technique. DO NOT, under any circumstances, allow a standard grooved steel anywhere near the edge. One thing to note: the suminagashi (faux Damascus) cladding on the outside is very soft. When you use the Edge Pro, tape the sides of the blade with blue painter's tape to keep the grit and swarf from scratching up the pattern. If you can wait until May, a whole new world of sharpening techniques will be revealed . Take care, Chad

Finally had a burger at the Raleigh Times Bar last week and enjoyed it very much. This was truly one of the best burgers I've had since moving to North Carolina. The house pickles and great beer selection were also major pluses. The fries need a little work, but all in all an excellent lunch. Chad

I liked the Porter's burger but didn't enjoy it as much as I should have, mainly because the night we were there it was a lot dressier than we had anticipated. I don't know if it was the crowd that particular night or what, but we felt decidedly downmarket in our jeans. We'll have to give it another try. Also on the list is the Raleigh Times Bar. My wife ate there soon after it opened and was underwhelmed, but I think they hadn't gotten the kinks out yet. From all the positive talk I'm eager to give it a try. Definitely second the motion on Abby Road. The burgers are very good. They also grind their own meat so you can order your burger as rare as you like. As an added bonus, it's fairly close to us. Anybody know anything about Community Grocery and Deli? Greg Cox seems to like it a lot. Chad

I'm a big Tony Bourdain fan. I like his writing. But this was weak, a pastiche of past Tony. Even Lester Bangs at his worst was more introspective and thoughtful than this. Chad

Thanks for the kind words, folks. Getting close to the end is exciting. I think the photos are looking really good. As for the Tojiro vs. Misono statements earlier -- the Tojiros are excellent knives for the price. For $50 for the basic 8" chef's knife, you can't go wrong. At $200 or more, the Misonos are held to a higher standard. They have beautiful fit and finish and better blades, but the balance is off for me. They, like the Glestains, are a bit handle heavy. I prefer blade heavy knives. My go-to knives at the moment are a 240mm custom handled Artisan, a 270mm Takeda, a 270mm Nenox S1 and an $85 MAC MTH-80, which has the best blade geometry I've ever seen. Chad

A quick update and a sneak peak for those interested. The book is nearly finished. A cross-country move slowed me down considerably. If that wasn't enough, a week before my photo shoot I had a nasty accident with a broken wine glass. Would you take knife advice from a guy with stitches in his hand? Publication date is now spring of '08. I finished up the marathon photo shoot this week and have been editing pictures into 4-5 shot sequences to demonstrate various techniques. I think they've turned out pretty well. Chad

Hmmm, Pierce Brosnan & Rene Russo in The Thomas Crown Affair? Chad

That'd be Angel Heart. You thought it was that bad? Hmm. Not as good as the original book but it didn't (as my favorite movie critic once wrote) "do for movies what the Jonestown cool aid did for kids' drinks." Chad

Shears are amazing. Yes, you need a pair. A good pair of shears can handle anything from snipping grapes from a cluster for school lunches to cutting the backbone out of a chicken. The Messermeister shears are the bargain of the century. Not only are they strong enough to take anything you can dish out in the kitchen, they pop apart for easy cleaning. Seems like a simple feature, but it makes a big difference. Most kitchen shears require you to use a screwdriver to disassemble them, which leads to not using them because they are a pain to clean. You tend not to use shears that harbor hunks o' nastiness down in the crevasses. These simply snap apart for hand washing -- or you can just drop them in the dishwasher if no one is looking. They'll come out none the worse for wear if you don't do it too often. Please note: these are multi-purpose kitchen shears. Spring loaded poultry shears -- the ones that look like tin snips -- are not as useful. They may, in theory, be stronger, but I've yet to find any evidence. They are harder to clean and less practial all around. Chad

The question is about hospitality and graciousness. A restaurant has the option of charging a corkage fee. That represents their loss of the margin on a bottle of wine in stock. When a patron -- and a regular at that -- opens a second bottle of wine, the house has lost nothing. The patron who prefers his or her own wine to the house list isn't going to have a last minute change of heart and order a house wine. And if that patron only has a glass or two from that bottle and sends the rest back to the kitchen in a gesture of good will, then the host has the option of a) being a good host and foregoing the second corkage fee or b) being an insensitive host and scrounging everything he or she can from the obviously unvalued customer. The argument about glassware is asinine. If I have water throughout dinner and order coffee with my dessert, should the house charge me $15 dollars because I have added to their dishwashing costs? No. Nor are a waiter's time and the rental fees on a double kicker wine pull worth a second corkage fee. It is gouging pure and simple. Technically defensible, but only to a host who doesn't value his or her customers. Chad Edited to Add: Markk, the question you have been very gently working your way around is, "Was I treated badly?" You have been very circumspect and non-judgmental in what you have posted. The answer is yes, you were treated badly. You deserved better. You didn't ask for any special treatment, but given your regular patronage, it is completely understandable that you might feel -- well, I can't presume to know how you felt. I can tell you that I would feel puzzled and frankly a little hurt/offended/indignant that I was so little valued. I certainly wouldn't be going back anytime soon.

I have to say that you are much more patient and obliging than I am. The owner's behavior, while technically defensible, is not going to endear her to anyone, much less establish a pool of regulars. This is not about corkage fees or improperly described dishes. It is about what an owner or manager does or does not do to make guests feel appreciated. This owner failed. Chad

L.A. Story, one of my favorite movies. Patrick Stewart as the snotty maitre d'. "Don't waste my time." City Slickers. Chad

You might want to post your question on Knifeforums.com's In the Kitchen forum. There are a couple of knife-nut members who live in Hawaii who might be able to better answer your question. Chad

I assume you already know about Kitchen Arts & Letters. Although not cookbook specific, I've had good luck tracking down rare books through Alibris, Powell's Books, and AbeBooks. Hope this helps, Chad

I have never come across such boards, would you have a link to a picture of one? I don't use a dishwasher, so I would be washing it the old-fashioned way anyway ← The Epicurean boards aren't bad. I use one as my travel board. But they have two faults: they slip and slide all over the counter unless you put a damp towel underneath, and they are harder that non-composite boards so they will roll your knife edges a little more readily than a softer board. This is not really a problem if you use a steel regularly. This is the one I have. Chad edited to add link.

Rubber, to me, seems an unstable choice--do you have an example you can point me to? It seems to me that if you're thinly slicing onions on a less-than-stable surface, it wouldn't be difficult to knick off your thumb. ← The rubber boards Varmint is referring to are heavy duty models from SaniTuff. They don't slide around at all. My 15x20x3/4 sample weights about 12 pounds. It's not going anywhere. Chad

Can I offer some additional reading? Cutting Boards: Safety, Selection, Sanitation Chad

Ding! Got it in one. Full dialog from the scene here. Chad

It's the famous Memphis seafood resto, Jiffy Squid 'Fresh juicy squid dipped in a (unintelligible) batter, rolled in our own herbs and spices, served with a tangy sauce withour own secret ingredients.' Mystery Train. Tom is the DJ, Screamin' Jay is the desk clerk not keen on it myself, but my son is a fan so enforced viewing ← That was fast! I love that movie, but Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Cinque Lee were especially brilliant. "Jiffy Squid? I ain't eatin' no damn Jiffy Squid." or "Say, you have anymore of those Japanese plums, or any other exotic fruits from around the globe?" Must rent this soon. Chad edit: solecism

I'll toss out a really obscure one: Jiffy Squid!

Blueberry pie is easy -- Stand by Me, the "Revenge of Lardass Hogan" sequence. How 'bout: an omelet, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast, no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce. And a cup of coffee.

I'm surprised this one hasn't been offered yet: Nachos, corndogs, tater tots, steak. Chad

Yep, that's why I was so surprised to see them include the Glestain. Maybe they have a new knife nut on staff. Chad

That's interesting. Cook's Illustrated is moving up in the world. I'll have to pick that one up. The Victorinox continues to be the best <$30 starter knife out there. A little pricier but a definite step into the big leagues is the $50 Tojiro 8" gyuto mentioned earlier. It's cool that they mention MAC and Glestain. MACs are harder to find in retail stores than Shun or Global, but in my mind are easily their equal if not better, especially the Professional series. I like 'em a lot. The Glestains are great knives but can be hard to find. Just a few US Internet knife stores carry them, most notably Korin and Knife Merchant. JapaneseChefsKnife.com also carries them. The extreme kullen pattern on the Glestains actually works to keep food from sticking. The tepid, half ass patterns on most "granton edge" chef's knives doesn't. And, yeah, Bob Kramer's knives are gorgeous and amazing. Chad