precise, and less chance for user error are all pluses in my
book.
The same reasoning applies even more strongly if you are
using the knife to peel small things, like little potatoes or
grapes. When using a curved paring knife, the curve of the
blade and the curve of the object you are peeling run in
opposite directions, so almost none of the food actually
comes in contact with the blade, requiring you to dig deeper
and remove more flesh than is necessary. Those of you who
are used to using santoku knives in place of chef’s knives
will immediately recognize these advantages.
The 3-inch Kudamono Hollow-Edge Paring Knife from
Henckels ($50) is one of the cheapest decent knives of this
kind you can get, with the added advantage of having a
hollow-ground granton edge. You can get the 3-inch
Sheep’s Foot Paring Knife from Wüsthof for the same price.
It lacks the granton edge, but it is slightly heavier, sturdier,
and feels better in the hand. If you want what I consider to
be the ultimate paring knife, tack on another $5 to get
yourself the same Wüsthof but with a granton edge. That’s
the one my knife kit packs.
- A 10- to 12-Inch Serrated Bread Knife
I’m far less picky about bread knives than I am about chef’s
knives. For one thing, I don’t use them often. For cutting
soft breads like burger buns or sandwich bread, my chef’s
knife is more gentle than a bread knife. In fact, just about
the only thing I use my bread knife for is cutting crusty
bread, like a baguette or a rustic Italian loaf. If you never eat
these, you have no need for a bread knife. That’s why I