Slice & Dice

Theme Your Gift : Slice & Dice - Chef Knives & Cutting Boards

Anyone who spends any time in the kitchen knows that good knives are a must have. Cheap knives are dull, hard to use, and potentially more dangerous than a sharp knife. A good quality knife will not only perform well, it will last a lifetime. Whether you are looking for a gift for a seasoned chef or someone new to the kitchen, you can't go wrong with a quality knife or knife set.

Good knives don't come cheap, so you'll have to keep your budget in mind while shopping. If you can afford it, buying the set is recommended because it represents a good value over buying a la carte. Additionally, a set usually contains all of the must-have knives a chef would need. If your budget is more on the slender side, buy one or two good knives instead of opting for a cheaper set. The gift recipient will appreciate the difference, and he/she can always add more knives later on. In fact, you could give additional knives towards the set as future gifts. . If you are only going to buy one knife, make it either the paring knife or the chef's knife. Both are all-purpose knives, but the paring knife has a smaller blade than the chef's knife. A paring knife is used to peel and do other intricate work. A chef's knife is used for chopping and mincing vegetables, slicing meat and other heavy-duty cutting tasks.

Pair your gift of a knife with a good quality wood cutting board. Wood is the best material for cutting because it won't dull your good knives and has natural antibacterial properties. Some mistakenly think that plastic or glass are "safer" materials than wood because of fears of such things as salmonella and e-coli contaminating the porous surface. Studies have shown that without washing, wood cutting boards actually kill the bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Include a knife sharpener in your gift theme if budget allows. Although a high quality wood cutting board will help keep knives sharp, continuous use can still dull the blade. Having a knife sharpener handy will ensure the cook on your gift list can always slice a paper then tomato slice.

Still have a little budget left over? Then purchase a knife block to store the high quality knives and keep the blades sharp and easy to reach. Knife Blocks come in many styles, the most popular being the traditional countertop knife block. But if your culinary artist has limited space, choose an under-cabinet, in-drawer, or magnetic knife holders.

TIP: GiftStashers, create a registry called Knives & Cutting Boards and save choices there until you're ready to buy.