Holiday Gift Guide 2010 : Kitchen
Finding a good gift for those who love to be in the kitchen is easy. Finding a great gift for them takes a bit more work. We love cooking and we love gear, so when we recommend something, you can be sure we think it is worth it. This year, for the RainyDayKitchen Gift Guide, we have assembled a collection we think will be perfect for cooks, food lovers, or are just useful for everyday.
The well-known Ginsu brand has moved upscale. Way upscale. Gone is the “infomercial” hard sell of cutting a can in half and then slicing tomatoes into ultra-thin slivers. Don’t get us wrong, the Ginsu line still includes the EverSharp knives, but now it also includes higher quality lines of kitchen knives. The Ginsu Hanaita or “superior chef” series of knives are made from cryogenically cooled folded steel and are razor sharp. Their blades are made in the same manner as that of ancient Damascus steel with its distinctive patterns of banding reminiscent of flowing water.
The Ginsu Hanaita knives are not cheap. A complete set will run in excess of $1200. So if you love the look of folded steel, ultra-sharp edge, and perfectly balanced handling, but don’t want to give the entire set…we would recommend the 5″ Santoku/3.5″ Paring pair. The Santoku knife is a traditional Japanese style knife which is excellent for chopping and slicing. The Kullens grind on the blade keeps food from sticking and makes it easy to create paper-thin cuts. The Paring knife is perfect for peeling and garnishing. Both are excellent for daily use.
You do not have to be a professional chef to appreciate pro-quality cutlery. Look in the home kitchen of a professional chef and you may very well see a set of Ginsu Chikara. This is because the Ginsu Chikara performs as well as cutlery five times its price! The set includes:
- 8″ Chef Knife 7″
- Santoku Knife 5″
- Serrated Edge Utility
- 5″ Fine Edge Utility
- 3.5″ Paring
- 5″ Steak Knives (four of them)
- Kitchen Shears
- Sharpening Rod
- Bamboo Storage Block
The blades are forged from Japanese stainless steel, which is known for its stain and rust resistance, strength, and it’s ability to hold an incredibly sharp edge. The Japanese-style handles are made of heat and water-resistant resin. The steel tang extends through the entire handle. The balance is excellent and the handling is precise. The more you use them, the more you will appreciate them.
Want more great kitchen-related gift recommendations? Come back tomorrow. We have some that we think you will really like. Remember, we wouldn’t make them if we wouldn’t want them under our tree 🙂 Happy Holidays!
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