Shout out to my friends Sarah and David B in Park City, Utah for sending us an interesting new pair of salt and pepper shakers.

Most of my friends know I collect salt and pepper shakers and have a collection started by my mom and is continuing to grow. Although my mom’s collection was all antique shakers, I’ve been receiving some newer unique and interesting ones from friends that fit in nicely with the rest of them.

I would say this newest gift from David and Sarah fits into the category of “tacky” S & P shakers as you can see from the photo. I can’t wait to bring them out at one of our dinner parties especially if our guests are not accustomed to our sense of humor.

You have heard me speak of David on my site. He owned the best gourmet specialty store in Park City when we lived there and is a very knowledgeable cheese monger. You may have read his interview about buying and storing cheese here or have seen the cartoon RG did with him here.

David is one of the most conversant food people I know. He’s now an award winning kitchen design architect in Utah. I’m hoping he will share some of his incredible knowledge about designing a kitchen especially for those of you thinking of re-doing your own kitchen.

Anyway, thanks again guys for this very thoughtful and provocative gift. Whenever they grace our table, I will think of you two.

If you want to see more of my collection, just let me know. I can post more of my favorite shakers from the collection. Maybe even create a page for them on the main site. I’m sure there are lots of you out there who collect them.

How To Choose a Kitchen Knife

I am thrilled to post this article from Cooking Instructor and Knife Expert Peter Hertzmanm who is the author of the book above, Knife Skills Illustrated - A User’s Manual. If you are thinking of purchasing your first knife or finding one that’s right for you, read the article below in its entirety. It offers some of the best information I have ever read on the subject.

If you enjoy the article, please check out my Novice2Pro Interview with Peter here. Not only will you learn more about knives and knife skills, Peter offers some great tips on writing and publishing your own book. And then of course you are going to want to go out and purchase his book Knife Skills Illustrated.

Here’s what Martin Yan, one of Peter’s early teachers said about his book, “Peter Hertzmann’s Knife Skills Illustrated is the ultimate reference guide that no home cook should be without.”

And then Molly Stevens from the Food Network said, “Knowing how to slice and dice with precision and efficiency is not a natural gift - it’s an acquired skill that starts with good training and develops with practice. Here Peter Hertzmann provides the step-by-step instruction that every cook needs on how to properly handle kitchen knives (he even tells you which knife to use when). Opinionated and thorough, this book lays the foundation for success in the kitchen.”

And these are just two of many great testimonials from celebrity chefs. But I think after you read this informative article about choosing the right knife, you will convinced. And don’t forget to check out my own articles on this subject, How to Choose & Buy Kitchen Knives and How to Choose a Chef’s Knife

How To Choose & Buy a Kitchen Knife

How to choose a knife for one’s personal use is a multifaceted challenge involving much honest soul-searching. Or one can just buy a knife that feels good. I firmly believe that each of us should “test drive” any knife we plan to buy in a real-world environment before purchase. Ignore advice from friends, store clerks, Internet buddies, and experts like me. Return well-meaning gifts, and never purchase a set of knives.

Grab a couple of carrots, march off to your knife store, and insist that you want to try any knife before you purchase it. If the store has a policy against testing, find a different store.

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 A 2-slice Viking Professional Toaster “Caught My Eye”

Right now there are some very good holiday deals going on and here’s one that “caught my eye”. A bright red Viking 2-slice Professional Toaster that’s $100 off the regular price at Cooking.com.

We have a decent, inexpensive toaster now that works ok but this one has a lot of style and looks like it’s built for the long haul. I’m not going to spend $250 on any toaster. I don’t care if it toasts 5 bagles and 10 slices of bread but take off $100, I’d think about it.

According to Viking, this toaster is professional-grade and offers restaurant quality toast (I didn’t know there was a difference). The toaster is built with plenty of insulation to keep the heat in thus maximizing the toasting process. Made of stainless steel with “hydraulic engaging and lifting action levers” (sounds like a truck’s lift-gate) and wide slots to accommodate bagels, the toaster features Viking’s exclusive design and tooling. Ok, I’m interested and it would look very cool next to my red blender and red food processor.

One reviewer said, “We’ve had a lot of toasters, and this one is by far the very best. Bread, bagels, English muffins, pop tarts, frozen waffles, it handles them all very well and toasts evenly…If you can spare the cash, it is a great toaster and should be the last toaster we ever have to buy. It also looks great on the counter.”

It also comes in white and a 4-slice Model .

I’ve already purchased a bunch of Christmas presents for my wife and me at Cooking.com so I can recommend using them. They offer competitive prices and good service even around these busy holiday times.

Right now there are a bunch of great deals going on some of my favorite cookware and kitchen items plus they have some special shipping deals. Here’s the link to their Special Values page including KitchenAide, All-Clad Cookware, Calphalon, Henckels and a lot more. I’ll be offering some more gift ideas over the next couple of days in my “Caught My Eye” category.

I’m not sure about your, but I find shopping on the Internet and staying out of the frenzy at the malls much easier. Either way, Happy Holidays.