A Cut Above the Rest

We feature our fantastic knife selection a lot in our emails, but I find that some people don't really appreciate how great it is to have a few high-quality knives in the kitchen. Is there really that big a difference between the knives that we carry and the low-quality ones you get at the big box stores?

Wusthof Santoku Knife

We have a couple pros at Shubie's to answer this question: Executive Chef Lynne Aronson, and owner Carol Shube, who does the buying for our housewares. Here are some of their comments on the importance of good knives:

• They come in all shapes and sizes. Find the ones that you like. The question isn't, "What's the best knife?" but "What's the best knife for me?" Knife makers design their knives in all kinds of different ways. A good knife vendor (like Shubie's, of course!) will let you pick them up and try them out to see how they feel in your hand. Some people like a heavier knife, some like a lighter one. Maybe you prefer the way the handle of a Wusthof knife sits in your hand compared to Messermeister. Maybe you prefer a shorter carving knife to a longer one, or a santoku to a traditional chef's knife.
• A few will do. Chef's knives, carving knives, santoku, bread knives, high-carbon steel, ceramic, single-blunt forged--there are so many knives to choose from, and you certainly don't need them all in your kitchen. If you're just getting started, a chefs knife, a serrated knife, and a pairing knife will take care of a lot of your needs. The more you cook, the better you'll get to know your cooking habits; and once you know that, you'll have no trouble figuring out what knives are missing from your collection. (For example, I love to roast whole chickens, so for me, a long carving knife and poultry shears are a must!)
• Durability. Good knives cut better and stay sharp longer. All knives wear out eventually, but if you take care of your knives, sharpen the blades periodically at home, and have them professionally sharpened on occasion, there's no reason why our knives won't last you 15 years or more. They may cost a bit more now, but in the long run, you'll be saving yourself the cost of frequently replacing dull knives (not to mention the aggravation of cutting with them, too!)
• Knives are fun! Ultimately, you buy good knives to make cooking more enjoyable for yourself. I love to cook, but a bad set of knives slows me down and makes the meal preparation tedious and unpleasant. We've found some wonderfully stylish knives out there, too, such as the Kyocera ceramic knives and Kuhn Rikon's colorful chef's knives, so you can even find a knife to match the colors in your kitchen. Knives are practical, but they should be fun, too!

Things you always wanted to know about Port but were afraid to ask...

The cellars at Graham's Port

A lot of people coming into the store saying, "I want to buy a gift for a friend. I know they drink Port. I don't know anything about it, but do you have any?" It seems that a lot of people have friends who drink Port, but are too shy to ask about it (or maybe their friends aren't offering a taste!) With Rupert Symington, a member of the family that owns Graham's Port, coming to the store next week, we thought this would be a good opportunity to catch up on some Port basics. Here are some of the most common questions people ask:

What exactly is Port?

In wine terms, Port is a fortified wine. That's just a hoity-toity way of saying that extra alcohol (usually a fairly flavorless brandy) is added to the wine during the fermentation process. Generally, they add enough to put the wine at about 20% alcohol by volume. This stops the fermentation by killing off the yeasts before they have been able to consume all of the grape sugars, and what's left is a sweet wine with a relatively high alcohol content. And that's Port!

I've seen lots of different kinds of Ports out there. What's the difference?

There are a lot of different types of Port out there. But there are two broad categories that they all fall into: Ruby and Tawny (there are also White Ports, but they're pretty unusual, so I won't go into them here). Ruby Ports look like any other dark red wine (hence the name "ruby"), and their flavors are pretty familiar, as well. Think of a rich California Cabernet with lots of dark berry and spice flavors--then add a little sweetness and some extra alcohol to balance it.

Tawny Ports are a bit different. They're made by aging the wine for several years in enormous oak vats (like the ones in the picture) that are open on top. This exposes the wine to oxygen, which gives it different flavors and, yes, a tawny complexion. These wines are lighter bodied than ruby Ports, and typically have nutty aromas, with hints of oranges and honey.

I'm afraid the details of all the different types of Ports will have to wait for another post, but the best way to learn about the differences between ruby and tawny Ports is to taste them!

How do you serve Port?

Port falls squarely into the after-dinner category, either on their own, or with cheese or dessert. You may have heard of the classic Port with Stilton cheese pairing, and I absolutely endorse it--both Ports pair wonderfully with a wide variety of cheeses, especially blue cheese. Both are great with sweets, as well. Ruby Port, with its wonderful richness, is one of the few wines that I would ever serve with chocolate. Tawnies are a bit lighter, and so they're not as good a match with something as mouth-coating as chocolate, but they do great with other desserts, especially ones with some citrus or nuts. Serve ruby Ports at room temperature. Tawnies work well at room temp, too, but are great with a slight chill.

Once I open a bottle, how long does it last?

One of the great things about opening a bottle of Port is that, unlike a bottle of table wine, it won't go bad if you leave it open for more than a couple days! With the exception of vintage Ports (the really expensive ones!) Ports usually last a couple of weeks at least. Tawnies are already oxidized, and so will last even longer. Best way to know if the bottle is still good: taste it! If it still tastes good, drink up. If not, oh well--buy another bottle!

If we didn't answer your most pressing Port questions, post a comment here and we'll answer them!