shopping cart
Save up to 30% on our Staff Picks
Call us:  800-878-7323 HELP
McAfee SECURE helps keep you safe from identity theft, credit card fraud, spyware, spam, viruses and online scams.
Book News, Guests | December 14, 2009

Amy Gray: IMG How to Be a Vampire



Oh, hi. I'm Amy Gray. I like smoking, carbs, and words. I live in the (currently) sleek humidity of Melbourne, Australia. When not lying... Continue »
  1. $10.49 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

Ships free on qualified orders.
Add to Cart
$34.95
New Hardcover
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Add to Wishlist
Qty Store Section
1 Beaverton Cooking and Food- Culinary Reference
1 Burnside Cooking and Food- Culinary Reference
5 Remote Warehouse Cooking and Food- General
5 Remote Warehouse Cooking and Food- Culinary Reference

An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives--How to Buy Them, Keep the M Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Pro

by Chad Ward

An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives--How to Buy Them, Keep the M Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Pro Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Why are most of us so woefully uninformed about our kitchen knives? We are intimidated by our knives when they are sharp, annoyed by them when they are dull, and quietly ashamed that we don't know how to use them with any competence. For a species that has been using knives for nearly as long as we have been walking upright, that's a serious problem. An Edge in the Kitchen is the solution, an intelligent and delightful debunking of the mysteries of kitchen knives once and for all. If you can stack blocks, you can cut restaurant-quality diced vegetables. If you can fold a paper airplane, you can sharpen your knives better than many professionals.

Veteran cook Chad Ward provides an in-depth guide to the most important tool in the kitchen, including how to choose the best kitchen knives in your price range, practical tutorials on knife skills, a step-by-step section on sharpening, and more——all illustrated with beautiful photographs throughout. Along the way you will discover what a cow sword is, and why you might want one; why chefs are abandoning their heavy knives in droves; and why the Pinch and the Claw, strange as they may sound, are in fact the best way to make precision vegetable cuts with speed and style.

An Edge in the Kitchen is the one and only guide to the most important tool in the kitchen.

Review:

"Though humans have been using knives for about two and a half million years, you'll be hard pressed to find as succinct and complete a collection of wisdom on the topic as this masterful volume from cook and writer Ward. He covers nearly everything, from construction and general knife care to proper storage and sharpening, giving cooks all the information they need. Detailed instructions on how to use the most common knives are bolstered with photos that thoroughly illustrate key techniques like dicing, chiffonade and julienne, as well as the lost art of cutting up a whole chicken. Though enthusiastic about his subject, Ward maintains a refreshing level of sanity throughout, reminding readers that they really only need three knives-a chef knife, a paring knife and a bread knife-to accomplish the vast majority of tasks. Better yet, Ward offers recommendations for budgets under $100, as well as reliable sources for custom-made kitchen knives (which 'can be had for about the same price as you'd pay for the more pedestrian stuff'). Those looking for in-depth descriptions of every knife imaginable and/or detailed butchery instructions will not find it here, but those interested in upgrading or maintaining a reliable set of knives will find this book as indispensable as the tools themselves." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

About the Author

Chad Ward has been a writer and cook for more than twenty years. To date, more than three hundred thousand people have taken Chad's online knife sharpening class on eGullet.org. His writing has appeared in publications such as Best Food Writing and Aviation International News. He lives in North Carolina.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
mwm19691, July 13, 2008 (view all comments by mwm19691)
With a measured dose of wry humor and thoughtful commentary, Chad Ward debunks the myths and dispels the mysteries of the most essential, yet misunderstood, and underappreciated tool in the kitchen, the humble cook's knife. Whether you're a seasoned home cook, a confused beginner, or a professional cook, you'll undoubtedly benefit from Mr. Ward's comprehensive knowledge which he freely shares in an unintimidating, easily understood style. Mr. Ward delivers an entertaining treatise which bridges the chasm between professional culinary texts and the limited information available to the home cook. He covers all the critical subjects associated with choosing, using, maintaining, sharpening, and even cleaning up after using a good knife. This book will make a fine, if not essential addition to the reference library of your favorite cook, knife enthusiast, or anyone who simply wants to know more about how to use and maintain the knives in his or her kitchen.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(4 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)

Product Details

ISBN:
9780061188480
Subtitle:
The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives--How to Buy Them, Keep Them Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Pro
Author:
Ward, Chad
Photographer:
Regan, Bryan
Author:
by Chad Ward
Publisher:
William Morrow Cookbooks
Subject:
General
Subject:
General Cooking
Subject:
Reference
Subject:
Knives
Subject:
Cutting.
Publication Date:
June 2008
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
230
Dimensions:
9.22x7.70x1.05 in. 1.51 lbs.

Other books you might like

  1. $14.95 New Hardcover add to wish list
  2. $23.95 Used Hardcover add to wish list

    The Cheese Plate

    Max Mccalman
  3. $8.00 Used Trade Paper add to wish list

    A Cook's Tour

    Anthony Bourdain
  4. $11.95 Used Hardcover add to wish list
  5. $15.00 New Trade Paper add to wish list
  6. $4.95 Used Mass Market add to wish list

    Witness in Death

    J. D. Robb

Related Aisles

  • back to top

Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.