The upkeep of carbon-steel knives is a huge pain. But according to Tyler Austin Harper, the knives “cultivate habits of mind—patience, focus, and repetition—that the pace and shape of modern life make so hard to develop.”
The knives rust easily, react poorly when exposed to acidic ingredients such as lemons and tomatoes, and lose their shine almost immediately. But, Harper writes, after he brought his first carbon-steel knife home and “used it to slice and dice onions, carrots, and mushrooms for Julia Child’s beef bourguignon, I fell in love with the knife’s balance and humble beauty—and, yes, the fact that it was sharp as hell.”
Carbon-steel knives will not necessarily make you a better cook, and they have largely become relics of the past, Harper continues: “They are noticeably out of place in a food culture that includes fast-casual restaurants, meal boxes by mail, 20-minute ‘weeknight recipes,’ and Silicon Valley–approved meal replacements such as Soylent—and that’s exactly the point.”
The Atlantic
The upkeep of carbon-steel knives is a huge pain. But according to Tyler Austin Harper, the knives “cultivate habits of mind—patience, focus, and repetition—that the pace and shape of modern life make so hard to develop.”
The knives rust easily, react poorly when exposed to acidic ingredients such as lemons and tomatoes, and lose their shine almost immediately. But, Harper writes, after he brought his first carbon-steel knife home and “used it to slice and dice onions, carrots, and mushrooms for Julia Child’s beef bourguignon, I fell in love with the knife’s balance and humble beauty—and, yes, the fact that it was sharp as hell.”
Carbon-steel knives will not necessarily make you a better cook, and they have largely become relics of the past, Harper continues: “They are noticeably out of place in a food culture that includes fast-casual restaurants, meal boxes by mail, 20-minute ‘weeknight recipes,’ and Silicon Valley–approved meal replacements such as Soylent—and that’s exactly the point.”
Read more: theatln.tc/BNz8ZRJd
🎨: The Atlantic. Source: Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle / Getty.
1 day ago | [YT] | 44