I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence
Central for Calphalon. I received product samples and a promotional item to
thank me for my participation. #KnifeSkills
Momma Told Me: Only as sharp as your blade.
I wish I could tell you Momma imparted upon me some age old, family kept, knife skills and cutlery skills. For the most part, my cooking education did little but foster a complete fear of knives. You see, if there was one thing Momma taught me about knives int he kitchen, it was that you never picked up a dull knife to work with. Her blades were precision cutting tools that performed at the peak of their intention no matter how many years, or uses, they each got. I know this from a number of trips to the local JoAnn's where Momma would take her knives to be professionally sharpened, twice a year. It was also evident in the number of bandages Momma went around brandishing on her fingertips.
Cutlery is arguably one of a modern chef's most important tools, and easily one of the most primitive. Other than making the blades from various forms of metal, there is little that changes in the technology of knives from one generation to the next. Every good chef has the same set of blades in their arsenal, a Chef's knife, a boning knife, a bread knife, a parer, etc. But the longevity and efficiency of these tools is not solely reliant on the materials they are made of, as the way in which they are handled and cared for. And that's where the genius in Calphalon's new Self-Sharpening Cutlery sets with SharpIN technology comes in.
Made with high-carbon, no stain, German steel, for long-life durability these unique Calphalon Self-Sharpening Cutlery sets feature comfortably balanced contoured handles for ergonomic chopping, dicing, paring, and slicing no matter what lies before your cutting board. And the flat blade knives in these sets are guaranteed to slice just as smooth, and efficient each the very first cut, thanks to the unique sharpening grids housed inside the cutting block. These unique built in ceramic sharpeners sharpen your blades with each and every use for a magical feel and cut that offers satisfying precision. This is a cutlery set Momma needs under her tree this holiday season!
Of course, you may recall, we own several pieces of Calphalon cookware and bake-ware, many pieces of which have become integral to our daily kitchen adventures. The brand is known not only for quality design and material innovation, but also for their mission to educate consumers from home cooks to 5 star chef's. Their #knifeskills video series, now featured on the Calphalon SharpIN product hub, and brand's YouTube channel offer easy to follow visual guides for cutting everything from Acorn Squash to Zucchini.
I consider my knife skills above intermediate, and even I was able to learn a thing or two from watching the series; including the right way to prepare garlic for my home style pizza sauce recipe. For instance, did you know you could use a small parer knife to gently press the flat edge into a broken clove of garlic to help break the thick 'paper' like lining off, for faster access to the bulbs within? The 1 and a half minute video above even has some tips as to different ways to cut and prepare raw garlic for various dishes and presentations. I highly recommend checking the series out!
Personally, I'm not a 'one knife' kind of gal- You wouldn't cook an entire 3 course meal in 1 pot, so you should never try to accomplish all your cutlery tasks with a single knife. Though, if you have to have only one knife to work with, the Calphalon Santoku Knife is a 7 inch blade that performs well for cutting, slicing, an chopping a variety of common ingredients. It works great for the majority of the toppings on out Homemade Rustic Pizza. It offered unbelievable effortless precision for wafer thin mushrooms, and uniform bell pepper slices.
You see, our family loves pizza- and by love, I mean, we'd eat it every day if we could justify the carbs and work in a vegetarian recipe or two. And, as great as it is to have a lazy night and curl up with cheese stuffed crusts and honey bbq basted wings from the major big brand delivery service around the corner; well, we all agree nothing beats 'from scratch.' In fact, in our family we call it 'ugly pizza,' because, let's be honest, the real art of homemade dough tossing should be left to the professionals. I'm happy if I can stretch my dough from one corner to the next without a giant bubble or tear. I won't lie- the crust is half the battle.
Recently, however, I perfected the best 'from scratch' dough recipe and made a pizza worthy of a $30 menu price, at half the cost, and in just 75 minutes. Yeah, yeah, 75 minutes sounds long, but 45 of that was the dough's rise time, and while we waited for our dough to rise we had a bit of a knife skills competitions between Jay and I. Sure, the pizza was the winner, but I feel I had an edge seeing as I was hoarding my brand new Calphalon knives.
But, as any chef knows, there is something extra satisfying, that just adds that little bit of undefinable flavor to anything that is homemade from scratch. I don't know, it could have been a little bit of a buzz from 'taste testing' a glass of the wine that went into the rich burgundy pizza sauce, or the little bit of excitement I got from drawing a fresh blade across those SharpIN bays, but this easily was the best pizza I've ever had. I dare say some of our guests actually asked where we ordered the pizza in from- and that has to be counted as a win, right?
There's no arguing, whether you're a budding home chef extraordinaire, or a busy mom trying to put something on the table before bedtime, knife skills are an important tool of the trade. Sharp, precision crafted cutlery is a kitchen must that makes cooking not only easier, but more fun. I can't wait to make more rustic home comfort dishes as we head into the cooler months of Fall and Winter- hearty home-style stew here I come! Now tell me, what are some of your trickiest cutting challenges when working in the kitchen?
What Daughter Says: Combine #knifeskills smarts with precision self sharpening cutlery for complete kitchen domination.
Enter to win your own Calphalon Self-Sharpening Cutlery Set (a $219 SRV) below, Contest entrants are only eligible
to win once per sweepstake, per household as part of a campaign sponsored by
Influence Central:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. Add oil and salt. Stir in flour, a cup at a time, until soft dough forms.
2. Turn onto floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 2-3 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes, until doubled. Meanwhile, prepare pizza sauce.
3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat and saute the garlic for 1 MIN. Ad wine and let simmer for 2 MINs, or until wine had reduced by half. Add remaining ingredients and heat through, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Allow to cool to room temperature before topping pizza.
4. Punch risen dough down and divide in half. Press each half into a greased 12 inch baking pan. Top with generous layer of prepared pizza sauce to 1" within edge. Add a thin layer of cheese, followed by thin sliced meats, sliced vegetables, crumbled meats, then a final layer of cheese. Be sure to spread cheese out over the edge where sauce meets the crust to avoid burning during baking.
5. Bake pizzas in a preheated 400F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until outer edge of crust begins to brown.
I would have to say cutting up my potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions and beef to make my Beef Stew. My knives are so old and I need to get new ones! Your pizza looks so delicious! I need to make it.
That pizza looks AMAZING!!! You definitely have like ninja class knife skills. I love the tip about the garlic too. I use fresh garlic all the time so that was a handy piece of information. ;)
oh my goodness, that pizza looks absolutely mouthwatering! And the knife set! You have no idea how much I want a set of knives that amazing! This cook needs a good set of knives!! I still have knives from when we got married 13 years ago..and they were cheap walmart knives. They need to be replaced!
I'm not really sure which looks better to me, the knives or that yummy looking pizza. I love the way the knives have a label saying which blade it is, I've never seen that and I like it.
My father-in-law works for a saw sharpening company. "Sharp saws cut costs!" I thankfully can beg him to sharpen my knives also. But this sounds even faster! Now to beg him to babysit!
I find it challenging to cut meat, especially chicken. It could be that my knives aren't very sharp, but I always seem to have a hard time with it. Thank you.
Homemade pizza is one of my most favorite things to make. It is always such a hit with the family It also looks like those knifes make things a lot easier! I never have sharp knives.
My most difficult challenge in the kitchen is cutting up meat and poultry. I don't know how to cut up a whole chicken and never seem to cut a roast the right way.
My difficult cutting challenges I face in the kitchen is to find a knife to cut my vegetables nicely. I never seem to get a decent knife. twinkle at optonline dot net
It is difficult to cut carrots thin and evenly by hand since they are so hard.
ReplyDeleteYou have some mad knife skills there, pretty lady ;) That pizza look AWESOME, too!!
ReplyDeleteI would have to say cutting up my potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions and beef to make my Beef Stew. My knives are so old and I need to get new ones! Your pizza looks so delicious! I need to make it.
ReplyDeleteTomatoes and fresh bread. Dull knives will ruin both.
ReplyDeleteOh wow. That pizza looks absolutely amazing. And so do the knives! I need a new set of knives!
ReplyDeleteDeboning a whole chicken is one that comes to mind. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteDeboning a whole chicken is one that comes to mind. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteI hate cutting chicken wing tips and slicing fresh bread
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing worse than a dull knife! I would love to try out this cutlery and make a nice stir-fry or salad.
ReplyDeleteThat pizza looks AMAZING!!! You definitely have like ninja class knife skills. I love the tip about the garlic too. I use fresh garlic all the time so that was a handy piece of information. ;)
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness, that pizza looks absolutely mouthwatering! And the knife set! You have no idea how much I want a set of knives that amazing! This cook needs a good set of knives!! I still have knives from when we got married 13 years ago..and they were cheap walmart knives. They need to be replaced!
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried their cutlery but I LOVE Calphalon pans so I will have to check them out. Your pizza recipe looks fab too!
ReplyDeleteSome of the challenges for me is always cutting meat and vegetables! I always seem to smush my garlic bread!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest challenge is always cutting evenly. I see to always end up with pieces of all sizes that require different cooking times.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest problem (that I can think of now) is slicing warm, fresh bread without smushing it all up and making it a general mess while slicing.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure which looks better to me, the knives or that yummy looking pizza. I love the way the knives have a label saying which blade it is, I've never seen that and I like it.
ReplyDeleteThose knives look amazing. I love that they are self-sharpening. Your pizza looks delicious as well.
ReplyDeleteDid you say self sharpening?! Come to momma because dull knives in my life have got to go.
ReplyDeleteI have been a fan of the Calphalon products for years. I need some new knives, and these look perfect.
ReplyDeleteMy father-in-law works for a saw sharpening company. "Sharp saws cut costs!" I thankfully can beg him to sharpen my knives also. But this sounds even faster! Now to beg him to babysit!
ReplyDeleteThose knives look awesome. My knives are terrible and old.
ReplyDeleteOnions are the most difficult!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try these knives. I always have a hard time cutting squash and sweet potatoes. I will have to ask for these for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteOr me it is potatoes. Specially the bigger ones.
ReplyDeleteThe pizza looks awesome but I'm really loving the knives. Im in a need of a new set, I'll have to check these out. - Sarah, Must Have Mom
ReplyDeleteThose knifes look amazing! I am in need of a new set of knifes, so I will check these out!
ReplyDeleteThe most difficult thing for me is not having a sharp knife!
ReplyDeleteButternut squash has always been tough for me!
ReplyDeleteI find it challenging to cut meat, especially chicken. It could be that my knives aren't very sharp, but I always seem to have a hard time with it. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteCutting fresh bread..it's a disaster
ReplyDeleteHomemade pizza is one of my most favorite things to make. It is always such a hit with the family It also looks like those knifes make things a lot easier! I never have sharp knives.
ReplyDeleteMeal planning
ReplyDeleteFor me cutting fresh bread is hard I always end up squishing it
ReplyDeletecrazyweirdo33@yahoo.com
My cutting skills suck! You make it look so easy and that set is gorgeous! I definitely need a new set my kids keep losing them so I'm waiting.
ReplyDeleteI definitely need to sharpen my knife skills {pun intended}. And these look amazing!
ReplyDeleteMy knives are old and dull so they don't cut well and make cooking a pain sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThe most difficult cutting challenge I face in the kitchen is slicing meat very thin like for fajitas.
ReplyDeleteMy most difficult challenge in the kitchen is cutting up meat and poultry. I don't know how to cut up a whole chicken and never seem to cut a roast the right way.
ReplyDeletegreen peppers are the most difficult to chop up
ReplyDeleteCutting onions up small enough for hot dogs or meatloaf seems to be the most difficult thing to chop up!
ReplyDeleteI'm terrible at cutting tomatoes and also cutting meat. I hate cutting a chuck roast before cooking it...I feel really insecure about my methods..
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time cutting onions. Sometimes they make me tear up so badly I can barely see.
ReplyDeleteI have a difficult time just cutting up lots of veggies for all the soups and stocks that I make. It's lots of work with a dull knife.
ReplyDeleteMy most difficult challenge is trying to cut up a whole chicken.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time cutting up large fruit like watermelon.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time cutting up large fruit like watermelon.
ReplyDeleteBroccoli. It is so messy. :)
ReplyDeleteFor sure the most difficult for me is a whole chicken is difficult! !
ReplyDeleteCantaloupe is difficult for me,
ReplyDeleteI would like something that is sharp and I can learn how to cut RIGHT because it will really speed things along. I spend so much time chopping.
ReplyDeleteI have the worse knives ever and they just do not cut things well at all. I have to pull many apart or use a pairing knife on cutting things
ReplyDeleteMy biggest challenge is uniform onion slices for onion rings.
ReplyDeleteI don't even own a set of knives.. it would be a blessing to win these :) it's hard to cut anything... fruit, veggies, meat, fish...
ReplyDeleteMy biggest cutting challenge is certain cuts of meat, like london broil.
ReplyDeleteI think my biggest challenge in cutting is the meats. Sometimes it is difficult to cut through the fat and ligaments.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest cutting challenge is cutting a whole chicken up...I suck big time
ReplyDeleteThe most challenging is cutting things like spaghetti squash because it's so hard!
ReplyDeletedigicats @ sbcglobal.net
My biggest challenge is that I'm affraid I'm going to cut myself so I am very slow and my cuts are not very uniform.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest challenge is cutting onions , they kill my eyes.
ReplyDeleteI've sometimes found it difficult to cut really ripe tomatoes and realize it has to do with the sharpness of the knife.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest challenge is having a knife that is not sharp enough
ReplyDeleteFor me my biggest cutting challenge are meats!
ReplyDeleteI have difficulty cutting apples lol.
ReplyDeleteCutting up a whole chicken is a challenge for me.
ReplyDeletewatermelon and tomatoes give me difficulty when cutting
ReplyDeleteMy difficult cutting challenges I face in the kitchen is to find a knife to cut my vegetables nicely. I never seem to get a decent knife.
ReplyDeletetwinkle at optonline dot net
I don't like cutting up a whole chicken.
ReplyDeleterounder9834 @yahoo.com
I have the most difficulty cutting up different vegetables.
ReplyDeleteTomatoes can be a challenge without a good knife!
ReplyDeleteThat pizza looks so good. We are definitely going to make it!! Thanks for sharing.
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