I went to get my kitchen knives sharpened this week since it has been approximately…never…since the last time I had done that. The man gently scolded me because he could tell that I air dry my knives after washing them. So I suppose I will pass this newfound wisdom on to y’all – Always towel-dry your knives after washing.
While we’re on the topic, let’s talk knives! I bought my first Global chef knife in college when I worked at Sur La Table. (Damn, I miss that discount.) These Japanese knives are lightweight, incredibly sharp and stunning. I love them!
As a home cook, you really only need three knives in your arsenal; a chef, a pairing and a serrated breadknife. You could do just about anything in the kitchen with these. I’ve added a few more throughout the years whenever I find one for a good deal. (I even picked one up from HomeGoods once!) But if you’re currently in the market for a set of knives, it’s a much better investment to buy the highest quality of these that you can afford, rather than fall for the illusion that you’re getting a deal on a 10-piece block set. If you take care of them (and don’t let them air-dry), these knives will last you a lifetime!
If you’re in the Denver area and you need your knives sharpened, The Knife Guys did a great job and they’re super affordable!
September Cookbook: The Violet Bakery Cookbook by Claire Ptak
The first recipe of the week was the raspberry and star anise crumble muffins (pg. 64)! Despite the weird, undercooked-looking tops, these actually tasted great. The tart raspberries with the fragrant star anise were a great combination. The crumble clearly did not work, as you can tell. I half-assed it and didn’t mix the butter enough, but WHATEVER!
While nursing a hangover on Saturday, I made the cinnamon buns (pg. 61). These are not your typical yeasty cinnamon buns, but they were soooo good. Apparently, the Violet Bakery kitchen was so tiny they didn't have the space to proof yeasted doughs, so Claire Ptak had to get crafty with a quick bread-style technique inspired by cookbooks from the 1950s. These hit all the notes of a classic cinnamon roll, for sure! While hot out of the oven, I tossed them in some India Tree Maple Sugar.
In other news…
My coffee obsession of the week is another Starbucks copycat. Froth up some half and half with a dash of sugar and sea salt, then pour it over a shot of iced espresso.
Have you tried wrapping asparagus spears in prosciutto, placing it delicately in a blanket of puff pastry, sprinkling cheese on it and then baking it at 400° for about 20 minutes? Just an idea.
Thanks for reading, sweeties! 🍎