Meanqueen wrote: ↑23 Dec 2022, 16:43
Thanks for the tip. Even cutting through it after it has been peeled is hard going. Maybe I need a new sharper knife.
ilona
Back in 2009 I treated myself to a set of kitchen knives from an online retailer which I seem unable to find now (it was called Westfalia) which sold anything from gardening tools to kitchen gadgets at a fraction of the cost from other retailers. The set I have are known as Japanese knives and the closest that I can find look like
these (click on the link for the photo)
ProCook Japanese Knife Set
4 Piece and Magnetic Block
With their authentic Japanese feel, the set of 4 ProCook Japanese knives include 18cm nakiri, 16.5cm chefs, 16.5cm santoku and 20.5cm carving knives so you can become a true sushi chef in no time! Ideal as a gift for a friend, each blade in the range benefits from integral holes to allow for easy food release.
The blades are all made from the highest quality stainless steel offering fantastic chopping, slicing and dicing performance and are finished beautifully with a carved wooden handle formed to fit comfortably in your hand. With a high chrome content these knives won't discolour easily either.
Due to the nature of the wooden handles we do not recommend dishwasher use.
The magnetic block is made from durable sustainable bamboo and has extremely strong magnets to hold your knives in place.
Mine includes 2 smaller knives (one has a deep triangular shape blade with a short cutting edge, the other like a vegetable paring knife) The first time I used them, they were so sharp they were like surgical scalpels which was quite scary at first (but most accidents happen when trying to force blunt knives) I think I paid under £20 for the set back then but I'd say they are as good as the most expensive chefs set you could buy and I've been very happy with them. You do need to look after them differently to the usual kitchenware - the knives should never go into a kitchen drawer but in a special knife holder to protect the knife edge from damage, and not put into a dishwasher (mine have bamboo wooden handles similar to the ones in the link photos, so not a good idea anyway) as the action of the detergent and washing method can damage the knife edge. In addition, like all chefs knives, to maintain sharp knives they need to be sharpened regularly (I have a kitchen devil grinding stone sharpener) - just before using them would be ideal.
I didn't really know what each knife was used for as they are designed for different purposes (for example, meat carving, sushi and so on) as the set didn't come with instructions but over time I have worked out for myself what knife works best for what I need to do which may not have anything to do with their original purpose (for one, I don't eat sushi)
With regards to cutting the pumpkin / butternut squash into pieces, I use the big knife where the top bends down to the point (I put the pointed end on the chopping board then lever the knife back through the squash and use my other hand flat on the top to help push it down - I haven't had need to use a kitchen towel to protect my hand but worth considering if not confident) which seems to work best with not much effort.