Ask The Cook: A Sharp Answer

After my "Short Orders" column last Friday, I expected a few Tampa fans to write in and ask if I had any recipes for humble pie or a big plate of crow, but I guess you're a classier bunch than that. Either that or Bucs fans treat reading and writing as a hobby.

Having quickly completed the transformation from Eagles fan to Raiders backer, I'm ready for the Super Bowl.

And now, without further ado, to the mailbag!

Q: Is there a knife sharpener you recommend for residential use? Marj C.

A: Having recently received a fantastic Henckels chef's knife as a present, I'm now thoroughly devoted to the notion of owning quality cutlery. Do yourself a favor: go into your kitchen and pitch every cheap "ever sharp" knife you've ever bought, then go out and spend a few bucks on a GOOD set of knives. You can obtain a starter set of quality pieces such as Wusthof-Trident for less than $200, and they'll be used by your grandchildren.

That said, there's a big difference between knife sharpening and knife maintenance. Knife sharpening should ONLY be done by professionals with professional equipment. Don't slap the grinder wheel on your drill and try to do this. It only takes a few seconds to ruin a good blade. Find a reputable local knife shop and let them give your blades a good sharpening every six months or so.

Now, as far as blade maintenance, a good sharpening steel is your best friend. Make sure to lay the blade along the steel and draw it evenly and smoothly toward you. Switch sides and repeat. Do NOT bear down on the blade -- just let it draw naturally across the sharpening steel.

Q: What is the difference between cooking wines and wines used for drinking? --Barbara

A: I'm about to cause a riot among certain factions in the foodie community, so you might want to stand back.

Let us first get "cooking wines" out of the way. Don't use 'em. They can have salty or bitter flavors that will flat ruin whatever you're making. Use table wine. That gives you an excuse to kill of a bottle now and again. Or, if you prefer to use wine only for cooking, not drinking, buy those four-packs of small screwtop bottles.

As far as using a $40 bottle of wine to cook with, though, save yourself some money. If your recipe does call for a specific wine, of course follow the directions, just don't buy the most expensive bottle on the shelf.

Take, for example, a pot of my world-famous spaghetti sauce. After the first four hours of simmering, it's a pretty good sauce, something you'd be proud to serve to friends and family. However, after I add a cup of the cheapest white wine I can lay hands on and let it work its magic for about 30 minutes, the sauce becomes something more ... something sublime and greater than the sum of its parts.

OK. It just tastes better. There are flavors in the tomatoes which don't fully appear until they are introduced to alcohol. However, these flavor compounds don't know the difference between the cheapest Gallo and the most high-class private reserve Chardonnay. All they want is the hooch. I've never tried it, mind you, but I'll wager you could get the desired effects with judicious addition of moonshine.

Save your good wine for dinner. Keep the cheap stuff with the screwtop in the kitchen cupboard.

Q: Can you give me some ideas on a marinade that will make meat more tender but won't make it taste like marinade? --Gene

In order to tenderize meat, marinade must penetrate its muscle fibers. It is thus inevitable that some sort of flavor is going to be carried along. However, you can control the flavors precisely by what you use in your marinade. My personal favorite acid addition is a dark Chinese vinegar often sold under the name "chingkiang." Just a tiny bit of it blended with good Worcestershire sauce and a healthy dash of garlic juice will do wonders for the cheapest cut of sirloin or chuck steak ... and make round steak that'll fool the neighbors.

Get your printers ready for next week's Ask The Cook column! In response to many, many reader requests, I'm going to run a fairly exhaustive list of herbs and what meats/dishes they are most commonly used with. Get your spice cabinets organized and get ready!

Got a question for Ask The Cook? Drop me a line anytime!