Rachel Ray's New Knife

[Otter]

I bought the Wusthof model she used previously, not because she is a celebrity, but because it looked like a really good knife. I've had it about a year and a half now and like it really well. I use it as a dedicated vegetable chopper and use my regular chef's knife for other hacking activities. I don't know if she got anything for all the Wusthof sales she generated, but looking at the Food Network store site, it is fairly obvious she will be getting part of the take on the new knife. Of course the poor girl needs the money - only three books and three television shows to keep her boat afloat.

 

[jennyema]

I admit to having a Wusthof Santoko also, because my co-workers bought it for me.

I would never buy a knife without trying it first.

I like it 'cause it's sharp. I use it probably as much as my chef's knife now.

But, santuko knives are really not for chopping, they are for slicing. Recall that they are originally sushi knives. Their flat blades make basic knife technique (rocking the curved blade) somewhat difficult.

 

[Zereh]

... I don't know if she got anything for all the Wusthof sales she generated, but looking at the Food Network store site, it is fairly obvious she will be getting part of the take on the new knife. Of course the poor girl needs the money - only three books and three television shows to keep her boat afloat.

Check this out! She has a bi-monthly magazine in the works too...

Z

 

[Otter]

Check this out! She has a bi-monthly magazine in the works too...
Z

Sheesh, I thought she had three cookbooks, but according to the article she has eleven (11)! I really admire the gal - fountain girl at Ho-Jo's, produce marketing manager, etc. I pick up stuff from her that I use often. Fishing season is coming up and after fishing, cleaning fish and cleaning equipment I don't feel like doing Julia Child's mega-hour Coq Au Vin. I'm particularly fond of her mini-meatloaf and her mini-frittatas. At the rate she's going she'll be honking her horn to pass Martha The Stewart.

 

[CharlieD]

Actually that new knife looks good. If only i had money and room for more knives, okay I'm wrong there is always room for more knives.


Oh, and about RR here is an article to consider: http://www.slate.com/id/2122085/?gt1=6666

 

[GB]

Great article Charlie! Thanks!!!

 

[bluespanishsky]

Actually that new knife looks good. If only i had money and room for more knives, okay I'm wrong there is always room for more knives.


Oh, and about RR here is an article to consider: http://www.slate.com/id/2122085/?gt1=6666

wow thanks for posting that article charlie. I didn't realise there are entire websites devoted to hating rachael ray- it's too bad,i really enjoy her show.

 

[Daphne duLibre]

What's The Story? Reality TV or Re-Runs?

Rachel Ray -- She doesn't really "cook" so much as she empties packages, chops stuff up, tosses it together, and heats it.

But she was wearing a huge engagement ring these past months. Now she's not wearing it. What's the story behind all that? Am I seeing re-runs? Or did she break it off?

And $40 bucks a day for food, I can live anywhere!!!

 

[GB]

Rachel Ray -- She doesn't really "cook" so much as she empties packages, chops stuff up, tosses it together, and heats it.

Sounds like cooking to me. You just described stir fry, soups, stew, and many other things LOL

 

[SpiceUmUp]

WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THE IS RIGHT IN THE WORLD do people care about Rachel Ray or any other celeb (chef or otherwise) other than what they bring to us in entertainment value.

The entire point of her show is that you can put together really tasty dishes fairly easily.

We all do it. I get some good ideas from her show. Other than that I couldn't care less about her engagement or anything else about her.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Rachel started off using the basic French chef's knife and then moved into using a couple of Santoko knives (Wusthof and Global) .... she now has a sponsor that has named one after her ... so of course she is going to change, again!

Just like pro athletes - you endose the product that pays you the most to promote it.

Like her or not ... she probably puts more in the bank at the end of the day than most of us.

 

[Daphne duLibre]

OK, here's my "take" on Rachel Ray . . .

Sounds like cooking to me. You just described stir fry, soups, stew, and many other things LOL

When I first started watching the food channel, I found her interesting. But after a while she began to wear on me. That's not Rachel Ray's fault. That's just me. I watched $40/Day and expected she'd cover all the bases on $40 -- you know, room, board, shopping. I don't do restaurants, so this show is not for me.

I like that Rachel invites her mom on the show, and that she strives to get people out of the "quick food" rut of taking a processed, packaged something out of the freezer and tossing it in the microwave, then eating it out of the cardboard container it came packaged in. (I know people who do this.)

I bring an agenda to watching food shows. What I'm interested in seeing is technique, explanation, food that's a bit arcane, has "flair" or "panache" . . .

So, by way of example, Emeril, Alton Brown (particularly Alton Brown), Sarah's Secrets . . . although she mostly bakes stuff, and I'm not into baking. I like to hear her talk. *G*

The Barefoot Contessa drives me crazy too. But again, it's me. Seems most everything the Contessa prepares starts out with a lemon. *G* I don't like lemon as a flavor, and so use them only to acidify broths and sauces -- If I can't do it with beer, basalmic vinegar, etc.

Moving along . . . "Iron Chef" -- I like that Alton Brown does the commentary on this show, and there are heaps of arcane, complicated processes going on. Alton does a good job of explaining them. Ahhhhhh, but I just think sometimes the "challenge ingredient" is entirely out of la la land. (A characteristic of Japanese cuisine e.g. the blow fish that will kill you if it's not correctly prepared.)

So, "Iron Chef" . . . I just don't have a lot of settings where I need to prepare Nepalese Yak gonads.

Other cooking shows that snap my socks? "Cookin' In Brooklyn" -- although I don't always agree with what he's doing. "License To Grill" -- even though he's grilling and not barbeque . . . and I can do without the "steamboats."

Anyhow . . . what is the deal with Rachel and the engagement ring that appeared, then disappeared?

 

[RPCookin]

Rachel Ray -- She doesn't really "cook" so much as she empties packages, chops stuff up, tosses it together, and heats it.

I'm glad that there are some celebs out there who aren't always cooking dishes that can only be prepared with hard to find exotic ingredients, and hours of time available. Since both my wife and I work full time, 30 minute meals (even 1 hour meals) that actually taste good are a great idea. I don't have time to shop daily for always fresh ingredients, or what I need isn't in season, so canned and frozen ingredients are a godsend during the week. It's also not much fun to spend a lot of time in a non air conditioned kitchen during the heat of the summer, so shorter prep and cooking times look really good.

I do get a bit weary of Rachael's eternal precociousness, but I don't watch the $40 a Day show, only the 30 minute meals, so I can deal with it for that long.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Geeze ... are we talking about Rachel's shows or her knives? Heck - I don't always feel like 2-hours in the galley ... and I grab a can or box from time to time ... Rach calls her show 30-minute meals .... Sandra Lee (very similar in cooking approach but too over the top IMHO on decorating) calls her show Semi-Homemade. Heck, you ever see Paula Dean's recipe for corned beef and cabbage?

Now - back to the knife ....

I once took GB's comment that Rachel made the santoku popular with some bit of skepticism .... since I had seen other chefs (Ming Tsai springs to mind as the first) use them before her. But - I got a call from two of my aunts this afternoon .... wanting to know what I thought about Rachel Ray's knife! They both watch Ming Tsai in addition to other cooking shows ... but neither had ever paid any attention to his knives! I guess the bottom line is ... while Rachel may not be the hottest thing among the "gourmets" in here .... there are a lot of other people watching her. Looks like I'll be taking my aunts knife shopping next week ....

 

[tknaps]

The Füri webiste doesn't fail to mention it of course

http://www.furitechnics.com.au/