Ken Onion
You can find hundreds of recipes for Southern Cooking on the internet, but what they fail to tell you is the techniques needed to turn those recipes into real southern dishes.
On the subject of Southern recipes, I'm sorry to say that what is often represented as a Southern recipe, is not. For instance, when you see a recipe for Southern cornbread that includes sugar, that is NOT Southern. I lived all my life in the South and traveled the world but have never met a Southerner that puts sugar in cornbread. We call that "Yankee" cornbread. That is cake, not cornbread.
Back to the subject at hand, assuming you have real Southern recipes, you can still wind up with a dish that is not truly Southern if you do not employ Southern cooking techniques. You may produce something that is good but the technique makes it more than good, it makes it special.
Cooking Method:
Southerners fry more of their dishes than any other people I know. Therefore, for the most part, Southern cooking is not low fat. However, you can lessen the fat content with the choice of cooking oil you use. If this is a concern, don't use animal fats, lard or saturated oils. I generally use corn or safflower oil. Believe it or not, with dishes that do not require high temperatures, I use olive oil. The point here is to just be prepared to fry a lot with Southern cooking.
Cookware:
Traditional Southern cooking calls for cast iron. You should obtain an 8 and 10 inch skillet and medium pot for your cookware. Cast iron is inexpensive and can frequently be found at thrift stores for two or three dollars, if you have one near you.
The cast iron retains heat a long time and burns fingers readily. But it transfers heat like no other material. You must "cure" or "season" your cast iron before using or you will have a problem with sticking and rust. While the manufacturers instructions for curing are inadequate, they will do. Never use anything but cast iron for cornbread and never cook anything but cornbread in your "cornbread skillet". For most recipes, you will want to heat the cast iron (like pre-heating the oven) before you add the ingredients.
Regular Milk vs. Buttermilk:
In most situations, when a recipe calls for milk, in Southern cooking, you would use buttermilk. You should always use buttermilk for your cornbread and biscuits. It provides a unique flavor that screams "Southern". Here's a tip: if you do not keep buttermilk on hand (I don't), you can make your own by adding about a spoon of white vinegar to a cup of regular milk. Stir and let sit about a minute. You will have a substitute buttermilk for cooking purposes (I do not recommend drinking....although I have never tried it).
Cooking Time:
Many Southern dishes (mostly vegetables) are cooked much longer than you would find in restaurants or homes in other parts of the country. Specifically, green beans, okra, turnip greens, mustard and collards. Vegetables cooked Southern style are NOT bright colored and crunchy (like Chinese stir fry). They are tender and flavorful. An exception to the "crunchy" observation is fried okra. Okra is cooked until nearly burned. It is coated with cornmeal and is, indeed, crunchy. On the other hand, other vegetables such as green beans are cooked around two hours until they are tender and dark green in color.
Seasoning:
This is one of the most important techniques that distinguishes Southern cooking from other styles. Spicy (hot) flavors are seldom used except for cajun cooking, which is a style of cooking all it's own. Onion, bacon and salt are used extensively for seasoning. All greens, black eyed peas, green beans, most anything cooked by boiling in water, is seasoned with salt, a chunk of onion and a slice of bacon (or bacon drippings).
While not a technique, it is important to combine certain foods to produce a traditional Southern meal. Combinations of the following are typical. Fried chicken, fried pork chops, greens (turnip, mustard, collards), black eyed peas, fried okra, cornbread and green beans. So, for a real Southern treat, get an authenic Southern recipe, follow these techniques and watch your family ask for more.
Ken Miller is a freelance writer and owner of several websites. For real Southern recipes visit his site at www.olsouthrecipes.com where you will find free recipes for southern cornbread, fried okra, hush puppies, turnip greens and many more.
Ken Onion On TV-Part 1
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Fillet Knife
Striped Bass
Striped bass have several regional names. Known as striped bass, stripers, linesides, rockfish and other names, this fish is highly sought after as a recreational fish, as a commercial species and is even grown in aquaculture operations. Striped bass are very hardy fish, and even take to life in freshwater where they are often stocked throughout the USA.
They are hardy fish which are caught using many techniques. Rigs and baits for striped bass vary with their location and what the fish are feeding on. In some areas cut baits are used, including clams, fish, crabs, shrimp, squid, bloodworms or other baits. In other situations anglers troll, jig or cast artificial lures or use fly fishing gear.
Cooks have a variety of favorites for cooking rockfish. Whole fillets of school sized fish or steaks of larger fish are delicious fried. Other choices for cooking striped bass include grilling, broiling, fish cakes and more. For top quality striped bass or "rockfish" as table fare, it's important to take care of the fish prior to cooking. The fish should be chilled on ice and laid out flat until cleaned.
Once the fish is home, it can be rinsed thoroughly and filleted. Several cleaning methods exist and each angler learns their favorite style. The fish can be scaled and the skin left on, filleted and then skinned or the skin can be cut around the perimeter of the fish and pulled off with pliers. The skin-on version is nice when baking or grilling smaller fish. Skinning the fish before filleting has some advantages, the most important being speed. Filleting the fish and then cutting the skin off removes the most dark meat and leaves the highest quality portion, although some fish is lost in the process.
Summer Flounder
Summer flounder are found around inlets, jetties and channel edges. They also frequent ocean wrecks, artificial reefs and areas of rocky or coral bottom. Flounder are not born with both eyes on one side. During growth, the "bottom" eye migrates to the upward-facing side of its body. This allows the flounder to lie on one side, burying in the sand where it can ambush its prey. Flounder feed on a variety of small fish and crustaceans.
Flounder fishing is extremely popular along the Atlantic coast. Some anglers specialize in catching this fish almost exclusively while other choose to target them only at certain times. While no single location, technique or angler is a guarantee of success, there are a several tricks to the fishery. Most anglers drift cut or live baits, with the types of baits varying with location, time of year and local fish behavior.
Atlantic Croaker
Atlantic Croaker or "hardhead" are popular saltwater fish common along the Atlantic coast. They are known to have wild population fluctuations. The fish get their names because of the "croaking" noise the make when removed from the water. Croakers are hard fighters and prolific feeders. They are caught on a variety of baits and lures.
Spot
Spot occur along the Atlantic coast in estuarine and coastal waters from the Gulf of Maine to Florida, although they are most abundant from Chesapeake Bay south to South Carolina. Spot are fun to catch and a great fish for anglers of all ages.
Spot are caught along inlets, fishing piers and in inshore bays. Anglers use standard 2 hook rigs, using small hooks and small pieces of bait. Popular baits include bloodworms, shrimp, clam and a synthetic product called "Fish Bites" that works very well.
Speckled Trout
Speckled trout, also known as spotted seatrout are common throughout the Southeast, with nearly seven million fish harvested and released in 2006. In Florida, spotted seatrout is often the most sought after and exploited gamefish. 75% of recreationally caught speckled trout are released to grow.
Shad
American shad are among the most exciting fish to catch. Anglers fish for them using small jigs, shad darts, sabiki rigs or by fly fishing. The fish are beautiful species and extremely tough fighters, known for their ability to run and make spectacular jumps. Most recreational fishing for American shad occurs in the spring, when the fish enter rivers to spawn. Due to a decline in shad populations, shad fishing is now a catch and release fishery.
Red Drum
Red drum is one of the most popularly sought recreational fish throughout the South Atlantic. Since the 1980s recreational fishing has accounted for about 90 percent of all red drum landings. The recreational fishery is an inshore fishery, targeting small "puppy drum" and large trophy fish. Red Drum are caught in the surf, in bays and in shallow areas using live baits, cut offerings or artificial lures.
Black Sea Bass
Black sea bass are common along the Atlantic coast from New York to North Carolina. Black Sea Bass are excellent table fare. The meat is firm, white and delicious. Sea Bass are superb fried, grilled, baked or broiled. Sea Bass are easily skinned and filleted. They are best fresh and do not freeze well.
Tautog
Tautog are excellent table fare. Due to their tough and slippery skin, a sharp fillet knife is needed to fillet these delicious fish. Cut around the outline of the fish, making the front cut behind the head and pectoral fin. Then the skin can easily be peeled off by using pliers and peeling from the head to tail. Once the skin is off the fish can be filleted normally. There are a few rib bones which can be cut out after filleting. The meat is firm, white and mild flavored. Tautog is delicious fried, baked or grilled.
The author maintains several outdoor-related websites including Fresh-Seafood, Commercial Fishing and Chesapeake Bay News and Information
JA Henckels Fillet Knife
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Knife Stainless
The type of technology used with the Shun Knives is divided by the varieties of cut required from chefs. The first type is the clad construction. This basically consists of thicker stainless steel used to cut thicker foods and objects. There are also the Cutting Edge and the Super Steel designs in the line. These were both designed with a thicker stainless steel and a specific angle so that you are able to cut your food more effectively. The other designs of the line always hint of Japanese inspired shapes and styles. Because the Japanese are known for making great blades, you know that you can chop, cut, and slice your food easily.
With the different designs and innovations offered, there are endless options for people with a deep interest in cutlery. Whether you are interested in redefining your kitchen or are working towards becoming a talented chef, you can consider this specific brand to meet your needs. This stunning and beautiful new line comes with the latest technology and the finest steel in Damascus clad knifes. The new Ken Onion, in particular, was designed to be a must-have. Featuring the clad VG-10 blade made famous by the Shun line itself was combined with the ergonomic handle design and unique blade sweep. The end result is a chef's knife that looks beautiful and works just as well as it looks.
Additionally, each knife is molded with the finest of steels so that your knife can meet your needs and can last just as long. The Shun knives are made from the VG10 Super Steel. For those not familiar with the term, this is a new type of stainless steel that has a higher density. This particular feature allows the steel to be tempered to a Rockwell hardness of 61. As hard as it is, it still has the flexibility and strength to retain its impressive edge over the other lines. The VG10 has a natural tendency is to remain straight so that when it is used, the edge of the blade straightens itself out and stays sharper longer.
The knives also come with the SG-2 powdered steel. The Elite knives, in particular, come with this. The SG-2 is a kind of unique powdered steel with incredible edge retention capability and hardness. The end product is a smooth-edged knife that is exceedingly sharp. It has a much higher density and grain structure that comes with no imperfections or weaknesses.
The knives are made using the Kasumi method. This is a traditional Japanese style of knife making. It calls for taking an extremely hard carbon steel for the edge. The knives are then clad on each side with a protective layer of stainless steel. This is actually how samurai swords are made, and with that in mind, you can imagine just how sharp the knives are. The other lines also use the Honyaki method. This is where the blades are made of one piece of steel. In Japan, the most expensive blades are created this way.
To find out more about the features and benefits of using Shun knives please visit http://www.squidoo.com/ShunKajiFusionKnives and get yours today!
Happy Cooking!
SWHRT9B Smith & Wesson H.R.T. Boot Knife, Stainless, Black Blade, Plain, Leather Sh
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Knife Engraved
Where can I get get knives that I have already bought engraved with a name on it?
Near Riverside, CA would be best. It is for some guys in my wedding party.
If the object has soft metals - brass, copper, gold, silver etc than any jewler will be able to do it - providing it fits into their vise.
If you want something engraved on the hardened steel blade - that is whole different ball of wax. Now you are looking at either laser or chemical etching - or - enlist the services of a local gunsmith who will refer you to his favorite engraver.
If there is not suitable metal to engrave - you next step is to carve the letter into the soft wood or plastic and inlet it. Again, your gunsmith will be able to recommend someone.
Hope this helps.
Initial cutting (1 of 5) of the SRJ knife hand engraving project
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Gerber Pocket
Swiss Knife or Multi-tool?
I'm debating bewteen the two:
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-Champ-Pocket-Knife/dp/B00004YVAD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249524081&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Gerber-05500-MP400-Compact-Multi-function/dp/B00004TR4S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249523747&sr=8-1
I've owned both. Here is my assessment:
The big advantage to the multi-tool is that it has a good set of needle-nosed pliers. The pliers on the swiss army knife are small and ineffective. Also, all of the tools in the multi-tool are useful. They are tools that you might actually use.
Lastly, the multi-tool comes with a sheath that you can hook to your belt. This makes it harder to lose and easier to find when you need it. These tools are too big to put in your front pocket and it's a pain in the neck to root through a bag to find your tool.
The big draw back to the multi-tool is that it's harder to get to the tools (like the knife, screw driver, etc.) You have to fold the whole tool open, find the tool you want, flip the implement out and close the tool back up. It's just not as convenient.
The Swiss Army knife has a lot of tools that are useless. Most people will never need the fish scaler. The magnifying glass is so small that it's almost useless. And the wood saw is so tiny that it's a waste of space.
On the other hand, you can't beat the quality of a swiss army knife. They will never break. Plus, the Swiss Army knife has a cork screw. For many people, this will be the one tool that is needed the most!
Both tools come with a lifetime warranty.
All told, I'd go with the multi-tool. Even though it's a little harder to get to the tools, it has tools that you will actually need. The multi-tool pliers are great and the protective sheath is very helpful.
Gerber Pocket Sharpening Tool at Countycomm.com
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