Thursday, December 12, 2019

Chowhound Gift Guide 2019: 8 Great Affordable Knives

best affordable knives 2019 (Brigade knife)

High-quality knives are a must-have in the kitchen. In fact, there are a number of essential blades every home cook should have in their knife block, such as a chef’s knife, paring knife and serrated knife. More advanced cooks might want products like a utility knife and santoku knife, as well. Oh, and don’t forget a sharpener to keep all your cooking utensils in tip-top shape.

All of these tools make prepwork easier and safer while elevating the quality of homemade dishes. On that note, why not give the gift of a great knife to the ones you love this holiday season? While you could easily spend hundreds on a kitchen knife, there are also a number of impressive budget-friendly tools out there that will make wonderful gifts.

These are some of our favorite affordable knives you can buy today, all of which earn top marks in both professional tests and customer reviews:

Overall Pick

Misen Chef’s Knife, $65 from Misen

Misen

This knife raised more than $1 million on Kickstarter a few years ago, and it’s every bit as good as when it first launched. Misen is a direct-to-consumer kitchen brand, which means it delivers top-quality products at lower prices, and its bestselling chef’s knife would make a solid gift for any home cook.

This 8-inch versatile blade is made from premium steel with twice the carbon content, meaning it will stay sharp for longer. It has a 15-degree blade angle for a sharper cut, and the sloped bolster encourages a proper “pinch grip.” Misen knives are backed by a no-questions-asked lifetime guarantee, and this particular knife boasts more than 5,000 reviews and a near-perfect average rating from people who say things like, “I own a lot of knives, but this is the most comfortable and provides the cleanest and easiest cut of any knife I have ever used.”Buy Now

Budget Pick

Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef’s Knife, $36.79 from Amazon

Amazon

High-end knives from specialty brands can cost several hundred dollars, but buyers are more than happy with this under-$40 chef’s knife from Victorinox, which delivers quality at an unbeatable value. The 8-inch blade is made from lightweight European steel, and its long, sloping shape is ideal for chopping and mincing in a rocking motion. This knife has a non-slip ergonomic handle for an improved grip, and it would be a great first chef’s knife for new cooks.Buy Now

Chef’s Knife Pick

Mercer Culinary Genesis Forged Chef’s Granton Edge Knife, $42.41 from Amazon

Amazon

Another top-rated chef’s knife that will excel in the kitchen is this best-selling model from Mercer Culinary. It’s an 8-inch blade forged from high-carbon German steel, and it features a taper-ground edge for increased stability and long-lasting sharpness.

This knife has a full tang that runs the length of the handle for improved balance, and the ergonomic handle provides a comfortable, non-slip grip, even if your hands are wet. Reviewers refer to this product as the “best, sharpest knife” they’ve ever owned, so we think it’s safe to say your recipient will enjoy it, too. Buy Now

Paring Knife Pick

Mac Knife Professional Paring Knife, $59.95 from Amazon

Amazon

Paring knives are ideal for detail-oriented kitchen tasks, such as deveining shrimp or coring strawberries. Everyone needs a good paring knife, and luckily, this professional-quality option from Mac Knife is both beautiful and surprisingly affordable.

This paring knife is made in Japan, and it measures 3.25 inches with a 2-millimeter high-carbon blade that’s rust-resistant and exceptionally sharp. It has a lightweight wood handle, and reviewers rave about the performance of this small knife, writing that the “size is near perfect and it is sharp as hell.” Consider us sold. Buy Now

Serrated Knife Pick

J.A. HENCKELS INTERNATIONAL Classic Serrated Utility Knife, $37.49 from Amazon

Amazon

If you’ve ever struggled to slice through the skin of a tomato, you’ll understand the appeal of a serrated utility knife like this one from J.A. Henckels. The sharp teeth of these knives can cut through tough fruit and vegetable skin with ease, allowing you to create thin, neat slices with minimal effort. Bread lovers will also appreciate that the serrated blade will make quick work out of crunchy crusts.

This particular serrated knife is made in Spain using German stainless steel. It boasts a fully forged construction for superior balance, as well as a satin-finished blade for long-lasting sharpness. The ergonomic handle is attached with three rivets, and many happy buyers say it gets constant use in their kitchen. Buy Now

Santoku Pick

Brigade Kitchen Santoku Knife, $75 from Brigade Kitchen

Brigade Kitchen

While it may look similar to a chef’s knife, the Brigade Kitchen Santoku Knife is in a league of its own. Japanese-style santoku knives have a flat edge and a “sheepsfoot” blade that curves down into a point, and these knives are great for experienced chefs who spend a lot of time chopping, dicing, and mincing.

This santoku knife is made from an impressive 67 layers of steel that deliver a razor-sharp hardened edge. It has dimpled sides that keep ingredients from sticking to the knife, as well as a composite handle that won’t break down, even if you put it in the dishwasher. Many reviewers say they received this knife as a gift, and they sing its praises, writing things like, “This knife has quickly become my ‘go-to’ knife for absolutely everything! I use it for slicing, dicing, mincing, chopping, and legitimately everything.” Buy Now

Knife Set Pick

Victorinox Swiss Army Chef’s Bundle Knife Set, $54.99 from Amazon

Amazon

Why buy one knife as a gift when you can just give someone a whole set? This three-piece knife set is from Victorinox, the maker of Swiss Army Knives, and it includes the essentials new chefs need to get started in the kitchen. The set includes two of the brand’s best-selling knives: the 8-inch chef’s knife and the 3.25-inch paring knife as well as a 10-inch honing steel to keep the blades sharp.

The knives are made from high-carbon, no-stain steel, and they’re designed to stay sharper for longer. Plus, the knives feature a 15-degree blade angle. This set earns top marks from reviewers, who praise the low cost, high-quality and incredible sharpness. Buy Now

 Sharpener Pick

Work Sharp Culinary Kitchen Knife Sharpener, $49.99 from Amazon

Amazon

What do you get the person who already has a comprehensive collection of knives? A knife sharpener! This electric sharpener can be used on all sorts of blades, from chef’s knives to serrated blades, and even kitchen scissors. The process is fully guided to eliminate guesswork and ensure an even angle and perfect blade every time.

The Work Sharp Knife Sharpener features flexible abrasive disks for a sharper edge, and there’s even a ceramic honing slot for quick touch-ups. The sharpener has an automatic timer that signals when your knife is done, and the unit is compact enough to fit in a drawer when not in use. You can sharpen 100 knives before the inner disks need to be replaced, and reviewers call it intuitive and effective with a well thought-out design. Buy Now

See all our favorite gourmet food and drink gifts for 2019.

See our sister sites’ tech gift guides, gaming gift guides, fashion and beauty gift guides, TV gift guides, and Rachael Ray’s gift guides, for more.



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Easy Holiday Food Hacks to Impress Your Guests

Pickled Quail Eggs recipe

Comforting, traditional holiday food is nice and all, but when you have guests during the holidays (especially if they’re your in-laws), you want to impress them with some dramatic dish. Sometimes it takes a lot of work, time, and patience to create that final crowd-pleaser. Other times—our favorite times—it’s deceptively easy.

Related Reading: Our Favorite Floral Delivery Services for Holiday Decor

The trick can be a simple combination of ingredients not typically paired together. Or it can be a knife skill on display. For your main meat, wrap it in bacon or prosciutto. Hell, wrap anything in prosciutto. If something is ho-hum, sprinkle pomegranate seeds on it. Fry any fresh herbs in oil and place the crispy result on top of a dish. Slice your fruit and vegetables into the shape of flowers, particularly roses, or simple yet artistic shavings and you’ve found yet another great way to get some oohs and ahhs from your holiday guests.

These helpful hacks and other party tricks are outlined below by each course, so you can pick and choose, or build your whole menu around crowd-wowing tweaks.

We’re guessing your chosen main course—whether that’s roast turkey, prime rib, glazed ham, beef Wellington, or perfect pernil—is already impressive enough as-is. But these scene-stealing starters, sides, drinks, and desserts just might become the stars of the whole show.

Starters

Get the party started with a little something special.

Christmas Tree Cheese Ball


Holiday cheese appetizers come in many festive forms, but a mini Christmas tree is obviously one of the best. And it’s easier than you might think! If you can roll a ball of cheese, you can roll a cone of cheese. Then all you have to do is stick parsley onto the surface, and press in some sliced almonds and halved cherry tomatoes for garnish. Get the Christmas Tree Cheese Ball recipe.

Dungeness Crab Guacamole in Endive Cups

crab guacamole recipe

Chowhound

Are cheese trees too…well, cheesy for you? (Or do you have lactose-intolerant in-laws?) Guacamole is always a crowd-pleasing starter—but who knew it could be this fancy? Studded with sweet, briny crab meat and mellow roasted garlic and jalapeño, this would impress simply scooped from a bowl. But go the extra mile and mound it in endive leaves for an individually portioned stunner that’s also great at cocktail parties. Get our Dungeness Crab Guacamole in Endive Cups recipe.

Pear and Feta Bites

Chowhound

Along the same lines but shellfish-free, this is another easy appetizer that looks impressive and tastes great. That’s about all you need in your hors d’ oeuvres, right? Oh, and there aren’t any expensive ingredients either, nor is there any cooking involved. You could include red endive leaves for more color, and swap out the toppings for goat cheese and figs with a balsamic or honey drizzle. You get the idea. So get our Pear and Feta Bites recipe.

Related Reading: 12 Easy Holiday Starters

Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini with Fried Sage Leaves

Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini with Fried Sage Leaves recipe

Chowhound

Fig and goat cheese really are a wonderful pair. Spread both on some toasted slices of French bread, and you’ve got something good. But fry up some seasonal sage leaves, and crown each toast with the green garland and you’ve got something special. It truly is the little things, isn’t it? Get our Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini recipe.

Gougères (Cheese Puffs)

Black Pepper Manchego Cheese Puff recipe

Chowhound

First, they’re French. So there’s that. They’re also cheesey, peppery, crisp outside, and airy heaven within. In French cooking, these puffs are a type of baked savory choux pastry made of choux dough mixed with cheese. And they’re really easy to make: heat and stir some of the first ingredients, dump in flour all at once, stir, take off heat and stir in eggs, then stir in cheese and herbs. Scoop with a cookie-dough or ice cream scooper on a pan. Bake. Devour. The end. Get our Black Pepper Manchego Cheese Puffs recipe.

Pickled Quail Eggs

Pickled Quail Eggs recipe

Chowhound

Deviled eggs are a mainstay—and with the right garnishes, they can actually be quite elegant—but for something that breaks the mold, pickle dainty quail eggs with a bit of shredded beet to give them a jolly jolt of color. That bejewled hue and miniature size will win everyone over before they even have a taste. A sprinkle of fancy finishing salt is all these one-bite apps need. And you can find quail eggs at most Asian grocery stores in case you were wondering where you might get them. Get our Pickled Quail Egg recipe.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with Smoked Paprika

prosciutto wrapped shrimp with smoked paprika

Chowhound

Remember what we said about wrapping stuff in prosciutto (or other cured pork products)? This is but one example of the magic that is thus wrought (see also: prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and bacon-wrapped dates). You can prep these skewers in advance so all you have to do when guests arrive is pop them under the broiler for a few minutes. Get our Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with Smoked Paprika recipe.

Holiday Cocktail Napkins, 20 for $3 at Target

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Sides

Easy ways to make humble side dishes extra impressive too.

Herbed Potato Bread Wreath

herb potato bread wreath recipe

Con Poulos

Edible wreaths come in all sorts of sweet and savory guises, from cookies to cheese plates; see our edible wreath roundup for more recipes. But if you want something that really stands out on your holiday table, this herbed potato bread wreath is perfect.

If you don’t consider homemade bread easy, we have good news: You can simply adapt this recipe to use store-bought pizza dough or even crescent roll dough; just roll small balls of dough, brush them all over in melted (salted) butter and herbs, and arrange them inside a Bundt pan or tube pan, then bake your wreath. If you’re a pro bread baker, get the Herbed Potato Bread Wreath recipe. Either way, prepare to wow. If you can’t find fresh bay leaves, a few sprigs of rosemary make an equally pretty garnish.

Roasted and Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pomegranate

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pecorino and Pomegranate

Yossy Arefi

Roasted Brussels sprouts don’t need bacon to be special—here are two new tricks to employ instead: Mix the roasted sprouts with some thinly shaved raw sprouts for textural contrast, then top them with juicy, crunchy pomegranate seeds. Oh, and some shaved pecorino too. Instant elevation. Get the Roasted and Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pomegranate recipe (from “Modern Potluck” by Kristin Donnelly.)

Related Reading: Kristin Shares Her Secrets for Holiday Brunch Potluck Perfection

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

scalloped sweet potato stacks recipe

Chowhound

How to make scalloped potatoes really pop? Make them in individually portioned stacks with the help of your muffin pan. They look impressive even if you don’t use two colors of potato, and most importantly, everyone gets enough crispy edges (so one less source of holiday strife). Get our Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks recipe.

Related Reading: More Creative Ways to Use Your Muffin Pans

Baby Carrots with Carrot-Top Pipián, Pistachio, and Coriander

roasted baby carrots with carrot top pesto recipe

Sidney Bensimon

This dish from Il Fiorista looks (and sounds) impossibly fancy, but really, its a simple roasted carrot dish—the key is finding the smallest carrots you can and simply halving them lengthwise for an elegant presentation. The carrot tops are blended into a pesto-esque sauce (so find a way to work that into the conversation and score bonus points for fighting food waste). And the carrot ribbons are a breeze to make with a vegetable peeler, so there’s no excuse to skip the garnish! Get the Baby Carrots with Carrot-Top Pipián, Pistachio, and Coriander recipe.

Coconut Cream Spinach with Crispy Shallots and Shiitake Mushrooms


Instead of regular creamed spinach, spinach salad or, God forbid, green bean casserole, put a whole new twist on the creamy greens category. This is a coconut-y dish, so haters of the milky fruit won’t like it. But then it gets umami from the mushrooms and a crunchy, salty-savory touch on top that makes this a swoon-worthy side dish. Crispy shallots can do similar wonders for literally any other veggie you decide to make. Get the Coconut Cream Spinach with Crispy Shallots and Shiitake Mushrooms recipe.

Desserts & Drinks

Finesse those finishing touches and really stick the landing when it comes to the close of the meal.

Apple Roses


Some apple rose tarts can take hours upon hours. But there’s no need to make a custard which requires constant surveillance and stirring. Don’t bother with seemingly endless amounts of apples to slice paper-thin and then shape into rose petals. To make six apple roses, you need only two large red apples, a package of puff pastry, apricot preserve, cinnamon, lemon juice, a sprinkling of flour for the counter, and a sprinkling of powdered sugar to dust the tops of the flowers. It’ll look almost like they’ve been blooming in a morning mist or faint snowfall. Get the Apple Roses recipe.

Dessert Cocktail (Champagne and Sorbet Float)

Champagne sorbet floats with lavender

Chowhound

Technically, it’s barely even a cocktail, but let’s call it that. This is a drink that’s especially good for a holiday party, whether it be for Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year’s Day. It works for brunch too—it will feel so much fancier than mimosas, yet it’s just as easy. And it works as a nice, light dessert after a heavy holiday meal. Get our Champagne and Sorbet Float recipe and watch our quick Dessert Cocktail video for a pro tip.

Spiced Cranberry Sangria

spiced cranberry sangria recipe

Chowhound

This is most decidedly a cocktail, and a winning one at that. In this seasonal spin on sangria, fresh cranberries and Granny Smith apples are macerated in a spiced simple syrup with cinnamon, allspice, star anise, and cloves. Then all that is mixed with ruby port, Tempranillo rosé, cranberry juice, and Cointreau. Who needs eggnog? Get our Spiced Cranberry Sangria recipe.

Drunken Prune Mascarpone Trifle

Drunken Prune–Mascarpone Trifle recipe

Chowhound

Prunes are simply dried plums, and (sugar)plums are a Christmas icon. Ergo, this dessert is a perfect option, and definitely impressive with layers of tender, buttery cake (which—shh—you can purchase ready-made); warmly spiced, port-soaked fruit; and luscious mascarpone cream. Making the amaretto loaf cake from scratch is honestly not much more difficult, but even if you use store-bought bakery pound cake, this is a beauty. Get our Drunken Prune Mascarpone Trifle recipe. And try similar, easy layered desserts that show off their stripes in clear glasses, like brownie parfaits with seasonal peppermint ice cream.

Related Reading: The Best No-Bake Holiday Desserts

Champagne Cupcakes with Edible Gold Leaf

Easy Champagne Cupcakes recipe

Chowhound

One final, easy way to take any dessert to the next level? Sprinkle it with a little edible gold leaf. It even makes cupcakes worthy of holiday dessert stardom—the fact that these also contain Champagne in the batter and in the vanilla custard filling doesn’t hurt. They’re topped with simple whipped cream instead of frosting, so you’ll want to wait to add that until the last minute, along with that bling. Get our Champagne Cupcakes with Edible Gold Leaf recipe.

Visit our Holiday Headquarters for more recipe ideas, tips, and tricks.

Related Video: The Ultimate Holiday Present Cake



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Easy, Festive Cheese Appetizers to Make Your Season Bright

holiday cheese appetizer recipes

We’re all social butterflies during the holiday season. You get to wear some killer looks and indulge in all that is festive and delicious. But you’re also busy, so if you need an easy starter for a party, these holiday cheese appetizers are all quick and delicious additions to your spread. From Christmas tree cheese balls to edible cheese wreaths, they’ll add that effortless touch of holiday magic to your dining scene.

Oh, and don’t forget the wine!

Related Reading: The Best Gifts for Your Cheesy Friend

Baked Brie Wreath

baked brie Christmas wreath

Andy Leverett

There’s nothing wrong with a classic baked brie capped off by fruit and toasted nuts, but a warm, gooey baked brie with brown sugar—decorated for the season—is a foodie match made in holiday heaven. After baking, I top off the edges of the brie with fresh rosemary leaves, honey roasted pecans, and a few fresh cranberries so it looks like a wreath! Made of brie! Serve this up on toasted baguette or crackers, paired with green apple slices.

Ingredients:

  • 1 round of brie
  • 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4-5 rosemary sprigs, de-stemmed 
  • a handful of honey roasted pecans (or any other nuts that tickle your fancy)
  • cranberries for decoration 
  • green apple, grapes, baguette, crackers

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Put the whole brie wheel on a parchment-lined baking tray.
  3. Cover the top with a layer of brown sugar.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes. You will notice the brie inflate a little, and the sugar beginning to melt.
  5. Let the brie cool 5 minutes once out of the oven. Arrange rosemary leaves on the edges of the brie. The warmth of the cheese will make the rosemary fragrant.
  6. Sprinkle pieces of honey roasted pecans (or nuts of your choosing) in the rosemary. Finish with a few cranberries on top. It will look like a wreath!
  7. Arrange green apple slices, toasted baguette, crackers and other accouterments around the brie.


You can also make this in a mini cast iron skillet or a mini cocotte:

Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Cocotte, $29.95 on Amazon

Buy Now

Related Reading: How to Make Edible Holiday Wreaths

Christmas Tree Cheese Ball


Let your inner sculptor shine! The great thing about a cheese ball is that you can mold it into any shape you like. Since cream cheese is the main base, you have a lot of flexibility to make this festive. Plus, you can make this days in advance!

This Christmas Tree Cheese Ball recipe from Betty Crocker uses two cheeses: cream and shredded cheddar, all rolled with herbs, nuts, and spices. The parsley acts as the leaves of the tree, and the red bell peppers are the ornaments. You can also try an olive-heavy Antipasto Cheese Ball Christmas Tree.

In the end, it’s all about the gorgeous presentation. You can serve this up on a white marble cheese board, so it looks like the cheese tree is on a base of snow:

Anolon White Marble and Teak Serving Board, $39.99 on Amazon

Buy Now

How pretty!

Snowman Cheese Ball


Not sure about those sculpting skills? This Snowman Cheese Ball recipe only requires rolling a ball (OK, two) in finely shredded cheese. There’s an equally easy Reindeer Cheese Ball recipe on the Number 2 Pencil blog that swaps the shredded cheese for crushed pecans, and both are almost too cute to dig into.

Goat Cheese Yule Log


Nothing says the holidays like cranberries. This Goat Cheese Log recipe is covered in every festive ingredient you can think of: walnuts, pecans, cinnamon, and of course, cranberries. All you have to do is roll a log of goat cheese in these ingredients, wrap it, set it, and forget it. Serve the log on top of a smear of your favorite craft jelly.

Cheese Ornaments


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Making veggies fun this holiday season 👌🏻🎄

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Kids can get in on this one. It’s just like making cookies with festive cookie cutters, but with cheese instead! Slice into some of your favorite cheese blocks and use mini cookie cutters to make ornaments (or any other shapes for the season—snowflakes, stars, Christmas trees… you name it!) You can either make an assorted cheese board with the different shapes or scatter them on top of veggies. Like icing a cookie, you can have you guests “ice” their cheese with different spreads and jellies!

If you don’t have time, you can always buy a holiday platter of cheese and meats online and this gift set includes a variety of cheeses, sausages, mixed nuts, fruit spreads, and sweet treats.

For more festive tips, tricks, and recipes, see our Ultimate Guide to Christmas and visit our Holiday Headquarters.

Related Video: How to Make the Turducken of Cheese Balls


 



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