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I use Japanese carbon steel knives and they ride two whetstones about once a month - a 1000 grit stone to sharpen and a 5000 grit to polish. I don’t use a steel. IME it’s too damaging to the thinner, more brittle metal, so it should only be used on heavier, German knives. YMMV, of course.

My good knives are German style and thick, yeah. Not Japanese style. Should have said!

Just for the mileage varying aspect of the conversation, I paid 5$ for the main cleaver I use, approx 6 years ago and I use it probablu 6/7 days a week and have only ever sharpened it with a steel. It still looks like new and shaves arm hair (cuts meat and vegetables too).. my sister has some fancy Japanese knife with folded steel and all that and it's dull as fuck all the time. Not that it isn't a nice knife, she just doesn't try to keep it sharp.

Yeah, if you don’t keep on top of them they turn very dull very fast

Also, I think it's rad that were all talking about cooking and knives etc. What fun

BetterOffShred wrote:Just for the mileage varying aspect of the conversation, I paid 5$ for the main cleaver I use, approx 6 years ago and I use it probablu 6/7 days a week and have only ever sharpened it with a steel. It still looks like new and shaves arm hair (cuts meat and vegetables too).. my sister has some fancy Japanese knife with folded steel and all that and it's dull as fuck all the time. Not that it isn't a nice knife, she just doesn't try to keep it sharp.

Yeah this is crucial. My main chef's knife was really cheap, I use it every day or every other day, take good care of it and sharpen occasionally and it's good as new. I should probably sharpen it today though it was feeling a bit dull earlier.

Making me a salad to go with the chicken and rice.. loving that thin cleaver.

Looks good, Shred!
I've been eating vegetarian for a couple weeks and making all my food at home. It was kind of a fun change of pace at first, but I'm getting a little bored of what I've been eating. Maybe you all have some ideas. This is going to turn into a long thing, but I'll try to keep it short. I leave home at 4am to catch a bus to school. I eat some overnight oats on the bus with chia, hemp, fruit, and almond milk in it. I get to school around 6:30, swim for an hour or so. I finish off the oats, have a little shaker of whey protein, and a burrito of eggs, avocado, and hot sauce. For lunch I've been bringing either rice or quinoa with roasted veggies and a piece of fruit. The hardest part is how long I'm gone, leave home at 4 am, normally home between 7 and 7:30, so it ends up being a lot of food to bring.

I'm happy with all of this except for the lunch part. I mean, it's good enough but I'm just getting bored with it. Space is at a premium because it all has to fit in my backpack with school books. Any ideas for bomb stuff to bring for lunch that I can make the night before?

Do you have access to a microwave during the day? For my lunches at work I just make double whatever I'm eating the night before and take in the leftovers. There are some things that need reheated though. If no microwave then I would suggest some nuts and dressing (eg a vinaigrette for some sharp flavour) to vary what you're already making.

If you can microwave the world is your oyster. Curries, chili, soup (bring some bread) can all be made easily and cheaply on a Sunday to feed you for a whole week. If you cook meals at night just make a little bit extra of that.

I can’t really get to a microwave very easily, just because of where my classes are spread out around campus. I don’t mind room temp food though. I made some lentil and sweet potato soup last week that was bomb, did exactly what you’re recommending, ate it for lunch the next couple of days.

Good idea on chili and curries! I hadn’t even thought of that. I’ve just been focusing so much on trying to make sure I’m eating loads of veggies and avoiding sauces that are bad for you that I forgot about curry entirely lol

Yeah! All you need is a few spices, onions, tomatoes and maybe coconut milk if you want a creamier mild curry, and you have a great and super healthy meal to chuck some vegetables and beans into.

Chili is of course the same method but with different spices and ingredients!

I made my wife chipotle black bean quesadillas with carmelized onions last night. She said they were perfect and surprisingly awesome. I didn't have any.

I made her garlic naan not too long ago too.

I'm thinking about making calzones again from scratch (I like making bread).

I just got her new kitchen knives though...I've kind of taken over the kitchen recently and her knives were destroyed (most were hand me downs from my parents...we've been married for almost 11 years and bought 2 knives). I couldn't cut anything. Put new edges on them and got the really nice. One of her knives kept chipping though...so it took for freaking ever. Her cheap kitchen aid knife is surprisingly good...but I got her some wusthof or whatever for her birthday. Kitchen knives are much easier to sharpen than wood planes and chisels haha.

Been kinda fun to cook for her most everyday. She used to get all angry when something failed or she got the wrong stuff, but I've been able to shoot from the hip and make some quick solutions that worked out surprisingly well . I usually just eat a sandwich.

I'm a vegetarian and she ain't...so I leave any meat for her to cook...but I make all the meatless dishes and components.

PeteeBee wrote:I finish off the oats, have a little shaker of whey protein, and a burrito of eggs, avocado, and hot sauce. For lunch I've been bringing either rice or quinoa with roasted veggies and a piece of fruit. The hardest part is how long I'm gone, leave home at 4 am, normally home between 7 and 7:30, so it ends up being a lot of food to bring.

I'm happy with all of this except for the lunch part. I mean, it's good enough but I'm just getting bored with it.

You can always have fun testing your heat limits with a new hot sauce you bring from home.

That's an inspirational amount of hot sauces! I think I've tried most of those, or at least a good portion. I forget the brand name (maybe peppa heads?) but I really dig that brand with the three faces on it. I made my own hot sauce last year and it turned out pretty well. I think I'll fire that up again, maybe after thanksgiving.

PeteeBee wrote:That's an inspirational amount of hot sauces! I think I've tried most of those, or at least a good portion. I forget the brand name (maybe peppa heads?) but I really dig that brand with the three faces on it. I made my own hot sauce last year and it turned out pretty well. I think I'll fire that up again, maybe after thanksgiving.

The 3 heads brand is Pain Is Good. It's actually made right down the hill from me in Kansas City. They make really good stuff, usually.