The RiotACT guide to singleton survival - Episode 1: Tools

Having said that – does JB want to write them all? Or would he rather a couple of other enhusiastic site members have a go at their own? (yes, I know there aren’t a whole heap of other enthusiastic site members willing to write decent copy, but I thought I’d throw it out there anyway…)

That’ll presumably be episode 2 or 3.

Or possibly 50. You never know how long these periodic guides are going to go…

Can we consider a thread to compliment this one, along the lines of: ‘how to select a suitable flat mate?’

Mundials are made from the same steel as the more expensive German brands, but they just don’t have the immaculate finish of a Wusthof or a Henkels. Good knives for home, but in a professional environment their shortcomings would become more obvious.

A pro’s choice of knife is a fairly personal thing. My personal preference was Furi, which don’t hold an edge quite as well as a Wusthof, but are nice and light and easier to sharpen.

For use at home, putting a knife over a stone every week will just wear your knife out. Once a month is more than enough. A steel is essential, though.

BTW – if you say you’re trade, having some burn marks and cuts on your hands is usually proof enough.

p.s. the benefit of using Mundial is if you ever chip the blade, take it to King of Knives and they will replace it – they have a lifetime guarantee on them.

p.p.s. Tell them you’re trade when you buy the knifes and they’ll give you a discount (no actual proof required)

PS best knives in the world – Trident Wustorf – then Global then that asian single piece brand??

Mundial is entry level commercial knives – so fine for household – I also reccomend a diamond stone ( a sharpening stone you use dry – made from industrial diamonds) – I can quit eliterally shave myself with my knives after using one of these.

By the way – tomatoes – use a serrated knife 🙂

mm. cooking. I love cooking.

crabb, mundial is ok, and with a hit on a sharpening stone once a week & a whisk over a steel each time you want sharp will give good use.
i worked in a meatworks once, and there i found what a sharp knife was…and my dad made knives. his were blunt. butchers are the kings when it comes to sharp knives. a sharp knive falls through a whole rump. about 3 times, then its blunt(er).
for a domestic kitchen, a fine stone, at about 25-30 degrees to the blade will give sharpness. caress, dont grind. it is an elusive art to get the edge, but look at the edge in good light, and experiment. meat & veggies like different edges. fine for meat, coarser for veg. but a sharp fresh knife will make food prep fun.

Noice topic JB.

Look forward to the next one.

It’s bringing many a memory flooding back, of my poor ‘just moved out of home’ days!

What, no Le Creuset?

In the interests of hygiene you really need two chopping boards, one for raw meat only and one for fruit/veg/cheese/cooked meats.
And make sure the knife (actually two knives is better, saves washing the blessed thing mid-prep) is SHARP.

Hey

Not at all in the spirit of JB’s posting but sort of on topic, I just purchased a Mundial knife block set as an engagement present for my daughter, and wondered what those out there who know about such things, think about the quality of that brand? DJs were trying to talk me into far more expensive options, and said that Mundial didn’t have the reputation they once had. There are a lot more brands out there now than there used to be when I was starting out. I bought the Mundial anyway – still seemed like a good value, quality set to start off with. Can’t stand working with crap tools!
Also, on the subject of knives – what’s your recommendation for foolproof sharpening?

Thanks!

and piss the non stick crap off, it will not stand up to drunken cooking. cast iron is so much a better weapon as well.

i’ll back danman on the woolies knives…they hold an edge well. a decent knife is the first thing one should have, along with a sharpening stone. quitely sharpening said knife whilst others are about gets that ‘taxi driver’ respect.
i stick to disposal store cast iron, frypan 15 bucks and up to 40 for a camp oven that will do a wicked stew/spag bol etc. you do need a big pot for pasta…5+ liters. see revolve. 5 bucks if you look good.
and a $30 gas ring allows proper wok action, but nowdays i’ve given up the stir fry thing, and the barbie is king. just a fad i go through.

Ahh – can opener? Spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam….

I would also suggest splashing out a little bit extra for decent pans/pots with a thick copper sandwiched base – easily affordable @ woolies + Big W

Also at woolies – they have 1 piece stainless steel 20cm “hollow handle” chefs knives for less than the price of a pack of smokes. Easy to sharpen and in my professional experoence I found these knives to hold an edge for a good amount of time – a little on the light side but well balanced none the less.

JB you should be writing books. Pure singleton gold.

Note: if you *do* go non-stick for the frypan/saucepan, be sure to spend an extra $2 on non-metallic tongs, unless you don’t mind flakes of teflon in your soup and/or replacing the frypan every month.

Ability to cook is a subject for the interview…

In my defence, I’m a bloody amazing cook and here’s a recipe to prove it:

(modified) Pork Ribs

This recipe is great for impressing people, or if you’ve got a few blokes over and are drinking beer and watching the cricket and can’t be fussed with actually watching the food cooking. Generally it is better to pick up the pork ribs well in advance as the price goes up and down as quickly as petrol. Best price to pay is about $5 a rack

Ingredients:
Pork Ribs
1 bottle BBQ Marinade
100ml Bourbon
1 Onion

Roughly chop Onion, combine with bourbon and marinade and… marinade the ribs between 1 hour to 1 day. Place ribs onto hot grill, watch that bourbon carimalise before your eyes. When black on one side, turn over and grill for 2 mins. Turn off heat and serve when cool enough to pick up.

Best served with Carlton Draught or fancy imported beer such as Heineken. You may want to ask your flatmate to do a salad (not necessary if watching cricket).

How about the process of learning to use said tools? Or is that the “more to follow” to which you’re referring?

And don’t prat about with a non-stick pot/saucepan. Bare stainless steel all the way. In non-stick saucepans lies the way to madness (and teflon poisoning). Non-stick frypan is okay, though.

Get a better knife. Mundial make a very good chef’s knife for not too much money that will stay sharper for longer. You’ll lose a finger trying to cut up a pumpkin with that thing in the pic.

Riotact recipes???

Well someone’s got to teach the girls to cook too in this day and age.

Gah! rubbish!

Wanted (female) flatmate, share duties incl. cooking

Save the money spent on above appliances and head down to the pub, and use it to buy a counter meal for yourself and free drinks for someone you’d like to have sex with, or your new flatmate.