October 30, 2020 - 6:40pm
Bread boxes and bread knives...
So read some articles about both of these items a while back and jeez I didn't even know that that were special knives for cutting loaves of baked bread...
Now as far as bread goes I usually just keep that in the bag and place in Fringe... Never used or owned a Bread Box before.
How many posters here own and use a bread knife? What would you advise me to buy, like how much to spend?
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Serrated offset bread knife. Mercer on Amazon will cost you $14. Offset is important or you'll be smashing your fingers into the cutting board. And then use a steel after every use.
No bread in the fridge please. A bread box was used to keep it out of the light. I put mine in the cabinet.
I never had any issues with keeping sliced bread in the Fringe. As long as I keep the bag in comes in closed.
The best reason not to put bread in the refrigerator is that the starch crystallizes most rapidly just above freezing (refrigerator temperature). So just leave your bread in the bag out of the sun at room temperature, or freeze it and thaw it in the microwave when you need a slice or two. Try thawing 12 slices of frozen bread, one at a time using different microwave run times (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 seconds at full power). Pick the one that works with your bread and your microwave, write the time on a piece of tape and stick it on the microwave where you can find it. Now you are set for life (or until your microwave goes South, or you start buying a different bread).
Well sliced bread in closed bag kept in fridge does taste better to me and last longer.... Well whole grain bread, never tried it with White... Not that I eat white bread anyway...
Helpful information, Doc.
I have had a Mercer M23210 bread knife for a little over 4 years and have given the same knife as a gift six times over that period. I prefer the broad blade because it is not inclined to twist or bend when cutting crusty loaves (which the narrower offset blade tends to do). The $17 current price is as good as you are going to find (remember that you are getting the 10" knife and not the 8" knife, and the wide blade not the narrow blade).
In 2016, before it was available on Amazon the price was $26 so it just keeps on getting better. And after you have had it for ten years, don't even try to sharpen it or find somebody else to sharpen it, just order another pre-sharpened one and give away the old one to somebody who is worthy - it is still a great knife. Also, don't be too picky about the color of the handle. They sometimes change a no-cost feature to justify a lower price rather than marking down the original version. Just make sure it has the same blade thickness.
I bought the Mercer M23210 bread knife from Amazon when my last bread knife because so dull it became dangerous. It has excellent reviews and lives up to the reviews. For the price, I doubt it can be beat.
Hope it lives up to the reviews!
I got this Opinel knive. Works great for me..
https://www.opinel-usa.com/collections/bread-knives/products/n-116-bread-knife
Have owned numerous German-made serrated bread knives in the past. Recently bought a serrated bread knife made in Oregon by Ferrum Technologies. The craftsmanship is at the level of a work of art and cutting ability is tops. Price wise it's far from the cheapest knife in the drawer. I managed to get mine from a retailer closeout at a significant discount, but am impressed enough to pay full price to own some of their other knives.
In a past life, I worked in manufacturing with gear technology made from powdered metal. It's part science and part black art. Ferrum claims that today it is possible to create higher strength from their powdered metal technology than is available from German steel alloys which are themselves superb.
Am not arguing this is the best value knife on the market, simply wanted to use my money to support an American knife manufacturer coming to market with completely different technology which is then cryo-tempered. Am proud to have my American made bread cut with a high-quality American made knife (and enjoyed with a Willamette Valley wine). Cheers?
Cuts well; easy to sharpen; great value. I've used it for a >1 year, and I'd buy it again!
Only (slight) problem -- cutting scallops do not extend to the very tip of the blade. This means that if you'd like to cut a slice of crusted bread the blade needs to be parallel to the cutting board. If slightly off you'll need to make multiple cuts to slice all the way through.