Our new knives

Each student in my class is now the owner of a silver-sheened chef's knife, paring knife and steel. Chef Vic says this year is the first time the school is including knives in a student's package, and our batch is the first beneficiary of this gift.


There's food porn, and then there's knife porn:


Each knife is also beautifully embossed with the GCHA logo of interlocking wheat ears.


The school is also ironing out a deal that will allow it to sell knife sets and holders at a much more student-friendly price. I'm glad I did not give in to the temptation of buying knives before school began.

I have to constantly suppress the urge to take the knives out of their sheaths - I have become addicted to the zing! they make as they leave their plastic protectors. The metallic tinkle reminds me of the sound a sword makes as it is unsheathed from its scabbard in period films. I fancy that I am some sort of Joan of Arc of the kitchen, slicing through enemy pigs and valiantly defending the grill against invading carrots and stalks of celery.

When I start naming my knives - Pablo? Fifi? The Juliennator? - you will know that I have reached the point of no return and need to be committed so I pose no danger to myself and to others.