Mac the Knife

Mac Mighty Santoku, that is. If you cook and you don't have one of these, you're missing the best prep experience ever.

I bought mine about three weeks ago on Amazon, after having read about their prep prowess in a favorite publication, Cook's Illustrated, who rated this knife ($90) and the Forschner Victorinox chef's knife very highly. (If you think that the Victorinox name sounds familiar, that's because they make the very famous Swiss Army Knives, the pocket knives known for their unrivaled sharpness and gadgetry. And the nice thing about Victorinox knives is their price...cheap! The chef's knife is about $35 with shipping.)

But back to the Mac. It's so sharp it cuts like a great pair of scissors through thin paper. I was so surprised when I went to bias-cut a carrot (which is typically a chore with any of my other knives) and it just sailed through the task. Onions, tomatoes, celery...throw a fruit or vegetable at this knife and it breezes through it like nothing. Just amazing. You can slice cucumbers so thinly you can see through them. Last week, I sliced a Valencia orange to eat it. The knife was so sharp it sheared right through the seed, without even moving it from the orange flesh. Phenomenal.

If you cook, you will love it. But beware...you could slice off a hand if you're not careful.