Racking those knives

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Okay, I’m a little slow this year, but valiantly trying to get the annual kitchen organizing underway. So far I’ve thrown out old spices, wiped down the jars of flours and other dry goods, cleaned the filters in the stove hood--all the tedious stuff.

I’ve also decided to jettison the knife block (after finding the big block of wood a suitable home). Tired of guessing which knife is where, I finally put up a magnetic knife rack. Actually two.

Why now? Because I found one that has such magnetic pull I won’t worry that a heavy chef’s knife or cleaver might be tempted to fall off and cause some serious harm. The magnet in the Global brand knife rack is so strong, it practically draws the knife out of my hand to park it safely with a satisfying clunk. I bought one at Sur La Table, the other on sale somewhere, but they’re available in various sizes at other cookware stores and online. They’re not inexpensive, but they’re not going to wear out either. The 16-1/2” magnetic knife rack is about $150, but can sometimes be found for much less.

I love being able to see all the knives at once and choose the right one for the task. I know I have too many, but I somehow can never resist when I come across a good knife. They come in handy, too, when friends are over and we’re all cooking together.

--S. Irene Virbila