I spent the weekend with a few friends at a cabin in Mt. Baker in Washington State. We’re ostensibly there to ski—and we did have a bluebird day up on the mountain on Saturday—but I’d say 60 percent of what has made this an annual trip are the meals we prep together. We’re always well stocked with ingredients (thanks to a few pitstops at Trader Joe’s and the Community Co-op) and wine (critical for meal prep, of course), but every year I kick myself for not bringing the crucial element to really making cooking fun: a great knife. Hands down, my favourite chef’s knife is from Global line: the handle is comfortable (and sanitary, without any grooves or grommets), the blade is hand-hammered (which creates air pockets, allowing the food to be more easily released) and most importantly, it slices and dices like a charm. (Which is more than I can say for a rental cabin-supplied knife.)
Global Sai Chef knife, $224.99, available in Vancouver at House of Knives, houseofknives.ca; in Calgary at Williams-Sonoma, williams-sonoma.com
editor's picks 