If you are looking for the best steak knives this Christmas, there are a few simple rules that you can follow to ensure you get the most bang for your buck, and thus get the best cutting action for your steaks!

Of course, steak knives are not bare essentials for your kitchen arsenal, but they can really make a difference if you do a lot of BBQs or like hosting steak based dinner parties. You can pick up some sets pretty cheaply, but it is often better to do your research and end up with the best set you can. You should look for a good brand which gives reliability and durability in your knives; these things take a heck of a beating with frequent use, so it is much better to invest for the long term, and have to end up replacing them.

Presentation is also key – and if you go for some wooden handled knives, it is much better to hand wash them instead of putting them through the washer, as this can damage them!

Macaroni And Cauliflower Cheese Bake
Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals by Jamie Oliver
Pages 48-49

This is a favorite recipe of mine – to the point where I no longer need the recipe to make it. It’s a favorite of several friends too, as they request it from time to time – even after the last time (Macaroni & Cauliflower Cheese Bake- Misadventure) I made it when everything went funny.

Not this time. This time I used regular sour cream in the sauce, not the no-fat sour cream I’d used last time I made the dish. The other possibilities of the heat being too high and the brand of the cheese were also corrected. Whichever it was, the recipe worked properly this time.

Jamie Oliver’s recipe also made for the perfect opportunity to try a new gizmo/utensil I’d bought a week or so ago: a mezzalua board much like this one. The recipe calls for a handful of chopped fresh parsley and I have to say this board and knife set made it so easy. Previously I’d always used either the old drinking glass and scissors method or, occasionally, the Magic Bullet system, which did an incredible job, very quickly, but was also a heck of a mess to clean up. I can see using this chopping board set for parsley, cilantro and maybe fresh rosemary as well.

As usual, I’m laughing a bit at the number of people that this recipe is supposed to feed: Jamie says 4-6 people. My experience with this recipe says more: Closer to seven or eight people, maybe even more, assuming you add rolls, vegetables and a dessert.

I’m classing this as a vegetarian dish, though it’s obviously not vegan friendly, given the dairy products. It’s certainly easy to make, and usually it’s a hit with everyone who’s tried it.

Gone are the days where first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado, second prize was a set of steak knives, third prize, well…. you’re fired. In the very masculine world of Glengarry Glen Ross, only “closers” get the good sales leads and everyone else was fired. Web 2.0 and Sales 2.0 have changed the “game”.

Gone are the days when you had to “buy, beg, or bug their way in” via paid advertisements, issuing press releases that will hopefully get picked up by the trade press, or paying high commissioned sales people to do this for you. Replacing all of this is inbound marketing (coined by Hubspot) where business get found on the Internet by your best customers through blogging, social media, SEO, and lead conversion.

Similar to how Web 2.0 applications like Facebook and Twitter have changed how people communicate and interact within personal social networks, salespeople in this 2.0 world need to change how they interact with clients. In the past it was those who where “closers” who got the coffee. In the 2.0 world, it goes to those who offer outstanding, knowledgeable, and timely customer service.

I have had numerous opportunities to work with different organizations as they adopted and implemented web and sales 2.0 tools into their systems to develop an inbound sales and marketing process. During my experience, the one thing that I have found to be very consistent is that the sales people who can time manage, give great service and follow the customer’s buying process made the most sales.

Many sales managers and directors with whom I have worked with and talked to, and who have years more experience than I do, find this hard to believe. They make comments like “there is no reason why this individual should be selling so much!” “They do not trial close, they do not use the alternative close, heck they do not even “close”.” What they do is answer the customer’s questions and help their clients move through their buying process. What you have to remember is that in the web and sales 2.0 worlds, it’s no longer a hard sell, outbound, dial by numbers world.

These prospective clients already want to buy, the need does not have to be created, what you do have to do is help them get informed. With the advent of the internet, the sales person and consultant are no longer the most knowledgeable people. Prospective clients can very easily research a wealth of information, and find the majority of answers for themselves. Thus, the job of the sales person is to now facilitate this discovery, and provide great service in order to close the deal.

I have seen very new sales people achieve 50, 60 and 70% closing percentages in hyper competitive industries. They have cut the sales cycles down from 2 months to 10 days. How did they do this? They give great service. One organization was able to double their closing ratio, by providing immediate service and efficiently responding to their clients. The key to this accomplishment: implementing just two simple 2.0 tools. Often these deals do not even get into competitive price scenarios. Not only did this close the deal quicker but it also helps protect price and margins.

The great thing about all of this is that it actually increases margins. According to Hubspot research, inbound marketing-focused businesses experience a 61% lower cost per lead. In addition, I have found that the compensation packages for the sales people are less. I worked with one organization to decrease the sales person cost of sale from 15% to 10%. Now I know what you are saying: “no way, our sales representatives will revolt”. Surprisingly, they did not. What we did find was that they love it. No longer will they have to make those dial by numbers cold calls that they hate. Instead, they will be interacting with prospective clients that are in active buying mode. This means they will be having great conversations, with more client interaction, and selling more. Moreover, there is nothing anyone in sales loves more than closing, and what this can do for a sales room culture is unbelievable. Therefore, even though their percentage will decrease, their overall revenue will be way up. All this will save the organization up to 10% on their bottom line.

Wouldn’t you love to get back 10% to your bottom line and have a sales culture that people love to work in? Want to learn more download our free e-Book: How to Convert Inbound Leads into Sales Performance.

J.A. Henckels Twin Sharp Duo Knife Sharpener Great Sharpner, Easy to Use – Arnold E. Mauer – Newtown, CT United States
I have a number of Henckels knives. Not sure of the ‘model’ but they’re called “Ice Hardened”. Of course, also have other knives. I think the trick to keeping a sharp edge is sharpening the knife after each use. The sharpener is kept in a drawer by the knife block and my cutting area. Just take it out of the drawer, give the knife a few swipes and you’re done. I had a Chef’s Choice 120. Had to get it out of a cabinet, take it out of its box, plug it in and go from there. Just too inconvenient. Plus, it enjoyed eating my blades and it cost a heck of a lot more. It went to Goodwill.
Good for a year – Patrick Ryan – Portland, OR USA
This knife sharpener is good for about a year or until the sharpening blades start to rip your knives apart. As soon as you find big notches in the blades of your expensive knives, throw it out and get a better quality electric sharpener.
EXCELLENT SHARPENER!! – Anita M. Jordan –
THIS IS A GREAT PRODUCT! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW SET OF KNIVES, BUT THIS BROUGHT MY OLD ONES BACK TO LIFE. I HAD TO RUN THE KNIVES THROUGH THE SHARPENER MORE TIMES THAN THEY TELL YOU TO, BUT IT WORKED. MY TRUE TEST WAS WHEN I WAS CUTTING TOMATOES AND THE KNIVES SLICED RIGHT THROUGH WITHOUT MAKING MY TOMATOES A MESS. WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
Henckels: 32601-003 Whether your blades need a complete sharpening or just a touch-up, this dual-module manual sharpener from cutlery masters, Henckels, will accommodate all your needs. It features a steel roller module for dull blades and ceramic roller module for fine sharpening, all wrapped up in a timeless stainless steel design. Ambidextrous usage; large-handled; rubber feet grip counter surface. Lifetime warranty. Henckels Twin Sharp Duo knife sharpener is suitable for all knives with a fine edge, with the exception of coated knives. The stainless-steel sharpener comprises two modules, which are marked on the sharpener. The first module features steel wheels for coarse sharpening and presharpening, and the second module uses ceramic wheels for fine sharpening and smoothing. This sharpener works well for both right- and left-handed people, features rubber feet so it won’t skid on the countertop, and measures approximately 8 inches across and 3 inches tall, so you can store it in a drawer or display it in a small space. To use, place the knife sharpener on a flat surface, pressing down slightly with one hand. Draw the knife blade with a little pressure towards yourself, repeating up to five times for the dullest blades. For very blunt knives, use the first module and then the second. Knives with a bit of bluntness may require only the first module to bring back the original sharpness. Check the results by cutting into a sheet of paper.
J.A. Henckels Twin Sharp Duo Knife Sharpener

• Zwilling JA Henckels Four Star 9-Piece Knife Set with Block
• J.A. Henckels International Eversharp 8-Piece Steak Knife Set
• J.A. Henckels International Fine Edge Synergy 17-Piece Knife Block Set
• J.A. Henckels International Forged Synergy 16-Piece Knife Set
• J.A. Henckels Twin Signature Stainless-Steel 11-Piece Knife Set with Block

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| Category: Henckels

This entry was posted on Friday, April 9th, 2010 at 11:02 pm.