Hello my Foodie Friends !! This past Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to summer. We would like to thank all who have either served or are currently serving our country for their service. Both my father and father-in-law served our country. My father served in WWII fighting on the beaches of Normandy; my father-in-law served 22 years in the army, training and commanding young recruits. My mother was a Rosie the Riveter and lost 3 of her fingers in a work place accident and went right back on the job to make sure our soldiers had the best tanks!!!  Paula’s mom was a little younger but ran her dad’s vegetable and fruit stand for 12 hours a day! She also drove around town giving food to the families that were in need!!  Our parents come from a period that is called “the Greatest Generation.”  The stories that both my father and father-in-law have given over the years about their time in the war or in the service, and the stories both my mother and mother-in-law have told, reflect an incredible period of our history.  

“When the war ended, more than twelve million men and women put their uniforms aside and returned to civilian life. They went back to work at their old jobs or started small businesses; they became big-city cops and firemen; they finished their degrees or enrolled in college for the first time; they became schoolteachers,” 

- Tom Brokaw,
The Greatest Generation

I lost my father almost seven years ago. Among the precious possessions that were handed off to us were his knives.  As a gift to each of my four other siblings, I sharpened and restored my father’s knives giving each one of my brothers and sisters knives that they could use and remember my father through each day as they prepared their meals. 

Knife sharpening is a service that I offer at Compliments to the Chef. Did you know that a sharp knife leads to fewer injuries?  It does sound contradictory that a sharp knife could cause less injury.  However, a sharp knife means you make fewer cuts and do not have to work as hard as you would to cut when using a dull knife. The law of averages shows that there is less of a chance of cutting yourself with a sharp knife then with a dull knife. A sharp knife also cuts more precisely with less chance of slippage.  Overall; a sharp knife promotes better cutting techniques. Hold your knife and food correctly while paying close attention to your task and you’ll be fine, because a sharp knife will do its job!  Stop in to get a free lesson or get your knives sharpened by me for only 5 dollars per knife no matter what the size!  (Kitchen knives only please)  

Thank you to all who currently serve and have served our country.  Thank you for your service, commitment, and dedication, and above all, sacrifice in making our country great.

Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen!”

Take Care, John and Paula