This is why the French bring their own knife to restaurants
Don’t be surprised if, in a French restaurant, the people at the table next to you pull a knife brought from home out of their pocket when a huge côte de boeuf is served. The principle of ‘always bring your own knife’ is a French tradition that goes back a long way and is particularly upheld in the countryside.
The importance of a good knife
In the past, every man in the French countryside carried a knife. If it wasn’t for cutting through a rope or doing something with a piece of wood, it was to cut a sausage into pieces. Naturally, that knife was also used at the dinner table; since prehistoric times, the French have considered it important to be able to cut their food properly.
The quality of restaurant knives
All well and good, but why would you still bring your own knife to the local auberge nowadays? The most important reason is that people don’t want to risk the quality of the knives on the table not being up to scratch. Because if they’re serrated knives, the mood is pretty much ruined. Those knives are completely unsuitable for meat; they don’t cut the meat, but tear it. And that is indigestible both for that piece of dead cow and for the person trying to eat it.
Comfort and hygiene
Besides the superior cutting performance of your own knife, comfort is an important factor; a restaurant knife that doesn’t feel good in your hand makes people sad. Culinary showboating with an expensive, handmade knife is also a reason that shouldn’t be underestimated; it’s actually strange that snobbery isn’t a French word. And finally, hygiene plays a role—who knows who has been touching your knife with their grubby little fingers—ugh?
Five essential French pocket knives
The world of French pocket knives has a long history and is steeped in tradition, but which knife will make you look good? Asking a range of experts reveals that these five knives are a must-have for every knife enthusiast:
1. The Douk-Douk Knife
Designed by Gaspard Cognet in 1929 as a simple but exceptionally functional knife for use in the French colonies. Campers, cooks or DIY enthusiasts, a Douk-Douk always comes in handy.
2. The Laguiole
With its distinctive and alluring shape, it is a showcase of French craftsmanship. A symbol of history, tradition and artistry. Originally devised for shepherds, the Laguiole is now a coveted object for culinary fashionistas. If you buy one, check its authenticity first.
3. The Liadou du Vallon Knife
Regional cultural heritage and one of France’s finest pocket knives. Originally handmade equipment for winegrowers, the Liadou du Vallon knife is now used in Michelin-starred restaurants for cheese and sausage. With a lifetime guarantee.
4. The Opinel
An icon of industrial design. Designed in 1890 by Joseph Opinel as a sturdy and inexpensive knife for farmers and workers. The Opinel is still an example of simplicity, functionality and affordability.
5. The Thiers Knife
The town of Thiers lies in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, which has been known since the Middle Ages as the birthplace of French knife-making. The Thiers knife is the result of a collaboration between local artisans who wanted to make a knife that reflected their high standards for quality and functionality.
Read also:
- Top hack: how to sharpen your knife again (without an expensive whetstone or knife sharpener)
- Is this controversial device exactly what your knives need?
- These fantastic (and really good!) cutting boards are the ones you’ll want to bring home now
Image: Laguiole en Aubrac Shop
