James grew up on an Ozarks farm where tools like axes and picks were still used in the daily routine and the blades of stockman's pocketknives served their original functions. Receiving his first pocketknife at age four he got it open by himself nearly a year later and spent his formative years wandering the woods with a succession of ever larger knives, a book of matches and a rifle.
A veteran of Vietnam, James also served in Alaska during a stint in the Army, receiving his first intensive culinary training by setting a record for extra KP at Ft. Richardson.
Settling in the Pacific Northwest after his discharge, James crewed on sailing yachts in local races, backpacked hundreds of miles of mountain trails in search of good trout fishing, and occasionally attended college.
His first serious job as a civilian resulted from answering a Seattle Post Intelligencer want ad requesting someone who could lift 120 pounds repeatedly and wasn't afraid of fire. James apprenticed to John Frazier -- the most knowledgeable traditional foundryman in North America at that time -- for the next six years.
Returning to the Ozarks James made his living by growing ginseng on a hand-terraced wooded hillside and selling handmade wood turnery, furniture, sculpture and architectural carvings. James harvested trees from his own land, processing logs into posts and beams and turnery billets with saws, axes, froes and planes. Since many tools he needed were no longer available, James built his own forge from a barbeque grill, a vacuum cleaner and a 55 gallon steel drum, found a chunk of railroad track for his first anvil, and taught himself blacksmithing -- creating his own knives and tools from scrap steel and sweat.
Changing economic pressures eventually forced James back to the restaurant industry in Branson, Missouri, and later to even more success as a maintenance engineer for one of Branson's largest condominium resorts. Finally escaping to Indiana, James now makes his living telling true stories as a freelance writer.
White Cutting Board Polyethylene | 14.5 x 22.25 Inch | Acrylic Plastic Products
1 min read
With a raised edge to contain juices and a lip designed to hook the edge of the countertop — holding this board securely in place — this polyethylene cutting board from Acrylic Plastic Products adds useful new features to an already popular design.
I’ve worked with polyethylene cutting boards since the early ’70s, both at home and in restaurant kitchens, and there are very logical reasons that these rugged and sanitary boards are the industry standard. Slip them into a dishwasher, punch the button on the control panel, and they’re clean. The surface yields just enough to a cutting edge that the blade doesn’t dull faster than normal. The flawless new surface of a poly board gives bacteria and food particles no hiding places — sanitize regularly during use and cross contamination isn’t a worry.
Poly boards are slick and do skate a lot during use unless you fold a towel under them or work on a rubber mat. The dropped lip on this board doesn’t completely solve problems, but it does help. A paper towel or two under the main board makes it even more secure. Fourteen-and-a-half inches is actually a lot of working space unless you’re using a very large chef’s knife, so the raised lip shouldn’t get in the way of most techniques.
Poly boards raise only a few concerns. Some of today’s best knives use very hard steel which chips if used improperly, and poly boards grab knife edges as they slide across the surface. With an ordinary knife, you can feel that when mincing herbs and slicing vegetables, but there’s no real damage to less tempered steel. The hardest steel could chip under that same pressure, so be sure this board matches the quality of your own cutlery. For the best knives, you’ll need to learn new methods.
Poly also scars, developing cuts and grooves that could harbor germs. Dishwashers are the best treatment for poly boards, but badly worn boards should be replaced. At least for the home, consider a good bamboo cutting board as a more permanent replacement.
James grew up on an Ozarks farm where tools like axes and picks were still used in the daily routine and the blades of stockman's pocketknives served their original functions. Receiving his first pocketknife at age four he got it open by himself nearly a year later and spent his formative years wandering the woods with a succession of ever larger knives, a book of matches and a rifle.
A veteran of Vietnam, James also served in Alaska during a stint in the Army, receiving his first intensive culinary training by setting a record for extra KP at Ft. Richardson.
Settling in the Pacific Northwest after his discharge, James crewed on sailing yachts in local races, backpacked hundreds of miles of mountain trails in search of good trout fishing, and occasionally attended college.
His first serious job as a civilian resulted from answering a Seattle Post Intelligencer want ad requesting someone who could lift 120 pounds repeatedly and wasn't afraid of fire. James apprenticed to John Frazier -- the most knowledgeable traditional foundryman in North America at that time -- for the next six years.
Returning to the Ozarks James made his living by growing ginseng on a hand-terraced wooded hillside and selling handmade wood turnery, furniture, sculpture and architectural carvings. James harvested trees from his own land, processing logs into posts and beams and turnery billets with saws, axes, froes and planes. Since many tools he needed were no longer available, James built his own forge from a barbeque grill, a vacuum cleaner and a 55 gallon steel drum, found a chunk of railroad track for his first anvil, and taught himself blacksmithing -- creating his own knives and tools from scrap steel and sweat.
Changing economic pressures eventually forced James back to the restaurant industry in Branson, Missouri, and later to even more success as a maintenance engineer for one of Branson's largest condominium resorts. Finally escaping to Indiana, James now makes his living telling true stories as a freelance writer.
The Diamond Edge Pro knife and scissors sharpener from Smith Abrasives combines electric and manual sharpening systems for quick and accurate refurbishing of knives...
With a raised edge to contain juices and a lip designed to hook the edge of the countertop — holding this board securely in place — this polyethylene cutting board from Acrylic Plastic Products adds useful new features to an already popular design.
