It is time for my annual bitching about Winn Dixie on Government Street in Mobile, known to those of us who live in the area as “Crack Dixie.”

Some reader will write me after this extolling the virtues of shopping there. All I have to say is you are delusional. Take me shopping with you – they never have anything you need. I go more than the extra mile not to shop here, but lately work has me so focused I have no real choice.

First, the produce is horrible – I continue to believe whatever is in the bottom of the truck after all the Winn Dixies in town get their produce is what we get. It smacks of racism – truly. My opinion is they do not care – the clientele is majority African American, and it is in the inner city. Survey after survey over the years has proven inner city groceries get the worst quality food and at higher prices.

I cruised in there the other evening to buy milk. Now, a year after I had a conversation with the public relations person for Winn Dixie – telling her all sorts of things, the lack or organic milk being one – they do have organic milk all the time. It is strange to me that you might walk in and find fresh pea pods or something, but no bananas. On this trip there were some gorgeous Granny Smith apples. They looked so good the cashier asked me if they came from this store! No lie.

The store is dirty, old and tired. The staff does the best they can. This store has not been renovated in at least 20 years. Yet, every time I call the corporate office they are just days away from renovation and expansion. The staff at that store, and all the rest of us will believe it when we see it.

You see, what the people do not know at corporate is they have no customer loyalty. They need to build some loyalty and commitment. They are not doing as hot as a company, and right now are likely making a tidy profit at this store. They are fat and happy. But we all shop there because we do not have much of a choice. You would think they would wake up.

Maybe for the first time ever they have an incentive – of course it would never be about the customer (every single other store in town has been renovated). Wal-Mart is moving right down the street. My guess is they will put the “Crack Dixie” out of business quickly.

I don’t shop at Wal-Mart for many reasons, but I just might. And this is just what Winn Dixie needs to worry about. How many times has the neighborhood begged for change and been told one day competition would arrive. While I would hate the loss, a small part of me wants to watch with glee. But I won’t.

Knives Continued

There are some very good Web sites out there that provide direction and shopping choices for knives. While department stores such as Dillard’s have good selections and frequent sales, I have found good success online, at Marshall’s for individual knives and Williams Sonoma for when you really want to invest. Also, there is some great information I obtained from www.alfi.com that has a huge selection of knives and sets at good prices. Check them out.

As I started last time, you should choose knives based on how you work in the kitchen and following is a breakdown with definitions courtesy of alfi.com. Also you will find knives listed by length, which you should think about as you ponder how and what you will use them for.

Chef knives range from 6-12” in length (8” being the most popular) and are used for chopping, mincing and dicing. The knife has a broad “flat” (blade) and is typically the knife used for most tasks.

This knife is best used on a cutting board by rocking it on its curved edge and using the tip as a stationary pivot. You can use it’s back to break bones and scrape foods from the board. The flat side is good for crushing things like herbs and spices.

A paring knife is not suitable for large and chunky foods, but is ideal for preparing vegetables, fruit, and potatoes. Paring knives range in length from 2”-4” and have a variety of shapes and curves. Paring knives are also great for boning chicken.

Slicers are typically narrow and thin-bladed and range from 8”-12”. They are used for cutting meats into very thin slices. The more flexibility in the knife, the thinner slices you can cut.

The very broad, thick blade of the Cleaver and its heavy weight make cutting bones and splitting ribs very easy. The heavier the cleaver, the easier it is to use. The cleaver’s thick edge will not chip easily.

Boning Knives (clear your dirty mind!) typically have narrow blade lengths of 5-6.5”. There are two types of boning knives, stiff and flexible. Stiff boning knives are good for boning beef, while flexible boning knives are good for poultry.

Fillet knives are flexible and have a blade length typically of 6.5” – 9”. These knives are great for filleting fish or chicken.

How do you keep these knives sharpened? With a “steel,” and you should use one every time you use a knife. A regular steel will not sharpen a dull blade, they realign the edge. I am actually in need of finding a place to have my knives sharpened as I have not been good about using my steel before each use.

According to the Web site, and I agree, quality is very important to take into consideration when searching for your knives. There are two important construction elements to think about when doing your research. Do you want forged knives, or stamped knives?

Forged knives undergo a treatment process to enhance the flexibility, density and hardness of the knife. Forged knives tend to be heavier than stamped knives, but are much better balanced. Forged knives are hand-made through a process of extreme heat and hand-molding. Each knife is carefully hand-crafted with extreme detail. The tang of the knife merges into the handle and is typically secured by three rivets.

Stamped knives are made from templated cutters that cut the shape of the knives into flat metal. Stamped knives are lighter but don’t have the same quality and balance as the forged knives do. Due to the lack of density, the stamped knives don’t hold edges as well as the forged knives. Stamped knives are usually less expensive.

So now you are armed to purchase your first set, or add to what you have.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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