Wüsthof Classic Ikon Panini Knife, 8"

I was recently given the opportunity to test a new knife and review it on my blog. The knife is an 8" Wüsthof Classic Ikon Panini Knife. This knife can be found at gourmet kitchen stores or online at MetroKitchen.com, which has an excellent selection of quality cookware, knifes and other small kitchen appliances.

Typically this knife retails for about $120. If you know anything about German knifes, then you know this is a fair price. You’ll occasionally find it for a few bucks less online, but MetroKitchen.com is the best place to order it online. Not only do they price match, but they have free shipping on orders over $29.

One warning about buying online… make sure you know what you’re buying. There are Wüsthof Panini knifes on Amazon and eBay that claim to be Ikon for $75, but they are not, I repeat, NOT the Ikon model, they are the older, classic Wüsthof style.

Now, on to the knife. This thing is gorgeous. The steel shines. It’s so polished and pure that it made taking photos with my flash quite difficult. Wüsthof claims that it’s durable enough for cutting bread and hard cheeses, yet it’s gentle enough to slice finely through vegetables. And they’re right. 100%. If you look through the photos below you’ll see the knife at it’s finest. We used it on smoked Gouda, soft Monterrey Jack, and the slightly firmer Colby Jack. We went to town on a juicy red tomato with ease. This knife was perfect for preparing everything we needed for our golden Panini’s.

 

The knife is made of a single piece of forged steel, ensuring that you’ll never have an unsafe, wobbly knife. It’s perfectly balanced to give you a comfortable grip without feeling like the knife is lopsided. And boy oh boy is this puppy sharp, so watch your fingers. Wüsthof only makes the finest quality of knives, so always be careful when handling, because they can cut through just about anything.

I could go on and on talking about this knife. Mentioning how well it glides through golden toasted Panini’s filled with melted cheeses, veggies and tasty condiments. But I’m making myself hungry, so I’ll just let the remaining photos do the talking.

This knife is a must have for anyone who knows their way around the kitchen; or anyone who wants a one-stop knife that is going to be sharp, versatile and last them a lifetime. This is definitely a knife to recommend to your friends, and as a knife connoisseur, I recommend that everyone should have this knife in their block.

Enjoy!

   

Viva Las Vegas!

Well, I survived yet another trip to Vegas. Nothing much to report back on as far as stories go... it was probably the tamest experience I've had in Las Vegas before. No clubs and no super late nights out on the strip, not knowing how we got home. I'm not sure if I'm getting older or if it's the crowed that I traveled with.

I'm going to assume it was the crowd. I went with some buddies from college, who were also fraternity brothers. Now you'd normally think that some college buddies hitting Vegas would spell stories of "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." However, the exact opposite was true. We stayed out late, gambled our money away, enjoyed "free" drinks at the tables and even hit a show. But there are no dead stripper stories, no cracked out homeless guy stories, nor even amazing celebrity encounters. Ok, that last one was actually a lie, but it's not like we partied with any of them.

(LJ)

My flight from KC began on Thursday afternoon. The guy who sat next to me? Larry Johnson, #27, running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. Not too shabby. My flight back didn't have anyone to speak of, but while waiting for my flight in LV we got to meet and chat with TO. Yes, Terrell Owens, now a wide received for the Buffalo Bills. Both were really nice guys. Neither wanted pictures taken, but were happy to exchange hand shakes. I don't blame them though, if I was rich and famous I wouldn't want even more attention being drawn to me.

Ok, so moving onward. We got to Vegas on Thursday night and hit up Hooters Casino of all places. The place is as tacky as their restaurants. The cards were good and I won some money, but nothing that was going to pay my mortgage. The next couple of days were filled with trips to the pool, long walks up and down the strip and a few "shows" on the street. The Sirens of TI suck. The new volcano at Mirage is awesome. And the fountains at Bellagio still amaze me; even after seeing them 5 different times.

 

On Saturday we hit downtown. I still like the classic feel of Freemont. The old casinos remind me of old movies. The gambling is cheap and the people are average Joe's looking to have fun. It's not filled with pretentious a-holes. There aren't blonde bimbos walking around looking for a rich guy to mooch off of. And probably one of my favorite parts, there aren't cabs trying to run you over or people trying to hand you hooker cards. Classic Vegas... the way it's supposed to be.

After our stint on Freemont, we hit the buffet at Bellagio. Wow. Yum. Full. The thing was amazing. And it should have been for what they charged... $39.95.

  There are 12 stations and a desert bar the size of my house. Duck, venison, prime rib, beef wellington, rack of lamb, king crab legs, turkey, ham, sushi, shrimp, pork belly. The list goes on. It was fantastic. All four plates of it. I don't think I've ever eaten that much food before in my life. I'm still not hungry... and that was four days ago.

To top it all off we decided to take in LE RÊVE at the Wynn. It was a great show, even for 4 guys going without any ladies. There was action, splashing water and great music. It was one of the best shows I've seen in Vegas. Maybe anywhere. If you get a chance to see it and are debating what tickets to get, I suggest the cheapest ones they have: The Splash Zone. You might get a few drops of water on you, but the performers are nearly sitting in your lap. They say only the first two rows are the splash zone, so take that opportunity over the other seats that are higher up in the theater, not to mention that the higher up seats cost more!

Sunday and Monday can pretty much be written off. By the time I lost all my money on Saturday I don't really have any stories worth telling. I enjoyed the pool, watched some TV, watched my friends lose money and made time for a small shopping trip to H&M at the Planet Hollywood Shops.

It was a great time and I'm glad to be home. Vegas takes it out of me. I love and hate that place all at the same time. I don't want to go back for a long time. But ask me again in 2 months and I'll likely be dying to go. Such is the attraction that is Vegas.

 

Sorry kids...

Sorry that I haven't posted lately... things have gotten a little hectic with life and work, but fear not, things are just gravy.

I promise to post more soon, including a detailed entry on the new Wüsthof Panini knife that I've been selected to review. Pictures and lots of info to come.

Also, be sure to check back after the holiday weekend. I'm sure I'll post something about my trip to Vegas. I'm headed out there tomorrow night and will be back late Monday. It should be a good time. Plenty of tasty food and fun to be had by all.

Thanks for checking in. More to come!