Good for your 4th of July picnic: The Knork

I'm sure a good number of you are spending today at neighborhood picnics, or hosting some kind of party of your own to celebrate Independence Day. (If you're living in the USA, that is. If not... mind your business.)

If you're serving anything that needs to be cut while holding a paper plate with one hand (a lot of the best 4th of July foods), hopefully you picked up a few KNORKS for your guests.

What's a Knork, you say? Well, obviously you've missed the spots on Rachael Ray and Food Network's Unwrapped.

It's basically a fork and knife combined into one. The tines are curved and beveled, but not sharp enough to cut your mouth.

Check out the clip from Unwrapped:


I tested it out on a chicken breast (drizzled with Rachael Ray's Balsamic Drizzle, but that's another post).


It cut through pretty well. The "finger platform" (you can't see it in the pic, sorry) does actually help you press into the food more than a regular fork for improved cutting.

The Knork also comes in a plastic version, which I tested out on pizza from Whole Foods. While similar in shape, the plastic knork was harder to stabilize, and it's cutting action didn't seem all that better than a regular fork—even when cutting through thin crust pizza.

So, for the novelty factor, I think Knorks are pretty useful and fun. While you probably won't ever see them at your finest steakhouse, they're certainly a conversation starter. Maybe leave one out for your next blind date to use and watch the conversation take off!

Thanks to the Knork people (Knorkees?) for sending me a few to test out!

Chefography Returns to Food Network

While no one can beat the Chefography of Sandra Lee (I love revisiting this post from time to time when I need another glimpse of Florence Henderson on that krazy Kurtain Kraft kouch), take a look at these upcoming Chefographies:

CHEFOGRAPHY: JULIA CHILD
Premieres: Monday, April 7th at 9PM
With her unmistakably expressive voice, Julia Child invited everyday people into her TV kitchen and introduced them to exciting new ways of preparing food. Julia was not a natural born cook … until one bite of a buttery French dish helped change everything. With passion, charm, and impeccable timing, Julia captivated generations of viewers and helped change the way America cooks.

CHEFOGRAPHY: WOLFGANG PUCK
Premieres: Tuesday, April 8th at 9PM
Wolfgang Puck – one of the most famous names in the culinary world who changed the way Americans eat. Mixing classical French techniques along with Asian and California influences and the highest quality ingredients, Wolfgang created a completely new style of cuisine. Once Wolfgang invented pizza with smoked salmon and caviar, contemporary fine dining in cities across the nation, and the world, would never be the same.

CHEFOGRAPHY: FOOD NETWORK
Premieres: Wednesday, April 9th at 9PM
It began as a humble series of instructional cooking shows with budgets so small that once the cameras started rolling they would not stop … for anything. But by tapping into America’s love affair with food, Food Network has transformed itself into the ultimate stage for superstar cooks and the fans who love them.

CHEFOGRAPHY: ACE OF CAKES
Premieres: Thursday, April 10th at 9PM
Before Ace of Cakes became an overnight sensation on the Food Network, Duff Goldman and his eccentric supporting staff, embarked on a unique journey to the spotlight. Chef Duff's background is a story of childhood rebellion, art, music and culinary adventures – including a raucous stint at Burger King, a wild ride at a prestigious pastry school, and a job at one of the best restaurants in the world. His diverse experiences and determination led Duff to hire his friends and open one of the most creative, successful and entertaining bakeries in the nation: Charm City Cakes.

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Very interesting! I'm glad they're highlighting Julia Child and Wolfie. And a Chefography on Food Network itself? We haven't had a good look into the network since the Unwrapped episode on Food Network, so that should be good.

Any others you'd like to see?