Your knives are dull...

You know they are. Don't look at me that way. Oh, I know what you're thinking: "But I sharpen them on my steel every time I use them!" That steel isn't sharpening. It's honing. Sharpening removes a tiny amount of metal from the blade to create a fine edge. Honing simply realigns errant steel molecules and doesn't do much good once that edge is worn down by all that chopping (and occasionally slicing off the tips of your thumbs). Trust me, you need to get your knives sharpened.

If you live near a Sur La Table, you're in luck! During the month of April, they will sharpen two knives for you. For free! Details can be found at their website. I'll be taking my santoku and my boner (my boning knife! Jeez...). If you live in Portland, this means you'll have to venture into the Pearl District. I'm sorry. But sharp knives are well worth the sacrifice. If you live in Lake Oswego, there's one there too.