Hi everyone!

I’ve been a bit MIA the past two weeks but I’ve got some exciting news to share. Firstly, I moved into an adult house! So at least I have a good excuse for no new posts, right? It’s been a roller coaster of a journey but we are so excited for this next chapter. This is our first home we’ve owned and it’s already come with its challenges, but the kitchen makes up for all of it. I can’t wait to start using more of my own photos for demonstrations in the future and expanding my articles to my own recipes!

My second round of good news is something I didn’t expect so early in my blog journey but I am ecstatic for the opportunity! If you remember my article from December on the TUO Fiery Phoenix collection you’ll know how much I love a good knife and how much I loved the set I was gifted for Christmas.

Well, TUO reached out to me and wanted to collab! I did some deep dive research to make sure it was real and I wasn’t dreaming but they actually read my blog and wanted me to write another article so here I am. They’ve kindly sent me another beautiful knife from the Fiery Phoenix collection and I can’t wait to share it with you.

So grab a snack and something to drink and let’s get to it!

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Get to know TUO

TUO, in the Chinese language, means “to explore and adventure”. Those are TU-Of my favorite things!

I always end my articles with “be brave in trying new things”. And I mean it 100%. Being brave in the art of cooking, exploring different foods and accessories, and bringing adventure into the kitchen is one of the things in life that I love the most.

The creator of TUO knives is CK Zhou. Zhou knew that the art of Chinese kitchen knives in China was not as popular as the professional knife culture in Europe. So he ventured out studying the art of the industry, determined to create a successful brand of professional kitchen knives to be used by people at any skill level.

75% of the world’s cutlery is manufactured in YangJiang, China where Zhou has become an industry pioneer. But he’s not stopping there. TUO knives is on it’s way to becoming an internationally popular collection! With 10 growing series of knives and several awards including “Kitchen Knife of the Year” in 2019 in Atlanta, TUO is now sold in more than 50 countries!

But wait a second. I’m not a professional chef!

No worries! The TUO Fiery Phoenix series was designed for anyone who loves to cook. Where a true professional chef probably has a specific knife for each food item they’re working with, these TUO knives are multi-purpose.

The Fiery Phoenix Series was designed to blend form and function together for practical use. This series blades’ are fabricated of Germain carbon steel and the handles are made of Pakkawood meaning it will not warp from absorbing water.

Each piece is designed for effortless slicing, dicing and chopping of fruits, veggies, meats and more.

Each is lightweight in comparison to other chef’s knives, has a narrow blade for fluidity in movement and is elegantly designed for any experienced home cook, as well as the professional chef community.

The TUO Rocking Cleaver

One of my favorites styles of kitchen knives is the cleaver, which is something TUO didn’t know and I just got lucky! Not only that but the method that feels most natural to me is the rocking motion. So I guess you can say I was pretty stoked when I opened the box.

The Blade

TUO creates their blades to with precision and very durable material. Each blade is made of high-carbon German steel which is a big plus when it comes to a kitchen blade, but what makes the TUO knives even more intriguing, is the process they go through to ensure quality and longevity of the blade.

TUO blades go through a high-tech heated vacuum treatment followed by a nitrogen cooling treatment to protect the blade from corrosion damage.

I use my knives every day so this is something I look for in products and is why I love their knives so much. This process can also help to lock in the nutrients of the food you’re working with and helps to maintain the natural flavor.

The Meats

The TUO Rocking Cleaver is great for herbs and vegetables. But it doesn’t have to be limited to just herbs and vegetables.

The high-carbon German steel blade can cut through meat as well!

If you have nice a flank steak or chicken breasts you’ll find just as much ease slicing, chopping or shredding these meats as you would an onion. I don’t often cook with meat since we try to eat as many plant based meals as possible, but the rocking cleaver can also handle any tough meat or muscle that may be stuck to the bone.

Or even cut through the bone if needed!

The Veggies

Since I do use this knife to fine dice vegetables and herbs, I love the surface area it gives you to easily scoop up those veggies and herbs to transfer to my pots and pans. It’s incredibly easy to finely chop herbs with the way the curve of this knife was designed.

It gives you enough fluidity in your wrist to feel like a true professional dicing through herbs like you’re on Chopped with 30 seconds left on the clock!

Whether I’m cutting cucumber moons, matchstick carrots or shredded cabbage, this knife will be my new go-to. It’s also durable enough to smash garlic and the curve of the blade makes it really easy to rock and dice your garlic into fine pieces.

The Handle

I know I’ve rambled on about the blade because it is important, but so is the feel of the handle. Another thing I really appreciate about the Fiery Phoenix Series is the handle design and color.

Something that TUO took into consideration when creating this series was how sick and tired everyone was with the standard black handle. And they were right! I spend a lot of time in my kitchen. It’s the heart of my home and I want it to feel warm and welcoming.

The Fiery Phoenix Series delivered just that.

The handle is made from beautiful pakawood with ribbons of yellow and black that have created a stunning look for your kitchen.

Along with the rest of the knives in this series, the Rocking Clever is full tang. Now if you’re not into researching culinary terms like me, you’re probably 100% confused by what that means.

Full tang is something you want in a professional knife. The tang of the knife is the unexposed metal or steel bit that runs through the handle. On some knives you can see the exposed tang down the handle, but with this knife you’ll see the tang at the end of the handle with the brand logo embossed.

Full tang does increase the weight of the knife, but it also creates balance. This is what you’re looking for in a great kitchen knife. If the blade is too heavy and the handle is too light, it can be really hard to work with.

TUO Knife Care

A good knife should last a lifetime if you take good care of it.

To clean these knives, simply use water, a tiny bit of soap and a sponge. Do not put them in the dishwasher. Hand wash after use and then immediately hand dry them. Because they are made of carbon steel, air drying could cause them to rust over time.

To cut with these knives, avoid cutting on counter tops. This could damage your counter top and cause your knife to dull faster. Instead, use wooden cutting boards or plastic!

To sharpen these knives, if you cook regularly you should only need to sharpen them about twice a year. What you need instead is a steel honing rod. You might have seen one of these before or even owned one yourself and thought it was your knife sharpener, but it’s actually a honing steel. A honing steel realigns the blade through the back and forth sweeping motion which makes it seem like it’s been sharpened, but it’s actually been corrected to it’s original position.

To store your knives there are a few options. TUO has a knife bag which is practical to store your knives but not necessarily easily accessible when you cook every day. However, it is a great way to get your knives off of the counter. Other great options are knife guards if you like to keep them in a drawer, a magnetic knife holder for the wall, a magnetic knife stand or a universal knife block.

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Are You Ready for Your Own TUO Knife?

If you’ve been putting off trying a knew kitchen blade stop waiting! Give TUO a try and I promise you won’t be disappointed. If you have any questions about the TUO Rocking Cleaver please leave your comments below. I would love to hear from you!
 I hope you enjoy learning about the products we recommend! These products were independently selected by Haley’s Kitchen. Just so you know, as an Amazon affiliate, Haley’s Kitchen earns from qualifying purchases. Oh, and items are in stock as of time of publication unless noted otherwise!

Remember to be brave in trying new things and always cook with a dash of love!

Until next time,

Haley | Creator of Haley’s Kitchen

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