What better souvenir from your cooking vacation than a chef's knife? Our favorite: the new Bob Kramer eight-inch carbon-steel chef's knife by Zwilling (surlatable.com; $300). Professional chefs spend years waiting for one of master bladesmith Kramer's masterpieces. Now his creations are within reach for home cooks. Carbon-steel knives fell out of favor with the rise of stainless steel, but they hold a far sharper edge, which means less sharpening and a longer life. Put it this way: Julia Child scoffed at stainless and shipped carbon knives to friends in the U.S. when she was in Europe.
For the baby boomers, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Here are four distinct (and distinctly appealing) options for where this most individual of generations should spend the golden years.... More
