QUESTION: I would like to give some knives to a young future star chef. Without taking out a car loan, can you make a recommendation about what type to buy and whether or not I should get a steel or sharpener to go along with them? Please let me hear from you before Christmas.ANSWER: You are so nice to think about getting me something for Christmas. It's too much! Oh, all right, maybe none of the words in "young future star chef" are applicable to me, but a guy can dream.Seriously, I hope I can help you, but I'm worried about the "taking out a loan" remark. Good knives aren't cheap, and in the world of cutlery the statement "you get what you pay for" is definitely true. The upside to purchasing a high-quality (and yes, expensive) knife is that if the future star chef takes care of it, he or she will have it for a lifetime.Instead of naming specific knife companies, let's go over what you should look for in a good knife.First, find out what the blade of the knife is made out of. There is carbon steel, which is easy to sharpen, gets very sharp, and holds an edge pretty well. But it is high maintenance; it rusts and stains pretty easily, so therefore it needs constant cleaning and drying.Some knives are made from stainless steel. The pros to this material is that it doesn't stain or rust and can take a beating. The cons are that it doesn't get as sharp and is harder to sharpen. It requires a grinding stone, the use of which will shorten the life of the knife.The last type I'm going to talk about is high carbon stainless steel.High carbon stainless steel offers many of the best qualities of the first two types I described, and I would probably recommend going this route with your gift. They will get a good edge, are easy to sharpen, and won't easily discolor.Next, consider the handles. There are two primary handle materials: wood and plastic. Some chefs will point out that wood, over time, can crack or become brittle. Also, if they are not cleaned regularly or properly, they could (the key word here is could) absorb bacteria. That being said, I think I speak for the majority in our field when I say I prefer a wooden handle. I happen to be in the camp that thinks a good wooden handle is better balanced, less slippery, and just overall feels more comfortable in your hand over a long period of time.Third, you need to check out the characteristics of the knife. You want to compare the following when making that purchase that will put you in hock, er, I mean when buying that generous gift. Does it have a good point that will pierce items easily? How is the weight and balance in relation to the person using it? Does the tang (the metal part of the blade that goes into the handle) go all the way to the end of the handle? In a good knife, it will. Is the spine (the top part of the blade) the right thickness in relationship to the edge? Also, is the part of the spine that is right next to the handle comfortable, since a chef's finger will sometimes rest there?All of these details will vary from company to company. You also need to keep the future chef in mind: male or female, big or small, left-handed or right-handed, etc.If it were up to me, and I were to buy just one "good knife" for this future star, I would definitely purchase a good "chef's knife." If I were buying two knives, I would add a paring knife. And if I were going all out and splurging on three, I would go for a serrated (bread) knife or maybe a boning knife.

QUESTION: I would like to give jarred nuts to co-workers and friends for the holidays. Please send a recipe for pecans, walnuts, peanuts, or cashews. I will tell everyone that I got the recipe from you.ANSWER: I can think of some great nuts, all right, but how you will get them in a jar, I have no idea. Some that come to mind: Donald Rumsfeld, anyone who blames alcohol for racial comments, and anyone who doesn't like "Charlie Brown's Christmas Special" — I really don't trust those people.

2 1/3 cups walnut halves2½ tablespoons butter, melted1½ tablespoons sugar½ teaspoon ground cumin½ teaspoon ground cinnamon¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper¼teaspoon kosher salt, or more to tastePreheat oven to 325 degrees. Toss walnuts in the butter. Combine sugar and remaining ingredients and sprinkle over walnuts, tossing to coat. Spread on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool, then store in containers with tightly fitted lids.Makes 2 cups.

1 cup granulated sugar½ cup brown sugar½ cup sherry¼ teaspoon kosher salt3 cups walnut halves½ teaspoon cinnamon¼ teaspoon ground gingerLightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stir sugar, sherry, and salt until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, cover, and boil for 2-3 minutes. Uncover and wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.Cook without stirring until mixture reaches 236-degrees (soft-ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Vigorously stir in pecans, cinnamon and ginger until mixture looks cloudy. Immediately turn out on prepared cookie sheet (drain off excess sugar mixture). Cool, then separate pecans and store in tightly lidded containers.

1 teaspoon cold water1 egg white1 pound large pecan halves1 cup sugar1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon saltBeat water and egg white until frothy. Mix well with pecans. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well with pecans. Spread on cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 225 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Cool, then store in containers with tightly fitted lids.Makes 6 servings.