With Good Eats now off the air (and I can’t find repeats on Canada’s horrible Food Network), it’s good to see Alton Brown is keeping himself busy. While not hosting campy food reality shows, he’s now blogging.

I must have missed this post on BlogTO this summer, it’s a list of the best places in Toronto to buy kitchen knives.

• Knife
• Fonseca Sharpening
• Nella Cucina
• The Cook’s Place
• The Internet Kitchen Store
• Healthy Butcher
• Nikolaou Restaurant Equipment
• Tap Phong
• High Tech
• Dinetz

The Globe and Mail has been showing videos of some basic cooking skills. This week is a video on basic knife skills.

Kitchen Confidential is the book that made Anthony Bourdain famous. The TV host of food and travel show, “No Reservations” got his start in the self-described “dark underbelly” of New York’s restaurant kitchens. It’s a very raw look at the life of a chef and insightful look at the man on TV.

The book, now almost 10 years old, gives a look into a much younger and much bolder Tony Bourdain. It’s entertaining and filled with colorful stories. If it was a movie it would probably be rated ‘R’.

On a different note, I learned of an episode of No Reservations that I have yet to see on TV. It was an episode filmed about their trip to Beirut. On the second day of the trip, the 2006 Lebanon War broke out and what started as a food documentary turned into human drama. The episode focuses much on what it was like being in the middle a war in the relatively safety of their hotel/safehouse while waiting to be evacuated by the US Government. It was probably the best episode of the series – and won an Emmy.

Alton Brown has teamed up with Shun knives to create a special line of knives with an angled handle. They are made with a Damascus steel look that is made of layered steel, similar to a japanese sword. The angled handle makes chopping a bit easier for beginners as it makes sure the knuckes on the handle-hand don’t hit the cutting board.

Marc Thuet has opened up a food boutique and cafe in Liberty Village called Atelier Thuet. Fabulous meats and cheese are on display in the front counters while fresh artisan breads are all displayed behind.

The website lists both a brunch and dinner menu which I have not sampled. Another trip when i’m in the neighborhood is definitely going to be needed. Atelier Thuet is located at 171 East Liberty Street, Unit 153 in the Liberty Village.

Thanks Susan for the tip!