Waiter’s knives & sommelier knives

The spiral does most of the work. Look for a worm with an open winding and a smooth coating, because it turns more smoothly through an old, dry cork than a thick screw that pushes the cork apart. Then look at the lever: a model with two support points grips the bottle rim in two movements and therefore pulls the cork straight up, preventing cracks. The foil knife should be sharp and able to be unfolded with one thumb. Above all, consider how the tool feels in your hand. A wooden handle is thicker and more comfortable if you use it all evening, while metal is narrower and easier to slip into a trouser pocket. The colors are a finishing layer and do not change how it works. If you also work behind the bar, take a look at the cocktail shakers.

Cut the foil below the second ridge of the neck so the wine never runs along the foil when pouring. Then twist the spiral into the center of the cork and keep it straight; starting at an angle is why corks break. Twist until just before the last turn, then stop, because continuing pushes cork crumbs into the wine. Place the first support point on the bottle rim, pull up gently, place the second support point, and remove the cork in one motion. For an Aperol Spritz , you only cut the foil from the prosecco and loosen the cork by hand. If you're making a pitcher of sangria, use the same little knife to cut the fruit right away.

A waiter's knife does not go in the dishwasher. The hinge and the spring rust and the blade goes blunt from the detergent. Wipe the knife with a dry cloth after use and now and then take cork dust out of the coil of the worm with a toothbrush. If the foil blade goes blunt, hone it on a fine whetstone at the same angle it was ground at. A drop of oil on the hinge keeps the folding mechanism smooth. Store the knife folded shut and not loose among other tools.

Once the bottle is open, the rest of the table determines how the wine comes across. The wine glasses are sorted by bowl shape, and a young red wine gains aroma in one of the decanters or through one of the wine aerators, which already expose the wine to air on its way to the glass. If half a bottle remains, the wine stoppers keep it fresh for a few more days.