The Buffalo News from Buffalo, New York • 21

FINAL COLOR SECTION Elizabeth Kahn, Assistant Managing Editor 849-5576 THE BUFFALO NEWS Wednesday, June 1, 2005 Cooks of all types are opting for the lighter and shorter Japanese-style knifes Sharper image to fit in more with our current around $10 and BY JANICE OKUN NEWS FOOD EDITOR ou can 1 keep your counY can keep tertop processor, keep your panini your you electric grill, can food you bagel even slicer. Your knives are probably the most used tools in the kitchen. Chopping an onion, cutting a sandwich, slicing a roast even (tsk tsk) opening a package that just came in the mail. Just think how you depend on this simple tool. But, interestingly enough, even our old faithful knives are Harry Scull News About 95 percent of the knives used by professional chefs are rented, says Richard changing.

Instead of the heavier Euro- Nella, who grinds much of that cutlery. pean style knives that have been standard for decades, many home style of cooking, too, as we use are booming; the knives account cooks are going for the Japanese- more vegetables in dishes drawn for as much as 25 percent of sales. style knives known as Santoku, be- from many cultures. But for this switch as for so cause they feel lighter, shorter and The new style knives can be many other changes you can cite easier to handle. purchased in just about every (or blame) television.

Japanese-style knives are said houseware department for prices One well-known TV personality up. Sales who uses a Japanese knife is Alton Brown of the Food Network show called "Good Eats." Brown endorses the Kershaw Shun knife, a good-looking number with a D-shaped Pakkawood handle said to be easier for both righties and lefties to manipulate. The blade resembles Damascus steel, a very expensive metal made by folding the steel by hand many times. In fact some people call the See Knives on Page C2 Photo Buffalo Robert by News Kirkham If the jeans fit, wear them BY ELIZABETH BARR NEWS STAFF REVIEWER In the hands of other writers, directors and, most importantly, actresses, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" could have played like an episode of "My So Called DeGrassi 90210." But fortunately for the fans of Ann Brashares' hit book, this story of four girls spending their first summer apart rises high above teen TV melodramas. Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively and Amber Tamblyn play Lena, Carmen, Bridget and Tibby, lifelong friends living in Bethesda, who "met" at their mothers' prenatal aerobics class.

The four young accomplished actresses (all of whom are nonetheless older than their characters) bring to their roles a respect for the story of enduring female friendship and compassion for the easily ridiculed teenage condition. Director Ken Kwapis sagely goes MOVIE REVIEW The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Out of four) Rated: PG For thematic elements, some sensuality and language. Starring Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively and Alexis Bledel. Directed by Ken Kwapis, above. Four teens spend their first summer apart, sharing a pair of jeans that fits them all.

Opens today in area theaters. 119 minutes. easy on the concept of the pants a pair of jeans the girls FedEx to each other to connect them during their first summer apart. The jeans, found in a thrift store, mysteriously fit each girl from coltish and athletic Bridget to curvy Carmen but Kwapis doesn't run away with the magic element. The jeans don't bring the girls luck or affect the tides, but they do give the girls some measure of comfort to face challenges and changes on their own.

And the writers including Elizabeth Chandler and Delia Ephron keep it real. The dialogue rings true in a way that is neither ingratiating nor overly hip. Even with all of these deft touches and careful treatment, the story is still rife with predictable teen plot points star-crossed lovers, a child dying of leukemia, a father with a new family, an emotionally withdrawn father. This is the stuff of teen drama since time See 'Pants' on Page C2 INSIDE: Making the most of our beloved burgers. Food Dear C3 Television C6 C8 TELEVISION Carolyn Hax TELL ME ABOUT IT Afraid of making a commitment ear Carolyn: I am currently dating known a since close friend I have high school, about 14 years.

We have been dating for three years, exclusively for about six months (SUCH a huge step for me). There is nothing lacking in our relationship or friendship, period. I want to tell him that I love him, that I want no one else in my life but him, forever. I want to propose to him, declare my love, shout my feelings to the heavens. But I am a total commitment-phobe.

I'm so scared. I am petrified of rejection or making a move that changes our relationship for the worse. How do I approach this? We are happy. Should we just keep coasting along? M. You could keep coasting; declaring your love for him could derail the relationship, and you could get rejected.

You could get rejected if you keep coasting, too. Just because you heed your fear of the worst case doesn't mean you inoculate yourself against the worst case. It does, however, inoculate you against the best case, since you'll never feel true intimacy as long as fear suppresses your voice. And you'd also risk denying this man one of the most exquisite dividends for all the misunderstandings, humiliation, insecurity, insults, faceslaps, betrayal, boredom, unreturned calls all the (bleep) we invest in the process of relating to other people: hearing, from the person you love, that you are loved. There is the chance he won't want to hear this from you, yes.

But aren't you tired of being scared? Don't you want to hear it from you? Constant power struggle Dear Carolyn: My girlfriend and I have wonderful, interesting and engaging conversations about things we agree about. If we disagree, it quickly dissolves into a power struggle over who is right. We both have strong personalities and admire and love each other for who we are individually that was part of the initial attraction. But we know we need to figure this out if we're gonna make it for the long haul. What's frustrating is we agree on our values and lifestyle philosophy, but it is the irrelevant things, like how coffee beans are harvested, that we argue about.

It's really weighing me down. How do we agree to disagree respectfully? Phoenix By being strong enough to be wrong. Or, more precisely, by outgrowing the need to be right. She: "Retired space monkeys harvest the beans." You, unless you have certain knowledge to the contrary: "Really? I hadn't heard that." And when you do have knowledge: "The farm I work on doesn't use space monkeys, but maybe it's the exception." Humility is contagious. Make maturity, not war.

Temporarily on hold Dear Carolyn: What does it mean when a guy says, "You might be the one, but I need to take a two-month break because I don't want to be in a serious relationship right He recently broke up with a long-term girlfriend who was pushing marriage. Should I say "buzz" off, or wait and see while dating other people (at his suggestion)? I really like him but now I am not sure. Confused Since it's plausible he likes you but needs 60 days off not 59, not 61 and since he (rightly) encouraged you to keep dating, what's the harm in taking his word? Write to "Tell Me About It," Washington Post, Style Plus, 1150 15th NW, Washington, D.C. 20071 or e-mail: COLOR Keeping VH1 on the winning track BY ALAN PERGAMENT NEWS TV CRITIC Almost two decades after he programmed the student FM station at Buffalo State College, Tom Calderone is running VH1. He's a 1986 graduate of Buffalo State so you can do the math.

Assuming he graduated at about age 21, he has to be about 40, the perfect time to head to VH1, one of the MTV Networks, as general manager. "I did (turn 40) a few months ago," Calderone confirmed somewhat reluctantly in a recent telephone interview before adding some spin: "Forty is the new 30," he said. It certainly is a time of change for Calderone, who has been with the MTV Networks since 1998, most recently as vice president of music programming and talent for MTV and MTV 2. MTV credits him with overseeing the development of such franchises as "Spankin' New Music" and "MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups" and the underground MTV2 hit, "Wonder Showzen." How does this 40- year-old married father of two stay young working at a "The one thing that is constant in this job is 'evolve or Tom Calderone, president of VHI and Buffalo State College graduate company that appeals to younger viewers? "The one thing that is constant in this job is 'evolve or die," Calderone said. "You constantly have to reinvent yourself, and it forces you to keep up on pop culture trends.

At the end of the day it is in my DNA. Everything pop culture, everything television is in my DNA." The trends at VH1 have been very positive. Calderone will be responsible for the day-to-day leadership, strategy and management of VH1. "I plan on taking the success and growing it," said Calderone. "I'm very excited.

The channel is in a good place. I'm inheriting 11 straight quarters of ratings growth. It is doing extremely well and I plan to take it and continue the growth and energy." His excitement is palpable as he addresses some of VH1's success stories like "Storytellers" and "Best Week Ever" and some new and upcoming programs. He is most enthusiastic about the next edition of "The Surreal Life," which will have a cast that includes controversial baseball slugger Jose Canseco. He also is encouraged by the celebrity reality series, "Kept" (which premiered this week), starring Mick Jagger's ex, Jerry Hall, and a father-teen-age daughter show, "Hulk Hogan Knows Best," featuring the pro wrestler.

Then there's "Rock School See Calderone on Page C2 Clockwise from upper left, America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn and Blake Lively overnight express to one another the same pair of jeans in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." C5 FINAL COLOR.