Two thoughts occur to me, but these are offered merely as speculation:
-There may have been a dietary practice that required different utensils for different food items (I.e. along the lines of kosher requirements). Could also apply to processing meats vs. veggies, or cooked vs. uncooked foods in an early example of food safety procedures.
-Or, could be a case of these being issued to those who had to prepare food for a large company on a regular basis. Processing an animal for the oven, grill, or pot is quite the task. I could see a cook sharpening his/her three identical blades in the morning. Then setting about his/her work, swapping out the dull blades for a sharp as the cutting tasks took their toll. Having knives of identical proportion, weight, and balance would allow the practiced hand to continue without missing a beat.
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