Knife skills may sound fancy, but they are
actually very basic and are essential even
for the beginner home cook.
A bread or long serrated knife is ideal for
slicing bread, cutting soft fruits and vegetables,
or cutting foods that are hard on the outside
and soft on the inside.
First, make sure you are holding your bread
knife correctly.
Hold the knife close to the blade.
Use your other hand to hold the food with
your fingers curled under, like you are making
a claw.
To slice bread, point the tip of the knife
towards the cutting board and move the knife
back and forth a few times, making slices
that are about the same thickness.
When you use a bread knife, you always use
this sawing motion.
A bread knife is great for cutting fresh fruits
and vegetables that have soft skins, like
tomatoes.
The jagged blade catches the skin better than
a knife with a straight blade.
Also use it to cut fruits and vegetables that
are hard on the outside and soft on the inside,
like melons and pineapple.
Kitchen shears are another important tool
in your knife set and are handy for a variety
of kitchen tasks.
Use them for opening packages, snipping herbs,
cutting leafy greens, and other small kitchen
jobs.
The best kitchen shears to have are the ones
that pull apart because they are easiest to
clean.
To snip herbs, use them as you would a pair
of scissors.
A bread knife and kitchen shears are essential
tools for a home kitchen.
They can be used in many ways to help you
cook smart and eat smart every day.
