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 the 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
then 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 everyday.
