The Knives Are Out

Knives are the most vital and important instruments a home chef can use.They can help in cutting poultry into bite size pieces or perfectly slice roast beef.They can pare any fruit with expert precision and render whole vegetables into strips or wedges.Many cooks, however, really don't know how to use them or only rely on one.This is not good.Know your knives for a safer kitchen. One of the most popular and often used is a bread knife. This has a thick ,serrated blade, usually eight to nine inches in length.They're perfect for slicing through crusty French or Italian bread or even a loaf of challah Or stale unsliced white bread.The next popular is the chef's knife.It can be used from slicing meat to chopping vegetables. A good one one will have a bolster or a thick ring like collar where the blade joins the handle.Blade lengths vary from six inches all the way up to twelve.If you're a more involved cook then think about getting boning knives.These come in three widths to deal with the different joints and cuts.You can buy them separately or as a trio depending on your needs. For the more adventurous consider a Chinese cleaver.This is a wide bladed,narrow spined one that cuts through any meat or veggie.The wide blade allows for scooping up the food and depositing into any pot, pan or wok.I's also good for tenderizing meat and crushing garlic cloves.A regular cleaver has a much more thicker handle and can be used to chop through bones.If these are too scary or daunting to use ,then stick with the regular ones.Try a utility knife which can cut through large vegetables such as red peppers or beefsteak tomatoes.You can use it to cut through sandwich meats and some smaller beef roasts.If most of your dishes are tomato based then consider a good tomato knife or the Japaneses santoku variety.This last is as versatile as a Chinese cleaver.It can be used mostly for vegetables and fruits but can also be used for meats.It's perfect for vegans who really heavily on plant based dishes Knives are a vital part of any kitchen. Make sure you're using the right ones to ensure a better meal and personal safety.Doing such will make for easy prep for any meal ,big or small.