Knives from left to right: Cheese, chef's, large fillet, garnish, bread and cleaver. My paring knife had disappeared into the nether void when this picture was taken.Knife skills are a very important part of your kitchen repertoire. Knowing standard methods of knife usage will allow you to work faster, with more precision and more safely.
Using the right tool for any job will always make the job go more smoothly, the same holds true when using knives. When chopping an onion, use a chef's knife, when skinning an apple, use a paring knife, when cutting bread, use a bread knife, you get the idea. If you choose the right knife for the job (and know how to use it) you'll find that you have a much easier time and will get more enjoyment out of your prep work and cooking.
Although, just like learning anything new, it'll take some time to get accustomed to holding your hands in new ways. So don't worry if it's a bit odd at first, keep with it and automatically using proper knife techniques will come pretty quickly.
You may or may not notice by the images in this chapter, but my knives are not of the highest quality. Although I should get better knives, and I will eventually, I take good care of the ones I have and they serve me quite well.
I will also go over various cutting techniques and vocabulary commonly used in the culinary world. Learning this will allow you to not only understand recipes better but will provide you with the tools to create more visually appealing foods.
Remember, when cutting foods it is usually important to use the cutting style and size that the dish calls for. Different sized pieces will change not only the look, feel and cooking time required but can also affect the flavor as smaller pieces tend to infuse more flavor into your food than do larger ones.
As always, use the menu on the right to navigate the 'Knife Skills' course.