They say it is good luck to cut yourself on your first day of culinary school, at least that is what our chef instructor told us. Well if that is true then I am going to be a lucky girl this year! I’m sure his theory is a futile attempt at making the injured feel better about themselves. There was nothing I could do to stop it. The sharp side of my knife pulled like a magnet attracted to metal slicing the tip of my middle finger. I was the third person to cut themselves so I had some bloody company. One of the chef instructors took me to the back of the room to the first aid kit and tended to my wound and bruised ego.
For anyone thinking of going to culinary school there are many differences compared to home cooking . One such difference is the importance on knife cuts, or as the French say taillage. Oh those French and their exacting ways. Your cuts need to be uniform in order to ensure even cooking and a more pleasing look. Food must not only taste good but look good. In home kitchens, where speed and utility often outweigh aesthetics, you don’t need to be as accurate. The main goal is often a healthy and delicious meal.
Jardinieres, juliennes, macedoines, and brunoises sure look pretty don’t they? You may doubt that you can extract these forms from something as un-cube like as a carrot but it is possible and with practice I am assured that it gets much easier.
Take a look at this tutorial from chow.com if you are interested in learning these knife skills.
Lately I’ve spent my nights in front of my cutting board slicing carrots into equal and uniform dices. I’ve gotten quite accustomed to coming home from work and pulling out the cutting board and watching mindless TV as I chop away at extra large carrots. Needless to say I’ve had lots of carrots this week and the rest will get dumped into my vegetable stock.
Image via: chow.com
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GOOD LUCK! So proud of you and your new found cutting skills!!
Candice! Thank you kindly
I miss you and can’t wait for you to come back. Have lots of fun in Portugal!
Great Post!!! Sounds fun….. What type/brand knifes do you use?
Hi Kay. At school they started us out with Mercer Knives. I liked the chef’s knife, especially when cutting into bone (of a chicken for example) because the knife is firm and strong and holds a pretty good edge. Now I use Wusthof Classics which I really like because they fit very comfortably in my hand. I also prefer Western style knives. I particularly like my boning and Santoku knife. The key to purchasing a good knife is trying it out. Go to the store and cut something with it. They usually allow you to test them out. Make sure it fits comfortably in your hand. Consider the blade and how you need to maintain it.
Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for the tips!….. I did go to the store and played with a few…. I realy liked Wusthof Classics…… Now I just need pick between Chefs knife or
Santoku ..LOL… Its my gift to my self……Do you use Santoku knife at FCI????…. Thanks again for yoy great posts…Its a very fun read. :}
Thanks Kay! I use both the Santoku knife and chefs knife at school depending on what I am doing. I use the Santoku for chopping vegetables and making them into those small little cuts the French love. The flat blade makes it easier to get a more accurate cut. The Chef’s knife is good for when you need to cut through meat and bone since it is heavier. The Wusthof Classic is less bulky and heavy than other Chef’s knives which is helpful for my small hands but less helpful for when I’m trying to chop a chicken into 16ths. I hope I didn’t confuse you more! For regular use (not heavy butchering) I would recommend a Santoku knife. I think you will enjoy it