1. KNIVES

2. The parts of a knife determines: How the knife feels in the chef’s hand How it is best used How long the knife will last

3. Parts of a Knife BLADE: cutting surface; made of a single piece of metal that has been forged or stamped into its desired shape Usually made from stainless steel or high-carbon stainless steel

4. Parts of a Knife continued… The BLADE of the chef’s knife has several distinct parts:  Tip: used for fine work, paring, trimming, and peeling; also used to core fruits and vegetables and to score items  Cutting edge: used for slicing, carving, and making precision cuts

5. Parts of a Knife continued…  Heel: used for cutting tasks that require some force; the widest and thickest point of the blade  Bolster: located at the heel of the blade, at the point where the blade and handle come together; gives the blade greater strength and durability  Spine: non-cutting edge of the blade; used to crush garlic

6. Parts of a Knife continued… TANG: continuation of the blade into the knife’s handle HANDLE: made of various materials such as wood, metal, etc.

7. TYPES OF KNIVES 1. Chef’s Knife: (also known as a French knife) is the most used knife. This all- purpose knife, with an 8- to 12- inch triangular blade can be used for peeling, trimming, slicing, chopping, and dicing. 2. Utility Knife: smaller and lighter version of a chef’s knife, with a 5- to 7- inch blade; used for light cutting, slicing and peeling.

8. Types of Knives 3. Paring Knife: second most frequently used knife; it has a 2- to 4-inch blade and is used mainly for peeling and trimming fruits and vegetables 4. Tournee Knife: a type of paring knife with a curved blade; used for cutting rounded surfaces easier; also known as a bird’s beak knife

9. Types of Knives 5. Boning Knife: used to separate raw meat from the bone; blade is usually 6 inches long and is thinner than the blade if a chef’s knife; the narrow blade allows you to work around bones, between muscles, and under gristle 6. Filleting Knife: specially designed for filleting fish; has a flexible blade

10. Types of Knives 7. Slicer: long thin blade with a rounded or pointed tip; used to make smooth slices in a single stroke; blade may be flexible or rigid 8. Slicer with serrated edge: a row of teeth that make it easy to slice foods with a crust of firm skin

11. Types of Knives 9. Slicer with granton edge: series of ovals have been round along the edge of the blade 10. Cleaver: has rectangular blades and varies in size; used for many of the same applications as a chef’s knife 11. Scimitar: ideal for cutting through large cuts of raw meat when making them into steaks, cutlets, or medallions

12. The purpose of using a knife… is to make a food smaller and to shape a food.

13. PRECISION CUTS Rondelles: French term meaning “rounds;” result from cutting through any cylindrically shaped vegetable (i.e. cucumber, carrot); each rondelle should be the same thickness

14. Variations of Rondelles: Chiffonade: used primarily to cut leafy greens and other ingredients into very fine shreds; Julienne and Batonnet: long, rectangular cut that both showcase a chef’s cutting skills and allows vegetables to cook evenly  French fries are an example of a julienne cut  Julienne cuts are approximately 1/8 inch thick  Batonnet cuts are apporximately ¼ inch thick

15. Variations of Rondelles Oblique Cut: creates a piece in which the cut sides of a vegetable are neither parallel nor perpendicular; used for long, cylindrical vegetables such as carrots Dice: produce a cube-shaped piece of food Brunoise: smallest dice cut and is about 1/8-inch square Cube: large dice is at least ¾-inch square but can be larger

16. Variations of Rondelles Paysanne: (French that means “peasant”) starts with a batonnet that is ½-inch thick; cut the batonnet at 1/8-inch intervals so you have a flat ½-inch square that is only 1/8- inch thick Fermiere: (French that means “farmer”); a bit more rustic look; start with a batonnet that shows the curved or uneven edges of the vegetable; cut the batonnet into pieces that are 1/8 to ½-inch thick

17. Variations of Rondelles Lozenge: cut is a diamond-shaped cut that is most often used in garnishes; start with slices that are about ¼-inch thick, cut the slices into strips about ½-inch wide. Holding your knife at an angle to the strip, make parallel cuts to produce a diamond shape Turned: one of the most time-consuming cut; comes from the French verb tourner meaning “to turn:” vegetables are cut into 2-inch pieces and turned/cut so that the end result is a foodball-like shape; should have seven sides (depending on the vegetable used)

18. Honing vs. Sharpening a Knife Honing is the process of straightening the knife’s edge; Sharpening is when you give a knife an edge by using a sharpening stone (whetstone ).

19. KNIFE SAFETY Always hold a knife by its handle Never try to catch a falling knife When passing a knife to someone else, lay the knife down on a work surface and allow the other person to pick it up If you must carry an unsheathed knife in the kitchen, hold it straight down at your side with the sharp edge facing behind you

20. KNIFE SAFETY Never borrow a knife without asking permission, and always return it promptly Do not allow the blade of a knife to hang over the edge of a table or cutting board Do not use a knife as a tool to open bottles, loosen drawers, etc.

21. KNIFE SAFETY Do not leave knives loose in areas where they cannot be easily seen or wouldn’t be found normally Never store or use a knife above waist level Always cut away from your body

22. Knife Facts Carrots are cut into ¼ inch squares. Potatoes cut diagonally ¼ inch thick are said to be sliced. Never store knives in a drawer with other knives. To prevent damage to blades and to people, the best place to store knives is in a slotted holder.

23. Knife Facts Use a knife steel to true a knife. Use a sharpening stone or whetstone to sharpen a knife. Never soak knives in a sink filled with soapy water. Carrots are usually cut into julienne shapes.

24. Knife Facts Garlic is a vegetable that is normally minced. When carrying a knife in the kitchen, hold the blade pointed downward. A slicing knife is MOST appropriate to carve a roast at a buffet. A chef’s knife is the MOST appropriate for chopping vegetables.

25. Knife Facts A slicing knife is most appropriate to cut meat. A disadvantage of using a DULL knife is you are more likely to be cut with a dull versus a sharp knife. Making clear smooth cuts and being safer are two advantages of using a sharp knife.

26. Knife Facts A serrated knife should be used to cut bread, tomatoes, and soft foods. Stainless steel and high-carbon steel are the two metals commonly used to make knife blades. Knives should have a full tang to give more power and strength to knives.