Since this month’s issue is dedicated to organics and "getting back to the basics," I thought I would spend some time sharing one of the most important techniques a home cook can learn; knife skills. Most people are apprehensive to even pick up a knife, not knowing how to hold it, or being afraid of cutting themselves. What type of knife should I use? How do I sharpen it? What does Brunoise mean? These are all common questions that the novice home chef encounters when preparing to cook. Once you acquire these skills, cutting becomes a part of the pleasure of cooking. In addition, the flavors and texture of your finished dishes will be greatly enhanced. Trust me, we all started out with the same uneasy feelings, but with a little knowledge and practice, you can easily improve your knife skills.

Knife selection can be hard, and everyone has their own preferences. I tend to like the Japanese style knives with thinner blades, because they seem to create a sharper edge if they are sharpened correctly. But not everyone feels the same way. I have met many chefs in my ten years as a professional, and everyone has their own style and skill. But once you find a knife that feels like a perfect match in the palm of your hand, this is where the real pleasures and craftsmanship of cooking at home can begin. So where do we begin? First it is important to determine what you will be using this knife for. Slicing a tomato, carefully dicing a carrot for a soup, slicing bread open for a sandwich, or breaking down a chicken, each requires a different type of knife. But if you are good enough, and can find a good quality knife, most of these tasks can be achieved with one or two knives.

Find a knife that is comfortable to hold, then learn how to sharpen it. A knife that comes from the manufacturer will typically stay sharp for quite a few uses, but proper handling of the edge is very important. Using a steel to "hone" the edge, will keep it in good sharp condition between each use. But the more a knife is used, the less sharp the edge is, so it is important to re-sharpen the knife periodically. While you can’t change the steel your knife is made from, you can certainly keep your knives at peak performance – and without too much difficulty.

Bench stones range from inexpensive oil stones to Japanese water stones, ceramic stones and even diamond stones. Lubricate the sharpening stone first. Lubricant is important because it keeps the pores of the stone from getting clogged with grit. When metal filings begin to cover the stone's surface                       Bench Stones                                    as you're sharpening, it's time to add fresh lubricant. On an oil stone, use sharpening oil or light machine oil. A diamond stone does well with a mixture of water and liquid dishwashing detergent. A water stone needs to be soaked in water before you start and then lubricated with water as you sharpen.  

It is important to match the bevel angle of the knife to the sharpening angle in which you are going to produce. Every type of knife blade has its own bevel angle. Paring and filleting knives that have to slice through delicate flesh, such as tomatoes or raw fish, have shallow bevels just 5 to 10 degrees. Their edges are very sharp, but can be dulled quickly. A camping knife or pocket knife should have a bevel of 10 to 15 degrees; its edge is less keen but will stay sharp longer. Cleavers and chopping knives that have to cut through                  Japanese Water Stones                      bone have an even steeper bevel, usually between 15 and 25 degrees. You'll need to hold your knife at an angle that pretty nearly matches the bevel angle when you're sharpening the blade.

Now that your knife is sharp and ready to use, how you hold it will greatly affect its performance. Hold the handle of the knife firmly in your dominant hand (I will use right hand as an example). Grab a hold of the knife, and keep in mind, YOU are in control of the knife, don’t let the knife take control of YOU! Place your thumb on the left hand side of the knife closest to the handle. Then wrap the rest of your hand around the right side of the knife, grabbing hold of the handle.

Practice first by holding the knife against the cutting board and rock it back and forth from tip to back to get the hang of it. Next hold the item to be cut with your fingertips tucked under and your thumb behind them. The blade "rests" and slides directly against the middle section of your fingers. As you chop, the knife follows, in fact, "glued" to the fingers, and it slides up and down the fingers at the same rate all the time. The speed at which the fingers move back determines the thickness of the slices. If your fingers remain in this tucked position, it is less likely that you will cut yourself. This will definitely take practice, so be patient!

Storing a knife properly between uses will enhance the knife’s life span. A professional chef’s knife is not a can opener, a box cutter, or a bone breaker. Take care of this prized tool, and handle them with love. There are a few different ways to store a sharp knife, but the most common would be to purchase a blade guard, or cover. Slide it over the sharp blade when the knife is not in use, and store the knife in a bag, or tucked away from any commotion.  

Basic knife cuts can help with uniform cooking times. There is nothing worse than serving vegetable soup with half the vegetables underdone, and the other half overdone. This is a hard thing to master, but again, practice makes perfect. Here are some of the most popular knife cuts:

Make a small template by measuring a piece of cardboard with a ruler, just to assist with practicing. Once you become comfortable with each size, it should come naturally. Other somewhat more difficult cuts include: concasse, tourne, bias and oblique.

Knife skills can be much more elaborate than the above mentioned. Professional fruit and vegetables carvers, in my eyes, are the true art performers in this industry. Food stylists depend on perfect sizes and intricate knife cuts to wow their viewers on the plate. Whether you’re preparing a meal to impress friends and family, or just practicing the art of cutting, take the time to make the appearance stand out, it will feel and taste much better!

These skills and techniques will surely not be perfected overnight, but trust me, if you devote the time to practice, the results will be noticed on many different levels. Honor this evolving tool of the kitchen, and be sure to watch your fingers!!!