Techniques

Forty-five things worth knowing at the stove, a page each. Type a word to narrow the list, tap a name to read.

45 techniques

Holding the knife

Pinch the blade, curl the other hand, and the knife does the work while your fingers stay out of its way.

How

The usual mistake

Holding the handle like a hammer with the fingertips pointing at the blade — the cut wanders and the fingers are in its path; pinch, curl, and put a damp cloth under a board that slides.

Why it works

Pinching puts the hand where the balance is, so the blade goes where you look. Curled knuckles are a wall the flat of the blade rides along and the edge cannot reach.