Cooking Basics For Dummies
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Most home cooks can get along with three versatile knives: a 10- to 12-inch chef’s knife, an 8- to 10-inch serrated (bread) knife, and a small paring knife.

A chef’s knife can be used for all sorts of chopping, slicing, dicing, and mincing.

A <i>chef’s knife</i> can be used for all sorts of chopping, slicing, dicing, and mincing.

This knife is really the workhorse of the kitchen, so investing in a quality chef’s knife always pays off.

A 10-inch chef’s knife is the best choice for a home cook. It should feel comfortable in your hand and be balanced, which means the handle should not be significantly heavier than the blade, or vice versa. You’ll know a suitable one when you hold it.

A serrated knife generally has an 8- to 10-inch blade, and you want to find one that has wide teeth (meaning the pointy edges along the blade aren’t too close together).

A <i>serrated knife</i> generally has an 8- to 10-inch blade, and you want to find one that has <i>wide teeth</i> (meaning the pointy edges along the blade aren’t too close together).

Have you ever tried to slice a baguette with a regular knife? It’s not only frustrating but also dangerous. For this reason (and many others), a serrated knife should be on your list of essentials.

This type of knife is essential for cutting bread; a chef’s knife can do the job if you’re in a pinch, but a hard-crusted bread dulls a chef’s knife quickly. A serrated knife is also handy when slicing tomatoes and other foods that have thin but resistant skins.

A paring knife has a blade from 2 to 4 inches long.

A <i>paring knife</i> has a blade from 2 to 4 inches long.

You use it for delicate jobs like peeling apples and other fruits, trimming shallots and garlic, removing stems from strawberries, coring tomatoes, and making vegetable or fruit decorations.

About This Article

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Marie Rama has worked as a professional pastry chef and recipe developer for numerous food companies and associations. She is a regular guest-chef on hundreds of TV and radio shows in the U.S. and Canada.

John Mariani is the author of several of the most highly regarded books on food in America today. He is currently food and travel correspondent for Esquire and restaurant columnist for Forbes magazine.

Marie Rama has worked as a professional pastry chef and recipe developer for numerous food companies and associations. She is a regular guest-chef on hundreds of TV and radio shows in the U.S. and Canada.

John Mariani is the author of several of the most highly regarded books on food in America today. He is currently food and travel correspondent for Esquire and restaurant columnist for Forbes magazine.

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