When people complain to me about hating to cook I usually think that 35% of the problem is that they are using a bad knife, 35% is that they are
using inefficient cutting techniques, and 30% is that they genuinely don’t
enjoy the process. I can’t do anything about the first or last causes (though I
don’t know anyone who’s ever regretted upgrading to a high-quality chef’s knife
by Wüsthof or Henckles). But the middle cause—poor knife skills—is something anyone can correct for free.
My aha moment came when I learned how to
section an orange for fruit salad (before that I had been peeling and sectioning the fruit with my hands). So, too, when I was taught the best way to peel, pit, and dice an avocado and wash and cut parsley (see the videos below). Today, not only do the results continue to surprise and
delight me, I find the process itself actually fun.
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/507934377
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/507934377
Kitchen challenges are completely personal, of course. One cook’s easy victory can be another’s Waterloo. I have a friend who is hopeless at slicing garlic but knows how to dispatch a mango with a few adroit slices. And I think half the people
I surveyed are still in search of the perfect way to chop an onion. As for me, I still struggle with evenly slicing a loaf of bread. The good news is that I can only get better.
Is there a cutting technique you have yet to master? What
trips you up in the kitchen?
Absolutely agree with you. I think good knife skills are essential in the kitchen.
Also, it is important to believe that even if you are cooking for one, you deserve a good meal…and good meals don’t need to take a lot of time or expensive ingredients. Cooking can be a very relaxing and fulfilling process…and something that nurtures you both physically and creatively.
I can cook dinner & dessert all day in a kitchen (a lot of tips and recipes I got from you, Real Simple!) Lunch-On-The-Go seems to be my short comings of late. My husband and I have agreed to start taking our lunches to work in order to kick back the money saved for a downpayment on a new car. I don’t like the “same-ole” white bread, cold cut sandwiches, chips &/or fruit. What are some ideas, tips or recipes I can use to brighten up my busy but boring lunch?
During my first cooking class the chef/instructor simply stated “If you can’t cut you can’t cook”. My father-in-law a retired plastic surgeon prepares beautiful meals. No surprise!