The Nest

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 10:57 AM

Knife Skills

Chopping. It's what turns a 30-minute meal into 60 minutes for me. I've always been envious of chefs who can chop an onion in 30 seconds. So when I saw that Williams-Sonoma was offering a free knife skills class at my neighborhood store I jumped on it. (BTW: They're doing all types of free techniques classes like pie making and espresso brewing -- just check with your local store. Unfortunately, it's not listed online.)

It wasn't the most ideal place to take a class since the store near me is on the small side, and there were about 30 of us gathered around the registers. But I did take away 5 amazing tips.

1. To prevent carrots from rolling off the cutting board, slice a thin layer lengthwise to create a base.

2. Chop an onion with the root on to keep it in place.

3. Store tomatoes shoulder up (those are the little bumps at top) to keep them fresh longer.

4. For quick herb cutting, shave the bunch at a cross angle. Then chop. 

5. It's essential to oil a wooden cutting board.

I wish I had been able to have a knife in hand and try out the techniques myself, but I totally recommend taking advantage of these free classes. It's a fun way to spend an hour on Sunday. And learn more about a frustrating part (at least for me) of cooking. Any one else have another great chopping secret to share? I'm trying to practice at home.