Knives
The Vegetable Peeler
This enables one to peel potatoes, carrots, hard fruits and even some squashes with ease and safety. It usually has a little serrated tool on the tip when digging out blemishes such as the eyes of potatoes or weather spots on tomatoes.
The Paring Knife
This little guy can peel potatoes, trim out blemishes, and chop veggies right in your hand into the pot. It works great with smaller vegetables such as radishes, beans, and cherry tomatoes.
The Chef’s Knife
Although big, heavy, and intimidating…this is going to be one of your favourites once you tame it. It has the weight behind it to chop a butternut squash in half but can handle a delicate job such as mincing garlic. It can chop,slice, mince, dice, and smash.
The Utility Knife is a smaller version which can sometimes be a little less bulky but will not perform certain jobs as well as its big daddy.
The Serrated Knife or Bread Knife
Although not used for chopping this does come in handy when working with softer or juicier veggies such as the tomato. Instead of squishing the fruit or vegetable, it gives a nice clean slice. This knife of course is mainly used for breads and some meats.
The Santoku Knife
This is a fantastic Knife and not as heavy as the chef’s Knife. It’s shape allows for great chopping and slicing and has hollows on the blade which prevent slices of food from sticking to the blade. It is also great for smashing garlic. The only thing it can’t do well that the chefs Knife can is chop through hard squash, large cabbages, rutabagas etc. All in all is probably the most used Knife in the kitchen.
Be safe
• Keep your knives sharp.
• Hold food with knuckles curled.
• Guide knife with knuckles so that edge of blade never contacts hand.
• Wash separately from rest of dishes and never leave knives in the sink for others or yourself to grab!