Is Cooking a Drag? Your Number One Tip to Make it Fun!

Quite a few years ago, I had some friends over for supper. They are the kind of people that impact your life in a deep and meaningful way. It never seemed to matter if the house was clean or messy with toys strewn about, just having them there for conversation was all that mattered.

On this particular evening, they had stopped by for an impromptu supper. When they arrived, supper wasn’t ready and the house was in shambles with children romping around in costumes of Halloweens past. It didn’t matter … come in, let’s talk. (Isn’t that the best when one doesn’t have to hide a life lived?)

Once they arrived, I went back to prepping food in my small kitchen and invited them to pull up a chair so that we could chat while I cooked. As I was cutting into an onion, I remember telling them that I hated prep work. I was digging my knife into the onion, chopping down and pulling, with the simple intent of dicing it into uniform pieces. To me, prep work, trying to cut vegetables into the shape and sizes I needed, was the worst part of cooking. “Oh my gosh, if I only had someone to do my prep work!” I remember, jokingly, saying.

That’s when my friend shouted out, “It’s probably your knife.” I remember whipping my head back in curiosity and asking, “what do you mean?”

“Well, have you ever sharpened your knife?” 

That was seriously an “aha” moment for me. One that made me realize how important knife skills are to the home cook. Quickly, my friend sharpened my knife and, for the first time ever, I felt what it was like to to effortlessly slide my knife into the onion and just like butter, dice it into the perfect size. Who knew cutting could be so much fun?

Since then, I’ve purchased a few knives and sharpen them as needed. I no longer dread prep work, instead, I find it quite enjoyable; however, I’ve only recently started to hone in on my knife skills and now I’m really having fun!

Complete Knife Skills

Thanks to Craftsy, I’ve been able to take this FREE mini class called Complete Knife Skills. It’s taught by Brendan McDermott, the same chef whom I shared with you before. Brendan McDermott is an executive chef at acclaimed restaurants and is a highly sought-after instructor and teaches culinary classes at Kendall College in Chicago. Chef Brendan is a great instructor. He is very detailed oriented and pays the utmost attention to safety. He not only knows what he’s doing but he also adds a bit of humor into this class as well. It’s top notch, really.

I learned so, so much from this class. I was able to learn which key knives I need (It’s only 4!), how to choose a cutting board, and the 4 proper techniques to cutting. Chef Brendan spends a bit of time teaching about different cuts and how to cut certain fruits and vegetables. To end the class he finishes by teaching how to properly hone and sharpen a knife.

Seriously, if you are a home cook, this class is invaluable. I truly believe that knife skills are one of the most important techniques to learn in the kitchen and that once you learn them, you’ll find joy and pleasure in prep work and cooking.

The best thing is that the Complete Knife Skills class is FREE! Like all of Craftsy’s classes, you can ask the instructor questions in a discussion type forum attached to every class.

And as always, the classes never expire!

Really, I couldn’t be more happy with the classes I’ve been taking by Craftsy. As a mom and culinary enthusiast, it’s been nothing short of a blessing to be able to take these professional classes from the comfort of my own home. It’s taking my cooking to a whole new level!

So, what are you waiting for? Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. It’s time to sharpen your knife skills and start having fun in your kitchen! Click on this link to register for the FREE mini class, Complete Knife Skills today.

How are your knife skills? Tell me, what is your favorite knife to use in the kitchen?