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.
I love prep work on the cutting board. It’s the washing of fruits and veggies that I dislike, especially greens and getting out the spinner; and grating cheese–always such a mess. I’ve had a Pampered Chef chef’s knife that came in a self-sharpening storage case for 19 years. I absolutely love it! My husband and I bought a really nice, expensive German set with wedding money. I tried to like them but ended up constantly pulling out my PC knife. I broke the expensive German chef’s knife, so I just replaced it’s spot in the rack with my PC knife. Happy girl! Now the set is perfect.
Pampered Chef, who would have thought?! Thanks for letting us know that, Jennifer. I’ll have to check out their knives!
I LOVE my Wusthof Santoku knife — it is my go-to 90% of the time. I have an entire collection of Wusthof, but that is my favorite!
Jean, that’s the brand of knives I’m going to invest in. I’m glad to hear you enjoy them 😀
Thank you so much for sharing this! I Definitely need help in this area. I enrolled and can’t wait to learn! Thank you!
I’m glad to hear that, Rachel! It’s a great class. You’re going to love it!
Love this post and it’s so true that good, sharp knives and knowing how to use them make all the difference. A friend of mine had a knife party about 10 years ago and I thought it was to weirdest thing, but I went. We all brought our knives and she taught us how to sharpen them and how to use them properly. It was one of the best parties ever! And no one was injured in the process – LOL! These classes sound awesome! Can’t wait to check them out! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
That sounds like an awesome idea for a party, Kelly!
I went through a period where I watched cooking shows obsessively. I learned from watching how to use a knife for chopping, crushing garlic, and the like. It changed the way I feel about food prep. Now it’s fun. :o)
Thanks for sharing about this Craftsy class. I just signed up for it and watched the first lesson. I am guilty of forgetting to sharpen my knives which certainly puts a drag to the whole prep time.