Table of Contents

Preface 1

Introduction 3

1 Knives and Cutting Tools 5

A Brief History of Cutting Tools

The Parts of a Knife

Types of Knives

Sharpening and Honing Tools

Additional Hand Tools

Large Cutting Tools

2 Knife Skills 39

Knife Selection

Handling and Maintaining Knives

Setting Up Your Work Area

Holding the Knife

Trimming, Peeling, and Squaring Off

Chopping and Mincing Foods

Shredding and Grating

Slicing Cuts: Plain and Decorative

Precision and Portioning Cuts

Decorative and Special Cutting Techniques

3 Cutting Techniques for Vegetables and Fruits 75

Vegetables

Fruits

4 Cutting Techniques for Meat and Poultry 99

Meat Fabrication Techniques

Poultry

Rabbit

Carving Roasted Meats and Poultry

5 Cutting Techniques for Fish and Shellfi sh 117

Round Fish

Lobster

Shrimp

Soft-Shelled Crabs

Clams and Oysters

6 Hand Tools for Measuring, Mixing, and Baking 127

Tools for Measuring

Measures and Conversions

Tools for Mixing and Baking

Summary

Glossary 147

Appendix 149

Index 163

Photography Credits 170