Knife Skills by Marcus Wareing, Shaun Hill, Charlie Trotter and Lyn Hall

We are all capable of purchasing the right ingredients at optimum freshness but much of a dish's success is down to food preparation. This is where Knife Skills is an essential addition to the cook's bookshelf. With Marcus Wareing, Shaun Hill, Charlie Trotter and Lyn Hall all sharing their culinary expertise, the clearly laid-out pages leave no skill unattended, showing the reader both the knives to use for various tasks and the best method.

KNIFE KNOW-HOW

In the first instance, it is important to remember that knives can easily be ruined by using the wrong implement to sharpen. Steels don't sharpen knives, they maintain a cutting edge on a sharpened knife. Use a sharpening stone to give blades new life, making sure to move the blade in one direction. Following the excellent photographs clears up any doubts as to how to do a professional job.

From peeling, chopping and dicing vegetable and fruit, to the awkward task of carving a shoulder of lamb or opening oysters, Knife Skills covers the lot.

DID YOU KNOW?

A Granton knife is designed to carve even and thin slices. Indentations that hold air ensure that slices don't stick to the blade. A question you could easily be asked at a pub quiz - a tang is part of the steel blade that extends into the handle. In cheap knives, the tang is on the short side whereas in professional ones, the tang runs the full length of the blade, aiding balance, stability and endurance.

This is the definitive guide to handling a knife in the kitchen and to choosing the right knife to suit various tasks. Top advice is to go for either Swiss, German or Japanese knives and if you feel you only need just one, do make it a chef's knife that suits most tasks.

Publication details:
Dorling Kindersley
£12.99
ISBN 1405328302
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