TYPES OF CUTS
There are two basic hand grips when
using a kitchen knife: the blade grip
and the handle grip.
- In the handle grip, your hand is
completely on the handle, and
your fingers are all tucked
behind the bolster. - The blade grip is the one most
often preferred by experienced
cooks. Your thumb and forefinger
rest on the blade, in front of the
bolster, with the thumb pointing
down the blade and the forefinger
resting on the bolster. This grip
gives better control and balance
when chopping. - Slicing When slicing food, always
place it on a flat, stable surface.
When slicing, tuck your fingers
backwards into a “claw” position,
to keep them out of harms way. - Mincing Most often done to finely
chop herbs. Place the tip of the
knife on the cutting board and hold
it in place with your free hand.
Rock the blade up and down to
finely cut the herbs (or nuts or
chocolate, whatever). - Dice A basic square cut. A small
dice is about 5mm; a medium
dice, about 1cm; and a larger dice
about 5cm. - Julienne A baton shaped cut about
3mm thick x 4−6cm long. Flatten
rounded vegetables, such as
carrots, on the base to provide
a stable surface, then slice all sides
so the edges are straight. Slice
crossways into 3mm slices, then
lengthways into 3mm strips. A fine
julienne 1mm x 4cm is also known
as cutting into “matchsticks”. - Baton This is a larger julienne cut;
it is a bit longer and thicker 5mm
x 4−6 cm – it’s the size of the hot
potato chip!
8 #COOKWITHTHEWEEKLY
Test Kitchen Secrets
MEETTHE FOODTEAM
SophiaYoung
EDITORIAL& FOODDIRECTOR,
AWWCOOKBOOKS“I have excellent chefs’ knives,
however a more unique one is my
fish filleting knife, shaped like a
chefs’ knife but with a narrow
blade. Aside from fishy things, I use
the fine blade to score the outline
of a slice for items like pies which
might shatter, before retracing the
cut with a heavy-duty knife.”Our experts reveal their favourite
and most unusual chefs’ knives.After starting out as a chef,
I moved to magazines and
cookbooks as a food editor
and stylist. It’s been fun!
What drives me the most is
to inspire readers by sharing
recipes that will result in
them cooking great food.“I recently bought a 12.5cm
santoku knife by Baccarat and it’s
my new favourite addition in the
Test Kitchen. It has a wonderful
balance, as it’s small and delicate
but also feels wonderfully sturdy
to use. I’m loving it for precise
slicing on photoshoots.”SarahMurphy
FOOD EDITOR, AWW FOOD
I’m an eternal sweet tooth
with a constant need to
take a tray of brownies to
any function I attend. I love
creating simple twists on
classic recipes that are
achievable for everyone
no matter their skill level.“The mini Asian meat cleaver
I bought in Chinatown for a song
a few years ago is relentlessly
sharp, and perfect not only for
mincing meat for dumplings, but
also for cutting fruit for school
lunch boxes. It’s never far from my
chopping board – I love it!”Kathleen Davis
SENIOR FOOD EDITOR,
AWW COOKBOOKS
Working as a food editor
for two decades, I’m
fortunate to be able to
immerse myself in my
greatest pleasures - food
and books. There’s always
a new ingredient to explore
and a new recipe to try.“My absolute favourite knife is
my small Victorinox serrated
knife. It’s my go-to when slicing
tomatoes, carving through a chunk
of cheese and cutting into a crusty
baguette. Plus, the added bonus
is its bright-pink handle, which
means I can easily spot it in my
busy kitchen drawers!”Domenica Reddie
RECIPE EDITOR,
AWW COOKBOOKS
I come from a large Italian
family, where food was a
way of life and everything
was made from scratch.
My fondest memories are
picking tomatoes to make
passata and eating pasta
with the masses.