The "mise" is something I finally forced myself to do every time, but otherwise I'm thinking "What? There's just ONE most challenging thing?"Mise en place. I generally am short on time and I'm throwing things together haphazardly.
Wasn't aware that laying your finger on the spine of the knife was "prissy". Huh. Learn something new every day. I guess I'm prissy, then, and would get Anne Burrell's red mark of death.The "mise" is something I finally forced myself to do every time, but otherwise I'm thinking "What? There's just ONE most challenging thing?"
What I've noticed a lot among family and friends is poor knife skills: crap knives, low-quality, usually too small, always dull, never steeled, tossed in the dishwasher. The pinch grip is unknown to them. Instead, some use the prissy index-finger-on-the-spine grip, others the full-fist serial killer grip.
That's pretty deep. I don't think of knife cuts in those terms. I've never had a problem and don't feel I have a poor grip and am able to cut through all of my vegetables with no problems.You're right--how you hold the knife doesn't affect taste. But a poor grip makes the work harder and less accurate, and that usually affects the cook's morale.
I'm very comfortable with it, thanksProfessional chefs have, over time, figured out the most comfortable grip for long periods of knife use. So perhaps the pinch grip is less tiring than the index finger on the spine grip.
I suspect the type of grip you use with your knife could make a difference if you were cutting and chopping as part of a full-time job. Most of us are not in that situation.
If you don't care about using a certain "preferred" grip, go of it. Ultimately, being comfortable with your tools is the most important factor.
After all, this is what counts.I'm very comfortable with it, thanks . . . However, I'm still able to cut my veggies quickly and precisely, so it works for me.
I looked up this particular chopper and all the parts can be washed in a dishwasher. Even though I don't have a working dishwasher at the moment, I consider that an important factor. I don't want a gadget that makes the cutting quicker, if I spend more time cleaning it than I would spend cleaning a knife and cutting board. Oh, and another factor, it shouldn't take up too much space on my dish drainer. I wash stuff as I use it, when I'm cooking. I hate not having space to wash an item because, something else is taking all the space on the dish drainer.@rodentraiser do you have something that will help you chop like a slapper chopper, or food processor? I don't think I would enjoy cooking without those kinds of helps.
And what I do is chopped/dice a bucket of onions at a time, freezing it so I don't have to deal with chopping onions on my next week of cooking. Same with peppers, celery, carrots. Potato/veggie hash is easy. Making salsa is very easy with it. I only use the two dice sizes and not the rest of the blades it came with.
I actually have a food processor but then I'd have more dishes to wash when I was done chopping. So I haven't used it yet.@rodentraiser do you have something that will help you chop like a slapper chopper, or food processor? I don't think I would enjoy cooking without those kinds of helps.
And what I do is chopped/dice a bucket of onions at a time, freezing it so I don't have to deal with chopping onions on my next week of cooking. Same with peppers, celery, carrots. Potato/veggie hash is easy. Making salsa is very easy with it. I only use the two dice sizes and not the rest of the blades it came with.
I have food processors as well (a large size and 2 small ones) but rarely use them for the same reason. I actually don't mind chopping vegetables and I'd rather do it myself than create more dishes to wash. Plus when I chop them myself, I can cut them into the shapes I desire. Sometimes I do dices, sometimes I do julienne, sometimes whole slices, sometimes half slices, etc.I actually have a food processor but then I'd have more dishes to wash when I was done chopping. So I haven't used it yet.
Plus I have a fridge that's only about double the height of a dorm fridge and has half the depth of a regular fridge. Once I get done with my monthly shopping, I'm pretty close to leaning a large elephant against the doors to keep them shut. I'm dying to get a larger fridge. Maybe next summer.
I'm laughing because I've got nice knives but crappy knife skills. It still tastes good though.The "mise" is something I finally forced myself to do every time, but otherwise I'm thinking "What? There's just ONE most challenging thing?"
What I've noticed a lot among family and friends is poor knife skills: crap knives, low-quality, usually too small, always dull, never steeled, tossed in the dishwasher. The pinch grip is unknown to them. Instead, some use the prissy index-finger-on-the-spine grip, others the full-fist serial killer grip.
I have the same issue with my Cuisinart food processor. I still put the plastic parts in my dishwasher but do not use the heated final cycle. This has worked for at least 5 years with no warping of the bowl or lid.I have a wonderful food processor. When I bought it, it said dishwasher safe. I didn't know and it didn't specify, that it is only dishwasher safe on the top rack. Well, back then, I did have a dishwasher, but the bowls didn't fit on the top shelf. I seldom use this food processor. First I have to check if there is anything else drying on the dish rack. Even if there isn't, I will have to wait for hours to use that dish rack for anything else because, the danged food processor fills up the entire dish rack.