Kitchen Essentials: Basic Types of Knives

 There are countless kinds of kitchen knives with a wide range of uses, and what might be effective for one type of kitchen task may not work so well for another. That's why it is essential to look for the right kitchen knife for the job. 

In this blog, let's explore different kinds of knives used in the kitchen; whether professional or amateur, no-cook should ever be without. Bare cutting essentials for every kitchen are:

Chef Knife

A chef knife often referred to as a cook's knife, comes with a broad, long blade with a straight edge. Tapered up to a finely pointed tip, it is widest across the heel. To protect the sharpness, use the chef knife sheath when not in use. 

Best for chopping, dicing vegetables, with a broad heel area makes it take more pressure under heavy-duty chopping veggies like onions, parsnips. 

Utility Knife

Similar looking to a chef knife, but relatively slimmer and smaller. Few utility knives have sharp tips which allow intricate work and tapers up to the spine. 

A utility knife is ideal for fine chopping like shallots. It is a useful tool for smaller food items and precise cutting. If your chef's knife is big, you need to use a utility knife for the job. 

Paring Knife

A paring knife comes with a slim, short, and even-size blade with a pointed tip. It is light which is easy to handle, and useful for delicate work. Used for the chop, cut, and slice, it can even cut harder foods like potatoes and turnips. 

It is small and easy to use size to perform delicate jobs like trimming, peeling, and de-seeding fruits and vegetables. 

Bread Knife

With long, even-sized, serrated edges, the bread knife blade looks and works like a saw. This type of knife is designed for cutting soft food items, primarily for bread. 

With the sharp serrated edge with a long blade, the bread knife is the perfect tool for sawing through crusty pieces of bread, baguettes, bread rolls, and bagels. The grooved edges of the knife allow it to cut through items with a soft texture without ruining their shape. 

Apart from bread, it is used to carve and slice cakes. As cakes have a similar fluffy and spongy texture to the bread, they can cut through them without squishing the air and damaging the shape. 

If you don't have a cake leveler, instead use a bread knife, it works fine. 

Conclusion: 

We believe the above-mentioned kind of kitchen knives have helped you understand the essential knives you need in your kitchen tool kit. Remember to maintain your knife for their long life. Use the knife holders and leather knife sheath to keep them covered when not in use. It protects the blade and you both from damage.