Fruit and vegetable knives

Experienced housewives and professional chefs know how good it is to have a variety of knives on hand. Each of them is designed for a specific type of work. And even if you do not consider it necessary to buy a whole set of professional knives for each type of cutting, then you simply need to have several copies. After all, there must be individual tools for cutting vegetables, meat or bread. This rule is dictated by basic hygiene standards.

It is very difficult to give a single description of all the existing types of knives for cutting vegetables and fruits. They differ in shape, size and purpose. This is their main feature.

In addition, any vegetable or fruit knife must have the following parameters.

• Small size. It will be very inconvenient to cut small fruits with a large, bulky object. The only exceptions are large vegetables (pumpkin, zucchini). Also, short knives become unsuitable for slicing watermelon or melon.
• Sharp, thin blade. This requirement applies to almost all vegetable knives. These products do not have such a dense structure as meat, and we do not cut them frozen.

Like any other knife, this kitchen helper has two parts - a blade and a handle. Moreover, the materials of both the first and second components can be completely different. Manufacturers offer various options and combinations of materials in one product.

Traditionally, a manual vegetable cutter was made of metal. Zinc or stainless steel is used as raw material.Today, ceramic models have become very popular. They have their own merits and demerits.

Ceramic is not as flexible as metal. It will be convenient for them to make straight cuts (when cutting onions, potatoes, apples). If you need to maneuver when cutting or cut off a rough skin from an irregularly shaped vegetable, then it is better to use a metal one. Of the advantages of ceramics, one can note the sharpness of the blade, antibacterial properties. It does not absorb odors and the risk of bacteria growth is minimal on the surface.

But many housewives, having tried ceramic knives, still return to their usual metal tools. This is also explained by the fact that there is a high probability of the object breaking upon impact.

The lifespan of any kitchen item largely depends on how it was used.

This concept includes the following parameters.

• Frequency of use. Obviously, in a family with 2-3 children, they cook much more often than in the kitchen of a bachelor. Therefore, with frequent use, it is more advisable to purchase several items at once for different types of work with vegetables. Each of them will serve you longer than one if you do all the work only for them.
• Use as directed. This type of knife has thin and sharp blades and is not suitable for rough work. When cutting frozen or just very hard food, it will quickly become dull and unusable.
• It is important to hold the knife correctly when working. This is especially true for ceramic models. If you work with them for a break, then the plane of the blade may break. This is due to the low flexibility of the material. But also the metal knife must be used correctly. Do not hit or press hard on him.
• It is best to cut food on a wooden or plastic cutting board. A sharp blade can quickly become dull on hard surfaces such as glass and marble. Today manufacturers also offer flexible silicone cutting boards for purchase. They are very convenient, after cutting, you can bend the edges and move the vegetables into the container without any problems.
• If you want to surprise your guests not only with the taste of your dishes, but also with beauty, then get special knives. For example, a coring knife will help remove seeds from apples and pears while keeping the look attractive.
• A beautiful cut is obtained using curly knives. Their blades may be wavy, serrated, or otherwise patterned on the blade. With their help, you can create real masterpieces from simple vegetables and fruits. Kids will also appreciate such creativity. They will happily eat a nice slice of fruit than the one that is cut in the usual way.

Kitchen knives should be kept in a separate place. At the same time, do not forget about safety precautions if there are small children in the house. They should not have access to these dangerous items.

You can store your knives in the dedicated compartment in the kitchen utensil organizer. In this case, it is desirable that the blades (especially metal) of the knives do not come into contact with each other. Another option would be a magnetic board, to which the entire set of knives you have will be attached.

A special stand will become a universal option. Separate holes are made in it for each item. The blade fits into one of the compartments, and the handle sticks out from above. This is the safest and most convenient storage method. The entire set will be freely available without interfering. The risk of cuts is also minimal, since to reach the object, you take it by the handle. It is also important that the blades will not touch, which means that they will not have scratches and notches.

It is necessary to wash the knives after each use.

There are many types of vegetable knives. They differ in shape, size, purpose and materials. However, they can be divided into several groups.

• For cleaning. They can also be subdivided into several subspecies. The first looks very much like a razor, only the blades are longer. It is worth noting that they are parallel to each other and are very thin and sharp. With this tool, you can easily peel carrots, beets and other round roots. But not all housewives are comfortable peeling potatoes with them because of its irregular shape. Often a potato knife looks like a regular one, only with a shorter blade.

Today it is not uncommon to see peelers with blades at both ends. One is for cleaning, while the other can be cut into curly slices. In the middle, the item is equipped with a small plastic float. It is most commonly used for lemon zest. Therefore, it can be argued that this is a 3-in-1 product.

There is also a more classic model of a cleaning knife. In English, it is called a peeling knife. It has a rather short blade, up to 10 cm. At the same time, it is curved, which facilitates the process of skinning fruits and vegetables.

Electric peelers can now be found. They greatly simplify the entire process.

• Universal. Such a knife will always come in handy in the kitchen. It has a medium-length blade that is sharpened on both sides. This aspect makes it versatile for use by both left-handers and right-handers. The knife has a thin, sharp blade, so it is very easy for them to cut both soft and harder fruits. It is worth noting that for vegetables such as tomatoes, it is better to use specimens with small cloves.

• Santoku. This Japanese knife has won the hearts of not only housewives, but also professional chefs. In addition to its visual appeal, it has excellent characteristics. The blade and handle are perfectly balanced, so they are very comfortable to work with. The weight of the blade does most of the work for you with little or no effort. Another undoubted advantage is its versatility.

• For cutting out a cavity. Everyone knows how difficult it is to cut the core of an apple or pear with an ordinary chef's knife. Then these little helpers come to the rescue. They have a cylindrical shape with pointed edges. All you need to do is place the apple on the tail and press down. As a result, the entire core will remain inside the cylinder. It can also be used to create beautiful compositions on the holiday table. Currently, not every housewife in the kitchen can see such a knife. In the kitchens of catering points, it has long been appreciated and used, since the cooking time is of great importance there.

• Slicer. They can be presented as a single item or as a whole set of devices (multi-slicer). Outwardly, it may resemble a grater. Some models are equipped with a container for collecting the cut product. These attachments provide truly unlimited possibilities for working with vegetables. With their help, you can beautifully cut vegetables for serving. Cut the fruit into cubes very quickly and effortlessly. There are also separate elements with which you will grate or cut into slices potatoes and other vegetables.

Before going to the store for a knife, decide on the parameters, which are important when choosing.

• Purpose. Will this knife be used specifically for slicing or do you need a vegetable peeler.
• The size. This parameter can be determined directly in the store. Hold the product in your hands, imagine how you wield it in your kitchen. Choose the model that seemed the most comfortable.
• Material. The choice will have to be made between ceramic and metal blades.

Fruit and vegetable knives come in various shapes and sizes. They are indispensable in the kitchen and greatly facilitate the process of cooking.

You can find out how to sharpen a vegetable knife by watching the video below.