In the Hands of a Chef: The Professional Chef's Guide to Essential Kitchen Tools

Introduction.

Chapter 1. Knives and Cutting Tools.

The Parts of a Knife.

The Blade.

The Cutting Edge.

The Bolster.

The Tang.

The Handle.

Types of Knives.

General Purpose Knives.

Knives for Butchering and Fabricating.

Specialty Knives.

Sharpening and Honing Tools.

Whetstones.

Steels.

Electric Knife Sharpeners.

Additional Cutting Tools.

Ice Carving Tools.

Tongs and Similar Tools.

Scissor and Shears.

Spatulas.

Turners.

Peelers.

Graters and Rasps.

Corers.

Zesters.

Channel Knives.

Pitters.

Mandolin.

Apple Wedgers.

Guitars (Egg Cutter).

Food Mill.

Ricer.

Garlic Press.

Carving and Kitchen Forks.

Parisienne Scoops.

Wire Mesh Gloves.

Reamers.

Meat Pounder or Meat Tenderizers.

Shrimp Deveiner.

Food Processor.

Electric Slicer.

Meat Grinder.

Vertical Chopping Machine (VCM).

Food Chopper (Buffalo Chopper).

Chapter 2. Knife Skills.

Knife Selection.

What’s in Your Knife Kit?.

Handling and Maintaining Knives.

Sharpening Knives on a Stone.

Honing Knives on a Steel.

Keeping Knives Clean and Sanitized.

Cutting Surface.

Storing Knives.

Holding the Knife.

The Guiding Hand.

Setting Up Your Work Area.

Basic Cuts.

Preliminary Cuts.

Chopping and Mincing Foods.

Shredding and Grating.

Slicing Cuts: Plain and Decorative.

Precision and Portioning Cuts.

Decorative and Special Cutting Techniques.

Chapter 3. Cutting Techniques for Vegetables and Fruits.

Onions.

Shallots.

Scallions.

Garlic.

Leeks.

Mushrooms.

Tomatoes.

Avocadoes.

Peppers and Chiles.

Plantains.

Citrus Fruit.

Melons.

Pineapples.

Mangoes.

Chapter 4. Cutting Techniques for Meat and Poultry.

Poultry.

Trussing Poultry.

Halving and Quartering Poultry.

Suprémes.

Meat Fabrication Techniques.

Tying a Roast.

Tenderloin.

Cutting Bone-In Chops.

Disjointing a Rabbit.

Carving Roasted Meats and Poultry.

Rib Roast.

Ham.

Duck.

Chapter 5. Cutting Techniques for Fish and Shellfish.

Round Fish.

Lobster.

Preparing Live Lobster to Cook.

Removing the Meat from a Cooked Lobster.

Shrimp.

Clams and Oysters.

Opening Oysters.

Opening Clams.

Chapter 6. Hand Tools for Measuring, Mixing, and Baking.

Tools for Measuring.

Converting Between U.S. And Metric Measurement Systems.

Volume versus Weight.

Tools for Measuring Volume.

Tools for Measuring Weight.

Tools for Measuring Temperature.

Baking and Mixing Tools.

Spoons.

Whisks.

Bench Scraper.

Bowl Scraper.

Mortar and Pestle.

Rolling Pins.

Pastry Bags and Tips.

Summary.

Glossary.