How to Cut

No matter how many recipes you master, if your knife skills are lacking you’re not going to cut it in the kitchen.
Today, take an inventory of your knives. You must have one good chef’s knife (8-10″), a utility knife, a paring knife and a bread knife. More than that is a luxury. Less than that and you’re cutting yourself short. Do not try to cut everything in your kitchen with a serrated steak knife, like I remember doing as a kid. Go to the best knife shop you can afford and fill the gaps.
Next, sharpen your knives! A dull knife will cut you worse than a sharp one. You use more pressure on a dull knife and it’s easier to slip when you’re pressing hard. The test for me it tomatoes. If you can’t slice a tomato like butter, then your knife is too dull. Manually sharpening knives takes some practice; for most people, it’s easier to buy a knife sharpener that holds the blade at the correct angle. Whichever way you do it, be vigilant. Don’t let your knives get dull.
If you’re not sure what to do with your razor sharp knives, this utterly useful illustrated essay on How to Cut will get you started, or refresh your memory. Peter Hertzmann also shares French recipes on his website, a la carte.