learning knife skills

Last week, I wrote this about using a chef's knife in the kitchen:

"When we were cooking the Dog Mountain Farm dinner, I was lost for a few moments in the rhythm of my knife on the plastic cutting board as I chopped herbs fine. Something made me listen to it, step outside of myself as my sharp knife divided the rosemary in half, then half again. It sounded good. It sounded right. The tip of my knife stayed on the board as the blade moved from right to left, like a lawnmower through tall green grass. I haven't noticed, in months and months, just how evenly I cut something now. Chopping is meditation, getting a job done. Now that I have the confidence of hours of doing this the right way in my hands, I don't have to think. I can simply step up to the counter and enjoy."

Many of you wrote me to ask — how did you get there?

Well, I watched Danny and I practiced. (Also, I'm still not that good, just more sure.)

Since many of you have asked recently, and before this too, we did a video of Danny demonstrating how to use a knife well.

This is the first part in a video series on knife skills.

Watch and practice, if you don't already feel comfortable with a knife in the kitchen.