Cooking Lessons Knife Skills and Cuts 3

Question 1

What is the main difference between honing and sharpening a knife?

Accepted Answer

Honing realigns the edge while sharpening removes metal to create a new edge

Answer

A honing steel straightens a rolled edge, while sharpening on a stone grinds away metal to form a fresh edge.

Question 2

At approximately what angle should you hold a Western-style chef's knife against a sharpening stone?

Accepted Answer

15-20 degrees

Answer

Western chef's knives are typically sharpened at about 15-20 degrees per side.

Question 3

Why is a dull knife considered more dangerous than a sharp one?

Accepted Answer

It requires more force and is more likely to slip off food

Answer

A dull blade needs extra pressure and can skid off the food's surface toward your hand.

Question 4

Which knife is the best choice for slicing bread or ripe tomatoes without crushing them?

Accepted Answer

Serrated knife

Answer

A serrated knife's toothed edge saws through crusty or delicate-skinned foods without squashing them.

Question 5

What is the safest way to hand a knife to another person in the kitchen?

Accepted Answer

Set it down on the counter and let them pick it up, or offer it handle-first

Answer

Placing the knife down or presenting the handle keeps the blade away from both people's hands.

Cooking Lessons Practice Test