As the number of gourmet home kitchens burgeons, so does the number of home cooks who want to become proficient users of the professional-caliber equipment they own. And of all kitchen skills, perhaps the most critical are those involving the proper use of knives. Norman Weinstein has been teaching his knife skills workshop at New York City's Institute of Culinary Education for more than a decadeand his classesalways sell out. That's because Weinstein focuses so squarely on the needs of the nonprofessional cook, providing basic instruction in knife techniques that maximize efficiency while placing the least possible stress on the user's arm. Now, Mastering Knife Skillsbrings Weinstein's well-honed knowledge to home cooks everywhere. Whether you want to dice an onion with the speed and dexterity of a TV chef, carve a roast like an expert, bone a chicken quickly and neatly, or just learn how to hold a knife in the right way, Mastering Knife Skillswill be your go-to manual. Each cutting, slicing, and chopping method is thoroughly explainedand illustrated with clear, step-by-step photographs. Extras include information on knife construction, knife makers and types, knife maintenance and safety, and cutting boards. Wofford College has the 45-minute instructional DVD that accompanies this book.�Abstract: Norman Weinstein has been teaching his knife skills workshop at the Institute for Culinary Education for over ten years. This book makes the teachings of that course available to the reader, withbasic instruction on proper techniques, designed to use the knife to maximum efficiency while putting the least amount of stress on the arm.�