First, take inventory of your knives and cutting boards. In my kitchen, I like to have three cutting boards in rotation. A wide oversized (18”-24”) wood cutting board is a brilliant starting point. This can be your go-to for all nonmeat chopping. It’s durable, yields to the sharp edges of your knives and allows plenty of room to chop and organize your ingredients. Wood is porous, so make sure to clean and condition/oil your cutting board often to ensure its longevity. A natural way to clean your cutting board is to cut a lemon in half and use it to scrub some coarse salt into the surface. Then rinse the board with cold water, and set it in the sun to dry!
Did you know that a marble or stone cutting surface can ruin every knife you own? If you have one, keep that stone on hand for rolling pastry dough and looking fancy on your counter as a hot pad or a spot to organize some charcuterie snacks.
You should also have a second, dishwasher-safe plastic cutting board on hand solely designated for cutting raw meats/proteins to avoid cross-contamination. Having multiple color-coded ones for fish, poultry and meat is handy. Plastic and glass cutting boards are useful for this because you can throw them right in the dishwasher and sanitize them every time. Glass can dull your knife blades, though, but I find it is a good alternative for those trying to bring a little less plastic into their homes. Finally, keep a third board on hand for smaller jobs and single-ingredient chopping.
A few more necessities I keep on hand: a nonslip mat or dish towel to put underneath keeps the cutting board in place – and I feel like it automatically makes me a better chopper. I always have a trash bowl or bin set next to my cutting board area to easily discard remnants. It keeps your board tidy during meal prep and makes composting simple. And I am a fan of having a wet towel close by to wipe the board between ingredients.
On the subject of knives, you only need to own three – really, only three! A chef’s knife is hands down the most important knife to have in your drawer. It’s your slicing, dicing, cut-through-everything knife. The next must-have is a paring knife. I love my paring knife because it’s smaller and great for fine dicing and peeling. Finally, a serrated knife – because really, you can’t cut bread or tomatoes without one. If you own those three, you can prepare anything and everything. And the rule to buying the right knife? See how it feels in your hand.
