Paring Knife and Bread Knife

Paring Knife and Bread Knife

Two small, essential blades for peeling, mincing, and slicing bread.

What It Is

Two complementary knives for the tasks that a chef's knife does not do well. The paring knife has a small 8 to 10 cm blade, perfect for peeling, mincing, and pitting. The bread knife has a long, serrated blade that saws through the crust without crushing the crumb. Two lightweight tools, easy to handle, and essential for daily use.

When to Use Them

The paring knife comes out to peel fruit by hand, remove a garlic germ, hull a strawberry, or for any precision work held close to the fingers. The bread knife steps in as soon as a crispy crust or a thin-skinned tomato is involved: it saws without crushing, where a smooth blade slips or squashes.

How to Choose

Short, rigid paring blade, fine point. For the bread knife, check that the serrations are wide and well spaced, not microscopic: this bites into the crust better. A non-slip handle is recommended for the paring knife, which is often held while wet. No need to spend a fortune, these are secondary knives, but avoid the absolute cheapest ones that bend.

Care

• Wash and dry by hand like any knife
• The bread knife cannot be sharpened at home: its serrations require specialized sharpening
• Store separately, small blades get lost and damaged quickly in a jumbled drawer
• Avoid cutting hard surfaces with the paring knife

Common Mistake

Using the bread knife for everything because it seems versatile: it crushes tender vegetables and quickly tires the wrist. Another trap is using the paring knife to slice a large roast: the blade is too short, and the movement becomes unpredictable and dangerous.