Cookerati

It’s kitchen safety week here at Cookerati. This means that in addition to bringing you the best in food news, tips, recipes and product reviews, we’re going to share a few safety tips as well. Probably the most common kitchen accidents have to do with knives. I nearly severed limbs on more than one occasion, so I know of what I speak.  Before you start chopping, slicing and dicing, check out these kitchen safety tips:

1. Make sure your knives are very sharp – The sharper the knife, the easier the chopping. Dull knives go through food with more difficulty upping the odds of your having a mishap.

2. Always lay knives flat on the counter or cutting board when taking a rest from your chopping. Leaving a knife with a blade sticking up or over the edge of a counter or sink is just asking for a hospital visit.

3. When washing or drying knives, place them point side down in dishwasher or dish drain. My dish drying drain actually has a box with slots for knives to dry without having to worry about someone getting poked.

4. Don’t try and catch a falling knife. Unless a child or pet is directly in its path, step aside and let falling knives drop to the floor. You don’t want to end up with stitches because you caught a knife by the blade.

5. Keep knives in a chopping block. Sharp knives belong in a chopping block, not loose in a drawer for obvious reasons. Anyone rummaging around in the drawer could get hurt.

6. Don’t put kitchen knives in dishwater, especially if you can’t see through to the bottom. You might cut yourself while washing dishes. Always wash knives as soon as you’re done using them.

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