How to Use a Bird's Beak Knife
The bird's beak knife, also known as the tourne knife, is a small paring knife used for precision cuts and for peeling small fruits and vegetables. The knife gets its name from the small curved blade, which resembles a beak, that typifies this knife. Proper use of the bird's beak knife requires precision and accuracy, since the most common cutting technique associated with the bird's beak, a peeling-type cut, requires you to move the knife toward your hand. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Hold a soft, rounded piece of fruit or vegetable in your non-cutting hand. Examples of such fruit include plumbs, peaches and tomatoes. Hold the fruit between your thumb and your index and middle fingers.
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Apply the sharp edge of the bird's beak knife, located on the concave side of the blade, to the bottom of the fruit or vegetable.
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Cut along the outer edge of the fruit while using the thumb on your cutting hand to stabilize the fruit. Cut slowly and move toward your thumb. Stop when the knife gently makes contact with your thumb.
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Cut around the fruit or vegetable completely until you have removed all of the skin.
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Cut seven sides around the fruit or vegetable using the same peeling technique for a tourne cut. This famous French-style cut creates a football shape that ensures even cooking of all the pieces.
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Tips & Warnings
The bird's beak knife is also used to slice soft fruits. The small sharp blade allows for precision cutting with minimal force, which prevents the fruit from being smashed.
