UPDATE: I’ve had an explosion of new traffic to my blog this week. If this if your first time here, welcome! I hope you enjoy it. If you like what you see, please leave me a comment or follow me on twitter @illustratedbite. Thanks for stopping by and please come again. Cheers!
Illustrated Bites 
I love your illustrations! This is fabulous!
Thanks Kaie!
I love this! 🙂 so creative you are
Hi there! I just “stumbled upon” your blog, and love it! These tips on how to cut an onion are so helpful, because, to be honest I have never known how :X! Thanks
Hey Kristianne! I’m glad I could help…that’s seriously the best complement ever. Cheers!
Great blog! I love to cook, so I’ll be following you from here on out. 🙂
just what i needed!! now, how do you not cry while doing this!?!
Oh man, I haven’t figured that one out yet. I always shed tears while I’m cutting onions. The chef at a restaurant I used to work at always wore swimming goggles while he was cutting onions, I guess its worth a shot!
HAHAHA! 😛
I’ve always cut the root out first. What a mistake! I’ve never thought of doing it this way. Thanks so much for sharing.
Silly question: do you ever use the front few inches of the knife? Is that part just for …rocking?
Hi! Yes, the front few inches are for the rocking motion while you’re cutting.
I’ve just found your blog, what an amazing way to present it with your beautiful illustrations 🙂
I agree with Kaie, love your illustrations! At least I cut the onion in the right way, although I don’t hold the knife correctly, sorry (a bit hesitant to put my knuckle that close to the blade). Thanks for sharing your culinary skills and illustrated bites!
This is fantastic, and I just love your style of illustrations, so bright and colourful, but incredibly clear and easy to follow.
I also really like the fact that you are actually teaching this stuff but without being patronising!! I am definitely going to try this technique next time I’m cutting up an onion 😉
Thank you so much. I’m glad to hear it’s clear and helpful. Cheers!
Thank you so much! I had no idea I was cutting onions wrong! I have to do this almost everyday, life just got a little easier!
love your illustrations! nice work.
Glad i’ve stumble on your blog through the Freshly Pressed page. Like your work !
What a lovely site. I found you today after just publishing something which seems relevant http://hereisthemoment.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/in-defence-of-vegetables/
I will be subscribing to this blog now 🙂 I really enjoy your style, and your way of combining something informative with something so aesthetically pleasing
this is fantastic!
[…] KNIFE SKILLS part two by ILLUSTRATED BITES […]
Reblogged this on tomwisk and commented:
To continue. Following the instructions will make you look like a star when company crowds the kitchen. Just tell them “It just comes naturally.”
Reblogged this on msamba.
You are absolutely brilliant. I think I love you. 🙂
Oh quit, you’re making me blush 🙂
Reblogged this on The Sisterhood of the Sizzling Pans and commented:
Part Two of an amazing Illustrated Knife Skills Series.
[…] Today I wanted to direct everyone to a blog I am currently following. She posts some really cool recipes and tips as well!! This is helpful for the college student trying to get by, or to people who are trying to learn to cook! =) Illustrated Bites […]
Reblogged this on foodmakestheman and commented:
and part two… how to cut an onion
I love you blog I just discovered!
For a “visual” cook this is heaven 🙂
[…] Goal 3.) I had my chef friend Derrick teach me how to sharpen a knife and demonstrate the proper way to slice an onion. Then I spent all day last sunday cooking things with my girlfriends. I rarely cook so that was all new for me. I used a deep fryer for the first time and I learned that fryers are dangerous and delicious. I like danger and I love doughnuts. I’d say so far this learn from friends goal is my fave! In order to show you what I’ve learned I’ve reposted the wonderful illustration below it’s original source is a great website with illustrated cooking tips. […]
I love the site and illustrations. I ran into your knife skills illustration on Pinterest, which led me here, and I’d actually love to hire you for a project at some point…
Anyhow, I hate to be a stickler, but an up-and-down cutting movement (push cut) is not wrong. It is the motion one uses with flatter profiled knife blades and is often better for more precision cutting. The up-and-down motion is used more with Japanese-styled cutlery and even French Sabatier style knives. The rock chop motion as you describe has been very popular in the US as we traditional have used European-style knives with rounder bellies. Times are changing though, and you will find more and more chefs at good restaurants using a push cut instead of a rock chop. The rock chop with European fat bellied knives is still almost exclusively taught in culinary schools though, so that cutting motion will stick around for some time to come. Just thought I would throw that out there.
I’m glad you like my site! Thank you for your insight, I appreciate your feedback.
Have you ever thought about writing an e-book or guest authoring on other websites?
I have a blog centered on the same subjects you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information.
I know my viewers would appreciate your work.
If you are even remotely interested, feel free to
shoot me an e-mail.
I love this graphic and knife skills part one. Where can I get a poster of them both? I would love to put them up in my home economics classroom.