Live and learn

[qthewetsprocket]

Shamefully, I was well into my thirties before I realised that you're supposed to move a vegetable peeler back and forth over a carrot, not straight down over and over. Because it's, you know, sharpened on both sides

Comments

[dreamer_easy]

I do it like your gran.

[qthewetsprocket]

Ah so? Well, I won't feel so bad about not cottoning on sooner then. :)

[dreamer_easy]

It's never occurred to me to push as well as pull. My sense of it is that it'd be harder to control the stroke - I'll have to give it a try.

[qthewetsprocket]

Judging by other peoples' comments, the cutting hazard of the dual-action method seems to be a big concern, so be careful if you do try it - I don't want to be the cause of a kitchen mishap! (For myself, I just loosen the tension in my hand and use a lot less pressure on the peeler than with the usual one-stroke method, and that makes it a little easier to control.)

[gritsinmisery]

Yeah, but if you move it toward your hand, you end up peeling more than just the vegetables, ifyaknowwhutahmean. I don't think I've ever seen any chef on telly use it both directions, either. I think it's just sharpened on both sides so they don't have to make right- and left-handed peelers.

Forgive me, but I'll just keep my peeling strokes in one direction -- away from my knuckles -- thanks.

[qthewetsprocket]

Eek! I guess I just don't use that much pressure when I peel? Also, if you hold it the right way, the peeler goes more towards the gap between your thumb and first finger, where it's less likely to cause damage.

It just seems like such a waste, though, I think is the thing that bothers me..."OMG, there are TWO sharpened sides to this thing and I'M ONLY USING ONE OF THEM?? =80

Yeah. Raised by folks who survived the Great Depression. Does it show? :)

[darthhellokitty]

I had NO IDEA you were supposed to do that! In related news, I don't think I've peeled a carrot in.... god, TOO long.

[qthewetsprocket]

Actually, judging from some other comments, it seems there's no real "supposed to"...seems quite a few folk prefer the single-swipe method. OMG, I have hit upon this generation's new "toilet paper: over or under-handed?" debate!

I guess it just struck me: there's two sharp sides here; why waste one?

[jo_mako]

I peel AWAY from my hand...I tend to bleed otherwise. And peelers are sharpened on both sides so left and right handed people can use them. This are trufax! (Mum worked in the housewares buying office of a department store for ages and learned this from one of their vendors)

[qthewetsprocket]

Yeah, I did think about the left-right-handed thing, but I guess it really bothers me to waste one perfectly good sharpened side...especially when it's practically impossible to sharpen the damn blade.

Also, I guess I don't press down hard enough when I peel for knuckle-shaving to be an issue? Potatoes, now, that I could see, damn bumpy things. But most carrots I've encountered are pretty smooth and easy to skin.

As I said in another comment, this is beginning to look more and more like the toilet paper debate. Hee! :)

[jo_mako]

Well we have left and right handers in my family, so it's no worries. The peeler is equally abused from both side. And I'll say you aren't if you can't get the peels off towards the end.

[trekphan]

Agreed!

I thought the two-sided-blade thing was for lefties! ;D

[crossbow1]

I didn't know you were supposed to go back and forth either! And if I did, I would probably cut myself. I usually manage to cut myself even just cutting down.

[qthewetsprocket]

From most of the comments, I'm starting to think it's not so much a "supposed to" thing as a preference thing. And a lot of people seem to have the worry about cutting themselves. Honestly, I've not noticed that being a problem as long as you relax the tension in your hand and don't apply so much pressure while you're cutting. Your way is probably wiser, though.

*admires your icon* Old skool represent!

[crossbow1]

The icon came from the concert I was at last night. Jonathan Coulton asked if we liked vampires and the audience sort of muttered, and some guy in the back yelled, "As long as they don't sparkle!" So he said, "No sparkling? Team Nosferatu?"