Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
of tv chefs do that.

Just nosy.

nancy

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 17:13:29 -0500, "Nancy Young"
> wrote:

>Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
>maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
>chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
>of tv chefs do that.
>
>Just nosy.
>
>nancy
>
Probably just revving up the motor, like a motorcylist :>

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Nancy Young wrote:
> Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> of tv chefs do that.
>
> Just nosy.
>
> nancy

Martin Yan almost always bangs the side of his knife on the cutting
surface 2-3 times before actually cutting... and then more banging
after the cutting, as if preparing to continue cutting... he even makes
the knife ring out like a musical instrument, probably to psych
himself.

Baseball players do the same, when at bat they tap the plate, and then
even make a few false swats with the bat before the ball is thrown,
some even tap their shoes, many swing 2-3 bats at once before selecting
one... carpenters too (especially framers) will strike the wood before
hammering the nail... gives a feel for the heft of the tool, sets a
cadence, and the vibration limbers the wrist so that the only exertion
is a flick, the weight of the hammer does all the work, requires no
great arm strength... if it did no one could last an hour pounding
nails. Many people who use tools/objects for repetitive tasks do the
same. Didn't you ever watch Ed Norton prepare to play piano/sign his
name? LOL

Sheldon

it also brings attention to the knife and hand

Grizzman

Sheldon wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>
>>Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
>>maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
>>chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
>>of tv chefs do that.
>>
>>Just nosy.
>>
>>nancy
>
>
> Martin Yan almost always bangs the side of his knife on the cutting
> surface 2-3 times before actually cutting... and then more banging
> after the cutting, as if preparing to continue cutting... he even makes
> the knife ring out like a musical instrument, probably to psych
> himself.
>
> Baseball players do the same, when at bat they tap the plate, and then
> even make a few false swats with the bat before the ball is thrown,
> some even tap their shoes, many swing 2-3 bats at once before selecting
> one... carpenters too (especially framers) will strike the wood before
> hammering the nail... gives a feel for the heft of the tool, sets a
> cadence, and the vibration limbers the wrist so that the only exertion
> is a flick, the weight of the hammer does all the work, requires no
> great arm strength... if it did no one could last an hour pounding
> nails. Many people who use tools/objects for repetitive tasks do the
> same. Didn't you ever watch Ed Norton prepare to play piano/sign his
> name? LOL
>
> Sheldon
>

Sheldon wrote:

> Didn't you ever watch Ed Norton prepare to play piano/sign his
> name? LOL


Or "address" the golf ball...

--
Best
Greg

Nancy Young wrote:
> Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> of tv chefs do that.
> [snip]

Interesting observation. I think they are also visualizing what they
are about to do, while preparing the fingers/hand/arm for the 'starting
gun' signal. An amateur with a zucchini on the cutting board is
thinking about one cut at a time. The person with the knife skills is
visualizing the whole zucchini becoming a line of sliced zucchini, if
you see what I mean. Don't know how to explain it more than that.
It's like a person learning how to type. First it's where do I find
that letter; after a while you are thinking in words or phrases, not
letters. -aem

On Tue 29 Mar 2005 03:13:29p, Nancy Young wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> of tv chefs do that.
>
> Just nosy.
>
> nancy
>
>

Dramatic flare?

There's no earthly practical reason I can think of.

--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

Sheldon wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
> > Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> > maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> > chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> > of tv chefs do that.
> >
> > Just nosy.
> >
> > nancy
>
> Martin Yan almost always bangs the side of his knife on the cutting
> surface 2-3 times before actually cutting... and then more banging
> after the cutting, as if preparing to continue cutting... he even
makes
> the knife ring out like a musical instrument, probably to psych
> himself.
>
> Baseball players do the same, when at bat they tap the plate, and
then
> even make a few false swats with the bat before the ball is thrown,
> some even tap their shoes, many swing 2-3 bats at once before
selecting
> one... carpenters too (especially framers) will strike the wood
before
> hammering the nail... gives a feel for the heft of the tool, sets a
> cadence, and the vibration limbers the wrist so that the only
exertion
> is a flick, the weight of the hammer does all the work, requires no
> great arm strength... if it did no one could last an hour pounding
> nails. Many people who use tools/objects for repetitive tasks do the
> same. Didn't you ever watch Ed Norton prepare to play piano/sign his
> name? LOL
>
> Sheldon
---------------
Sheldon, sometimes your posts are so foul, and other times they are
wonderful. This one was wonderful. Thanks for the memory of
Ed Norton preparing to play the piano. Hadn't thought of it for years.
Thanks for the happy glow.
Nancree

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Nancy Young wrote:
> > Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> > maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> > chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> > of tv chefs do that.
> >
> > Just nosy.
> >
> > nancy
>
> Martin Yan almost always bangs the side of his knife on the cutting
> surface 2-3 times before actually cutting... and then more banging
> after the cutting, as if preparing to continue cutting... he even makes
> the knife ring out like a musical instrument, probably to psych
> himself.
>
> Baseball players do the same, when at bat they tap the plate, and then
> even make a few false swats with the bat before the ball is thrown,
> some even tap their shoes, many swing 2-3 bats at once before selecting
> one... carpenters too (especially framers) will strike the wood before
> hammering the nail... gives a feel for the heft of the tool, sets a
> cadence, and the vibration limbers the wrist so that the only exertion
> is a flick, the weight of the hammer does all the work, requires no
> great arm strength... if it did no one could last an hour pounding
> nails. Many people who use tools/objects for repetitive tasks do the
> same. Didn't you ever watch Ed Norton prepare to play piano/sign his
> name? LOL
>
> Sheldon
>

rofl.... recalling Norton winding up for a signature

Yeh, it's just a kind of nervous wind up. I actually find myself doing the
same thing when chomping at the bit, ready to get cutting. Depends on the
situation.

"nancree" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
......[snip]...

> Sheldon, sometimes your posts are so foul, and other times they are
> wonderful. This one was wonderful. Thanks for the memory of
> Ed Norton preparing to play the piano. Hadn't thought of it for years.
> Thanks for the happy glow.
> Nancree
>

Sheldon's posts, foul?? LOL.. He brings "meaning to life".. even if he
dropped the signature. At least I know he isn't an imposter without the
signature. That's Sheldon alright. :^p

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 17:13:29 -0500, "Nancy Young"
> wrote:

>Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
>maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
>chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
>of tv chefs do that.
>
>Just nosy.
>
>nancy
>

Final Four Player at the free throw line.

"zuuum" > wrote in news:tSo2e.23112$wL6.11876@trnddc03:

>
> "nancree" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>>
> .....[snip]...
>
>> Sheldon, sometimes your posts are so foul, and other times they are
>> wonderful. This one was wonderful. Thanks for the memory of
>> Ed Norton preparing to play the piano. Hadn't thought of it for
years.
>> Thanks for the happy glow.
>> Nancree
>>
>
> Sheldon's posts, foul?? LOL.. He brings "meaning to life".. even if he
> dropped the signature. At least I know he isn't an imposter without
the
> signature. That's Sheldon alright. :^p

I think he's got his own personal think tank. Just depends on which side
of the beds they get out of in the morning.

Andy

--
"If you can't do it naturally, then fake it."
- Alfred Hitchcock
Spoken to Ingrid Bergman

On Tue 29 Mar 2005 09:15:41p, Andy wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> "zuuum" > wrote in news:tSo2e.23112$wL6.11876@trnddc03:
>
>>
>> "nancree" > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>>>
>> .....[snip]...
>>
>>> Sheldon, sometimes your posts are so foul, and other times they are
>>> wonderful. This one was wonderful. Thanks for the memory of
>>> Ed Norton preparing to play the piano. Hadn't thought of it for
>>> years. Thanks for the happy glow.
>>> Nancree
>>>
>>
>> Sheldon's posts, foul?? LOL.. He brings "meaning to life".. even if he
>> dropped the signature. At least I know he isn't an imposter without
>> the signature. That's Sheldon alright. :^p
>
> I think he's got his own personal think tank. Just depends on which side
> of the beds they get out of in the morning.

Beds and meds...gotta have 'em.


--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> of tv chefs do that.
>
> Just nosy.
>
> nancy
>
>

Ever watch an old time blacksmith at work? The hammer hits the anvil about 3
times for every time it hits the work piece. I think it's a *rhythm* thing.
H

Nancy Young > wrote in message
...
> Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> of tv chefs do that.
>
> Just nosy.

Timing. It's that simple.

You set the tempo by starting the blade on an open area and then quickly
move the blade to the cutting area.

When I worked as a cook, I'd test an open area and move to the cutting
area quickly and be done before anything was missing. I never missed
when I went through my "motions." (If I tried to skip this step... Well,
I'm not stubby but there were times that sharp knives and fingertips
don't always mix.)

The Ranger

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> of tv chefs do that.
>
> Just nosy.
>
> nancy
>
>

They are trying to think "...what the hell do I do now?..."


David

Serendipity wrote:

> Oh yes, addressing the golf ball It's almost that time here.
> Legue signups started last weekend. The closest golf course has a
> very nice louge. They tend to lean towards cajun food but do have
> other offerings. That is where I got the glazed carrot recipe from.
> They make a very nice prime rib too! They started catering for
> weddings and other special events so their menu selection has really
> expanded. Very good food, I must say!

And The Masters is next week... whooohooo!! Schools are all out for the
week, the town gets all spruced up. I always post the Champion's Dinner
menu here each year. Always interesting to see what last years winner
picks for his big dinner the next year and often they choose a menu to
share their culture and background. Tiger Woods chose hamburgers his
first year in the green jacket. One year it was haggis, and then another
Thai food. Tune in just to see the beautiful azaleas.
Goomba

Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
>Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
>maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
>chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
>of tv chefs do that.

I do it to tell the world to pay attention.

ARTIST AT WORK YOOHOO EVERYBODY LOOKIE HERE!!

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 23:29:52 GMT, "Gregory Morrow"
<gregorymorrowEMERGENCYCANCELLATIONARCHIMEDES@eart hlink.net> wrote:

>
>Sheldon wrote:
>
>> Didn't you ever watch Ed Norton prepare to play piano/sign his
>> name? LOL
>
>
>Or "address" the golf ball...

And Jackie a/k/a Ralph Cramden finally lose it and yell at him? <sigh>
There's a reason it was called the "golden age" of television. Sid
Caesar, Imogene Cocoa (sp?), Jack Bennie, Red Skelton, Jimmy Durante,
Lucille Ball...all very, very funny and not an "F" word among 'em.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA


"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

Gregory Morrow wrote:

> Sheldon wrote:
>
>
>>Didn't you ever watch Ed Norton prepare to play piano/sign his
>>name? LOL
>
>
>
> Or "address" the golf ball...
>
Oh yes, addressing the golf ball It's almost that time here. Legue
signups started last weekend. The closest golf course has a very nice
louge. They tend to lean towards cajun food but do have other
offerings. That is where I got the glazed carrot recipe from. They
make a very nice prime rib too! They started catering for weddings and
other special events so their menu selection has really expanded. Very
good food, I must say!