PRESS RELEASES
Get to know the multi-talented kitchen shears
CUTCO experts highlight the kitchen shears’ many culinary uses
May 21, 2009
Do you have a pair of kitchen shears? Chances are you do and you use them to open the occasional bag of potatoes or clip coupons. But, did you know that a simple pair of shears is a culinary workhorse whose abilities will make you question your pre-shears existence?
Allow the experts at CUTCO Cutlery, the largest manufacturer and marketer of high-quality kitchen cutlery and accessories in North America, to introduce you to the many culinary talents of the ever-present kitchen shears.
“Kitchen scissors, like CUTCO’s Super Shears, will be a real asset in your culinary, and even not-so-culinary, adventures,” said Kathleen Donovan, coordinator of public relations at CUTCO. “They just may end up being the busiest tool in your kitchen.”
And just how busy will your shears be? Use your imagination.
Don’t have your pizza cutter nearby? Your shears are a great stand-in. Snip fresh herbs into your pasta dishes or chives onto your baked potato. Instead of using a knife to get small pieces of bacon for your breakfast creations, cook the bacon first then cut it with your shears.
For a look at kitchen shears in action, visit www.cutco.com/videos.
Here’s what CUTCO’s Culinary Advisory Board members are using their shears for:
Judith Fertig, one of the BBQ Queens, co-author of “BBQ Queens Big Book of Barbecue” and author of “All-American Desserts”
“My Super Shears are always nearby because I use them so often. They’re delicate enough to snip fresh herbs over a dish to finish it but strong enough to help debone a chicken,” she said.
When a knife just isn’t the best choice – like sniping dried fruit or cutting large plum tomatoes in the can – she turns to her shears.
Susan Goss, executive chef and co-owner, West Town Tavern, Chicago
“There are many times I don’t want to use a chef knife and kitchen shears are a great alternative,” she said.
While they’re a good choice for trimming artichokes, her favorite use is cutting chicken or fish. “Shears make cutting along the backbone or the collar of the fish a snap. I have more control because I am cutting both sides at once and there is no slippage with shears,” she said.
Abby Dodge, cookbook author, culinary instructor and pastry chef
“Shears are certainly a fave in our house,” she said. She uses hers most often to cut up chicken, but also uses them to crack lobster shells and cut partially frozen bacon into small pieces. “For bacon, they’re faster and I don’t have to clean a cutting board.”
You don’t have a pair of kitchen shears? You should. But, before you go shopping there are a few things to consider.
“They should feel balanced in your hand and be easy to open and close without exerting undue energy,” said Ms. Dodge. Good shears will feel like an extension of your hand and not get in the way of what you’re doing.
Naturally, too, they should be sharp and cut with ease. Consider the handle comfort. It’s likely that not everyone who uses your scissors will be right-handed. So, get a pair that can be used by righties and lefties.
Make sure, too, that they come apart for easy cleaning and are dishwasher safe. “If your shears are as busy as they could be, you’ll be cleaning them often,” Ms. Donovan said.
CUTCO, celebrating its 60th anniversary, is the largest manufacturer and marketer of high-quality kitchen cutlery and accessories in the United States and Canada. All CUTCO products are marketed directly to consumers and are backed by the company’s Forever Guarantee, which ensures that CUTCO’s cutlery stays within families for generations. CUTCO is a proud supporter of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement. For more information about CUTCO, please call toll free (800) 828-0448 or visit www.CUTCO.com.
