Mom's Melon-Cutting Tips

My husband never trusts me with a knife. Seriously -- he won't even let me cut a bagel since he's sure things will end badly.

And, to be honest, he's got reason to be concerned. Last summer while cutting rice krispie treats with a bread knife, I sliced my finger and nearly fainted (luckily, I somehow managed to avoid a trip to the ER).

As soon as he knew I was okay, Avo's first words when he saw me lying on the floor were:

"You've been flirting with a knife wound for some time!"

He's right, of course. Instead of taking the time to properly cut food the safe way, I tend to chop away wildly -- inevitably, using the wrong instrument for the job.

Just yesterday I inadvertently massacred a cantaloupe while trying to slice it into bite-size pieces.

My mom proceeded to give me a lesson in how to cut a cantaloupe:

1. Cut the cantaloupe in half (through the blossom end).
2. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
3. Cut each half into slices the long way.
4. Use a small paring knife to cut off the rind.
5. Cut into triangular shaped pieces.

"I would cut in my hand, but I'm afraid for you," my mom said. So she advised me to lay the slices on a cutting board before using the paring knife to cut off the rind.

Her masterful technique is much better than my hack job!