WOW, my grandmother used to do that and I never knew why :eek:

Rick -

that is the way the Italians cut the bread - for hundreds of years you did it that way - even little kids did it - that is how they learned to cut bread with a knife -
when you feel the knife t the chest - you stop - but you cut a whole loaf of bread like that!

and - the knife was a carbon knife - that is what they had in those days - you couldn't cut your lettuce with a carbon knife - it would rust the lettuce - so your tore it with your hands

an Italians' hands did it all - by hand

I still mince my garlic by cutting it in my fingers and I still cut things with a knife using my hand as the cutting board - cutting into my hand

You are bringing back so many memories for me

I've been doing it for so long - learned it from my mom and it was passed down to me - and she got it from her mom - and so on...........................

I still cut my tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, apples, cukes, radishes, etc. in my hand - and no I do not cut myself. Always cutting into the thumb or palm.

and I still rip lettuce instead of cut.............and I core lettuce by hand

I watch them on TV use a cutting board - cripe - who owned a cutting board in those days? can't change my habits either -

but when I watch them using a cutting board on garlic - I just laugh - here's this big ol' cutting board and one little itty bitty clove of garlic...........

did your mom do it the same way I do?