Admitting defeat

I am afraid to say that I have knocked myself out of the game... I was preparing a gorgeous pasta dish the other day, with a creamy sauce of smoked haddock, leeks and chives - post to follow soon-ish. Then I tried to open a pack of fresh pasta. Ever cursed packaging before? This particular plastic bag was stronger than a high-security vault and my two hands could not rip it open. But when your pot of water is boiling and you've got a hungry mob around the table, speed is of essence - no time to go looking for scissors, I had to use what was at hand. So my eyes fell on a Global knife (not just any knife, it had to be the chef's choice), which I had sharpened just minutes ago, before I went about chopping the chives... pack of pasta in one hand, sharp knife in the other, I try to cut through the plastic at the top (NB: in mid-air!) - no luck. Try again, applying more pressure to the knife and holding the pack more firmly too. Success. The pack was open. But with it went the tip of my index finger. A clean cut which shaved off the skin completely, to reveal the muscular tissue underneath. Amputation of the finger pad is what they called it in A&E. I'll spare you the details. All I'll say is that we did not eat pasta that night, as I spent most of it on the casualties ward.

Two days later, I can only laugh about it - but writing is a pain in the butt. I am right-handed and the index finger in question was the only one I use on the left hand anyway. Will this change the relationship I had with my favourite knife forever? I can't really blame it, it's done its job. Stellar performance as well, to be honest. But although there are a lot of recipes lined up waiting to be written down, I think I'll take a bit of a break until some skin grows back on my finger.

Comments

[Judith]

I had a very similar thing happen to me but instead of shaving off the skin i cut about a quarter of the way through my finger. I am glad the knife was sharp because a blunt knife would have had a lot more pressure behind it. I have a scar to remind me of that day but it does not stop me from using my knife.
BTW love your site and the recipes on it. I tried the beer can chicken with a few alterations of my own. Keep up the good work!

[johanna]

thanks for your kind words, judith - and yes, that's what the plastic surgeon told me as well "good thing you'd just sharpened it!". funnily i have a scar on the left thumb as well, where i cut bread with an electric slicer (at age 13 or so) and my thumb insisted on going through with the slice... didn't cut anything off that time, but the scar's still there. You would think that this had taught me a lesson, but we never learn, do we?

[Petra]

Gute Besserung! Und tröste dich - ich hab mir auch schon mal die Fingerkuppe des linken Zeigefingers abgesäbelt, allerdings nicht völlig, sie hing noch an einem "Fädchen". Man sieht die Narbe immer noch ;-)

[maria wagner]

Es ist zwar schön, einmal die Hand abgebildet zu sehen, die all die wunderbaren Sachen herstellt, doch dass es ein schmerzvoller Grund ist, ist natürlich nicht erfreulich.
Gute Besserung Mama

[Niki]

Ow. Ow. ow. ow. I can only imagine the pain and throbbing in your finger. The thought makes my stomach flip. My greatest sympathy.

[spots]

OUCH. I'm really sorry this happened to you... for once, you make me glad that all my knives are all so cheap & lousy ^__^ But more seriously, do get some rest and take it easy. Must take care of your little finger! :)

[Jeanne]

Ow!! Sympathy pains are throbbing in my fingers... I have a tendency to injure myself with sharp objects too. Still have the scar where I peeled my thumb together with the carrots with a sharp vegetable peeler, aged about 8. Plus the small scar where I did something very similar to your currect tale - I held a salami in one hand and tried to pierce the packaging with the sharp tip of a brand new steak knife in my other hand. Packaging pierced sucessfully, as well as the top of my left index finger. Small hole but deep and oh how it bled!! Add to this the fact that we were picnicking in Alsace, miles from anything that looked like pharmacy... Oscar-winning performance from me. Oh, and I also managed to stab myself in the lip (picnicking again!) in the South of France this month. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something about sharp objects?? ;-)

Hope the finger heals well and that you're blogging-fit again soon!

[ronald]

Are these the first drops of blood spilt in the name of online food writing? My very best wishes for a speedy recovery - now I want moan to Katia who shouts whenever I leave knives handing around or gesticulate with them in my hands...

[Pascale]

Hi Jo,
It sounds awful. Hope you feel better now. Have a good week end.

[pty_cooking_diva]

Hola Jo! greetings from Panama! I have to admit I injured myself too. Nasty thing to happen---on my left foot pinky thou. We chefs are not pedicurists or hair stylists...I have learned that in the last year or so. I was attempting to do a pedicure and then------zazzzzzz! do not need to give more details, right?. After that my 1 yo weimaraner princess sat twice on my injured foot and to make things worst, my husband stepped on me---right there, when and where the pain was more obvious. Ohhh My----never thought such a small part of my body could cause such a huge pain----It happened 10 days ago. I am still recovering---and the DOG keeps chasing me around wanting to play. Anyhow that`s life in the tropics and although I have NEVER cut a finger---this thing is bad news---Keep well :)

[Alice]

Ouch! Sorry to hear about the amputation...sounds really rough. Hope your finger heals quickly. I've been wanting a really nice knife for Christmas...wonder if I shouldn't give that some more thought...I'll have to learn to be really careful.

[johann!]

ah, you'll be fine, alice, do as my husband just did (rather late) and buy a sign with them, reading "chop the veggies, not your fingers".

[elise]

Hi Jo,

Ouch! I've done that too, and right when I was learning to play the guitar. It was sensitive for years. I hope you get better soon!