Chiffonade is not a new dance craze or a must have designer pattern (although it might sound like it), but to "chiffonade" is a French culinary term meaning to cut herbs into very thin strips or ribbons. The technique is best used on green leafy herbs and vegetables such as mint (below), basil, sage, spinach, arugula, baby kale....you get the idea. Why chiffonade you might ask? It's not just a stuffy chef thing; sprinkling a chiffonade of basil over pasta, or mint over a desert is a perfect way to garnish a dish. Plus, it's also one of my favourite old school culinary words. Chiffonade...it just sounds so pretty. Here is how to chiffonade: 1) Stack up a few leaves, all facing in the same direction. 2) Starting at the edge facing you, tightly roll up the leaves. 3) Roll all the way to the end. Hold the stem end firmly so it doesn't unravel. 4) Safely holding a chef's knife, slice roll crosswise as thinly as possible. 5) Continue slicing down the entire roll. 6) Gently separate the chiffonade pieces with your fingers. 3 tips for chiffonade success... - Make sure your knife is super sharp. A dull knife will bruise tender herbs. Click here to find out how to sharpen your knives. - Cut your chiffonade right before you intend to use it...the edges tend to darken shortly after cutting. - Add your herb chiffonade at the end of cooking, since the small pieces will quickly over cook. You can also use this technique to slice crepes or thin omelettes into thin slices, like in this Thai-Style Salad with Shredded Eggs.   Photography by Leah Kuhne (top 3); Jeff Coulson (bottom)