Last Wednesday, I hopped on a double decker Megabus and rode to New York in order to learn about knives. Many months ago, I’d gotten an email inviting me to visit Korin, a specialty shop that sells Japanese knives and tableware and finally the day had arrived for my trip. As a fan of good kitchen knives, I was incredibly excited to learn a little more about the breadth of knives available out there.
Located downtown near City Hall, Korin has been in the business of knives and tableware for 30 years. A family operation, the store was initially open only by appointment to the restaurant trade (they currently work with the likes of Nobu, Grammercy Tavern and Per Se) but in recent years, the shop has been open daily to the public as well.
In addition to selling an incredibly vast array of knives and tableware, they also offer sharpening services using a variety of Japanese water stones. They can sharpen and repair nearly any type or style of knife, save those with a serrated edge.
Having seen what they were able to do with some of my more beat-up knives, I am a true believer as to what a good sharpening can do. There is no one that I know of in Philadelphia producing this level of edge quality. Happily, you can mail your knives to Korin should you not live near enough to drop in for sharpening.
Korin sells Western-style knives, traditional Japanese knives and a Japanese-Western hybrid. The difference between these knives is in the edge. Western edges are sharpened so that they have a symmetrical edge. This offers a blade that is fairly durable and relatively easy to maintain. Japanese knives are traditionally sharpened on just one side of the knife. This makes for an incredibly sharp edge, but not as easy for the home cook to maintain.
Then there’s the hybrid knife. Made of thin, high-grade steel, the edge is sharpened to an asymmetrical edge that leads to a sharper, more durable blade. The only issue with selecting a knife with an asymmetrical edge is if you have multiple cooks in your household who have different dominant hands. These knives are sharpened differently for righties and lefties. Just something to keep in mind.
One of the things that my hosts stressed when showing me through the knives was the fact that in Japanese culinary culture, there are different knives for different tasks. The giant knife with the extended blade in this picture? It is designed for cutting soba noodles. Thicker blades are designated for butchering, while thinner ones are for making more precision cut. Blade shapes also vary depending on region and maker.
One blade that I fell particularly in love with while visiting Korin was the Petty knife. It’s seen as an analog to the paring knife, as it’s both light and highly maneuverable. However, as you can see (it’s pictured below), it’s got a longer blade that you typically find on a Western paring knife. Since introducing it to my kitchen a week ago, it’s rapidly become my favorite knife for quick tasks like slicing up an apple.
If you’re a knife nerd like me, make sure to visit Korin the next time you’re in New York!
Our favorite and most beloved tool in the kitchen is our 8″ Chef’s knife. We literally fight over who gets to use it while we cook! 😉
I would have to go with my cast iron pots as my favourite, but a close second is a handmade chopping knife that a friend gave me. Oh and maybe my kitchen aid mixer.
Love the petty knife
I like my cast iron skillets from my grandmother, and my food dehydrator…and most recently, my hand juicer as I made Meyer lemon curd for the second year in a row (thanks, Marisa for fostering that new addiction!!)….but my most favorite kitchen tool is my Crock Pot. Dinner ready by 6 pm with minimal morning effort–priceless!!
My Kitchen-Aid mixer is my favorite tool.
I am a kitchen gadget addict, so it’s hard to pick just one thing I own as my favorite doodad, but it’s probably an old knife my grandmother gave me. I’m not sure what the make/model of it is, but it has lasted for what seems like forever, and holds an edge better than every newer knife I’ve acquired (including my Cutco!) I love that thing. Of course, there’s always room in my heart (and kitchen) for more quality knives, and that one you’re giving away looks fantastically useful!
I have to agree with #451 my favorite tool is a very old cast iron skillet, which is significantly older than me and I’m not exactly young. Or, is it an equally old, if not older, and horrendously ugly chef’s knife from my Grandfather.
my favorite tool varies seemingly on a daily basis. i think the winner at the moment is my bench scraper/ dough cutter.
Favorite kitchen tool, probably my green spatula. Super cheery and great for scraping every last bit of honey out of the jar!
oh man, our knives are always blunt so my favorite kitchen tool is actually the knife sharpener. I probably have to use it more often than the strainer!
My favorite kitchen tool is my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. I use it weekly to cook beans and grains for the week in minutes, and it’s so well-crafted that I’ve never had any problems with it. And it’s great for canning. In fact, I got rid of my enormous pressure canner because I can process two batches of 3 quart jars in the Kuhn Rikon in the same amount of time as I could process one batch of 6 quarts in the big canner because it heats up so fast!
Favorite kitchen tool hands down is the Vidalia Onion Chopper thingy — I have two and use them for everything and especially comes in handy for chopping ingredients for sweet pickle relish!
I have many loves in the kitchen… but I love how my mortar & pestle slows me down while doing an incredible job with spices and sauces…
My favorite kitchen tool would have to be my wooden and bamboo spoons. I would love a chance to win a decent knife.
My favorite tool is my Excalibur food dehydrator.
mortal and pestle there are so many amazing mixes or rubs or sauce bases… The list goes on and on. It is one of the older kitchen tools along with the knife.
I wish I had something more creative… but I have to admit that getting a food processor literally changed my life! (and I married the guy who gave it to me, so it was a win-win)
I love this Korin website, and my favorite kitchen tool is my microwave,hehe. Actually my chef’s knives.
cutting board, definitely!
cast iron skillet, 8 inch knife, immersion blender, food processor, canner, canning jars, canning funnel, mixer, food scraper, narrow fish turner, I can’t choose just one!
My favourite kitchen item right now is my Microplane.
I use my kitchen scale every day and avoid washing a LOT of measuring cups!
I think my favorite kitchen tool is my new grow light — I can grow my herbs and microgreens all winter long! I even harvested some baby carrots the other day!!!
My favorite tool is my 10″ Chef’s knife, but lately I’ve been doing a lot of giggling using the new “green” saute pan that food does not stick too. I’ve already had food slide off by not paying attention.
My favorite kitchen tool is my vegetable peeler I received for participating in a healthy challenge at work. Who knew a nice, sharp peeler could make such a difference? Bring on the lefse!
My favorite kitchen tool is my Le Creuset pot.
I have an ULU and Bowl that my mother-in-law gave me after her trip to see her sister in Alaska. They are quite old and belonged to my husband’s grandmother. I have found that I very frequently turn to them for prep work and actually need to buy a sharpener.
My new favorite tool has been a small pastry roller. I use it for spreading pizza dough, pie crust and Sunflower cheese crackers!
my favorite kitchen tool is probably my mortar and pestle. i use it way more than i ever imagined i would, and i can’t imagine life without it now!
My favourite kitchen tools are my cutco santuko knife and my wooden spoons.
I love my kitchen aid for baking, although it’s a little bit tired from all the baking my mom used it for before me
My cutting is my favorite and a must have when I cook.
My favorite kitchen tool is the Pampered Chef Food Chopper. It quick and easy to use for small amounts of items that need to be finely chopped. It’s also easy to take apart and put in the dishwasher. I’ve lately been interested in getting a good quality knife but don’t even really know where to start.
I love my immersion blender, mostly because it helps me lessen the ultimate kitchen evil: dirty dishes. With this baby, I don’t have to transfer soups and sauces to a blender and back, and that makes me one happy girl.
Passed-down cast iron skillets (in various depths and sizes) are easily the most used in my kitchen, but I am lately making artisnal-type bread using the new, porcelain-lined cast iron dutch oven that my daughter gave me for Christmas. I call my new kitchen friend The Blue Goose!
My favorite kitchen tool is my immersion blender.
Thanks for the chance to win a decent knife!
Even though I have a nice Santoku, it’s not my favorite knife – that would have to be an older one that has a slightly shorter but deeper blade, which has the perfect weigh for my hand.
I love my emulsion blender for making soups and quick smoothies!
Tough one. I really love my ceramic knife for cutting fruit, but that petty knife just might make a run for the new favorite 🙂
My favorite kitchen tool is the only knife I have right now, a good quality chef knife- a vast improvement over my mom’s dull, old, department store knife set. I’d definitely use another knife.
My favorite tool is my dishwasher…..
My cast iron pan, easily. I would cook everything in it if I could!
My favorite kitchen tool is probably my food processor~ I never realized before having one how awesome it is!
My favorite kitchen tool is my immersion blender – soup-making is so easy! 🙂
My favorite kitchen tool is my Cuisinart 7 quart mixer. A thing of beauty!
I’m with you all on the cast iron. I have a whole cast iron set, each pan has its own job. But I have to say, my favorite FAVORITE kitchen tool is my Polish pickling crock. There is something fermenting in there ALL THE TIME!
It’s hard to pick just one…. But I have to admit, my sauce master makes life much easier!
My favorite tool is the Microplane Zester (Grater) go to tool for grating cheese, garlic, lemon zest etc.
My favorite tool is my second-hand cast iron pan. I loved transforming it from a rusty piece into a seasoned kitchen tool. Now I use it all the time; I’d choose it over a nonstick pan any day.
My favorite kitchen tool is the cutting board my husband made for me (and other family members).
My favorite kitchen tool is my cast iron skillet. I use it for EVERYTHING!