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!
oooh – knives are great. i have this great spatula/slicer knife from cutco – love it!
Cast iron skillets.
I was thinking I should identify something more glamorous, like my good knife or copper preserving pot, but I really like my industrial-sized metal spoon. While I have wooden spoons, a metal spoon is often more deft while trying to get at the side and corners of a stockpot while making preserves. Or, in tossing ingredients around while sauteeing.
Thanks for this chance to win such a beautiful knife. I am adding Korin to my list of places to visit the next time I find my way to NYC. I have becoming increasingly interested in Japanese cutlery. I currently am using German hand forged steel. Asking me to list my favorite kitchen tool is like asking me which child I love best. 😉 Since I have to list one, it would have to be my VitaMix blender. I use it all of the time and love its versatility. Thanks again for the opportunity and for the great information!
One can never have enough knives!!!
Lately I’ve been in love with my immersion blender. It’s perfect for whipping a single sweet potato or making small batches of soup. I’ve only had it for 6 months, and can’t believe I’ waited so long to buy one!
My favorite kitchen accessory? My La Pavoni Europiccola espresso machine.
Without it, I’d still be in bed!
My pizza stone. I love baking and the pizza stone makes me feel like a pro.
My Grandmother’s rolling pin comes to mind and the many cookies and pies that I’ve made with her recipes.
DMT DuoSharp Sharpening Stone because I was always getting cut. Now my knives are super sharp and I simply do not get cut in the kitchen.
My favorite kitchen tool is my chest freezer, because it’s allowed me to stock up on all the summer goodness that can’t be canned!
I’ve never owned a good knife. We’ve always had cheap knives (like Rada) that need to be sharpened every time we use them. What a great opportunity! My favorite tool? It would have to be…one of our cast iron skillets that have been used for generations.
My chef’s knife.
My favorite kitchen item has got to be my henkel chiefs knife. It was giving to me as a Christmas present several years ago and not a day goes buy that I don’t use it. But next to henkels I would really love a Japanese knife. I have just discovered the versatility and beauty of them only recently.
Hands down, my favorite tool is a particular long handled, shallow bowled wooden spoon I’ve had forever.
I’d have to go with a mandoline I think. I use mine constantly and especially love it for onions. Makes such short work of it! Maybe it’s just because I need to improve my knife skills…and need a good knife 🙂
Great photos of an interesting topic. My favorite kitchen tool is my mandoline slicer. Very low-tech but it’s indispensible when I’m making sliced kosher dill pickles!
My favorite kitchen tool is the silpats 🙂
My immersion blender. I’ve been on a soup kick in an effort to eat more vegetables!
Can I say my garden? If not – my cast iron skillet or my favorite knife (which is in dire need of a great sharpening – thanks for this info)
My kitchen scissors are indispensable! I would be thrilled to own a Korin knife.
I love my 5 quart LeCreuset Dutch oven. (Ooooh, would love to finally have a GOOD kitchen knife!
my cast iron comal. i use it for everything except soup, it seems.
would love to put that knife to use!
I love my julienne peeler!
My uncle has 2 Japanese style cooking knives they are awesome to use. Great post on the different knife styles.. Thanks
I’d say my favorite kitchen tool is my Kitchen Aid mixer, I use it all.the.time. 🙂
Wow. What a great give-a-way… I have used higher end japanese knives for years (Hattori) and found them to be simply incredible. I honestly think they are the most important tools in my kitchen, far beyond the modern conveyances of mixers, and processors, and what not.
One of my favorite kitchen tool is my blender. It is used for a myriad of tasks and is especially versatile with the blade fitting perfectly on a regular mouth canning jar!
My favorite Kitchen tool is my vita mix
I love my 20 year-old Zyliss garlic press!
My work horse is my Le Creuset 3 qt. pot … I couldn’t live without it.
Thanks for the chance to win – these knives look lovely! I couldn’t live without my immersion blender.
Love my Mixer!
My favorite kitchen tool is mostly a sentimental pick. It’s a 12 in. cast iron skillet that I got as a high school graduation gift from the woman who I took cooking lessons from. I’ve had it for 33 years and it’s moved all over the country with me. Every time I use it I think of her and am thankful for all of her encouragement and guidance.
I would love to be entered for a chance to win one of the Korin knives.
For me…. the best kitchen tool… is your imagination. Looking into your cupboards… and trying to figure out how to combine things in order to create something delicious.
Best wishes… excellent post… happy cooking 🙂
Love this website, and am learning so much! Thank you!!!
I have so many favorites – favorite pan for cooking this or that, favorite bowl for serving this or that, favorite tools, wooden spoons, cutting board; the list is long, right down to a beautiful glass spoon rest – but the single thing I can’t imagine cooking without, is my one really good knife – an 8″ chef’s knife. (Mine is from Henckels). I’ve owned it for more years than I can remember and rarely a meal goes by that this knife isn’t put to good use, with appreciation and pleasure.
May I please also mention my most *treasured* kitchen item, a much used and well seasoned cast iron frying pan inherited from my beloved and hard-working grandmother, whose knowledge of gardening, cooking, and preserving, was awe-inspiring; ( She began this work at a very early childhood age and continued right up through 82 years of age, never losing her enthusiasm for it). This well-worn pan continues to turn out one good thing after another, – crispy crusted cornbread, delectable french toast, precious memories…
And finally just because it saves a lot of strain on my wrists, I hope it’s okay to also mention my handy little jar opener I purchased from Lee Valley tools. Its simple and clever design makes it a breeze to break the vacuum on jars of store-bought goods, rendering them easy-peasy to open. (I have a vintage, flea market-find opener that’s perfect for popping the lids on home-canned goods, but haven’t yet found the right gadget to loosen stubborn rings. Any suggestions – other than hot water and rubber grippers?)
I got two brand-new Japanese knives for my birthday this year, and would love to add a third! 😉 😉
My cast iron skillet. I use it for pretty much everything.
After a long internal debate, I have to go with my rubbermade spatulas. I’ve had them for years and I use them for everything. I’m obsessive about scraping out every last drop of sauce, soup, batter, whatever and that wouldn’t be possible without my spatulas.
I have a cast iron skillet that was my grandmothers. I love it
I use my bamboo cutting board 100 times a day it seems. I love it! Sweet knives! Like a kitchen ninja! xoxo
I love wooden spoons, hand carved, deep bowl, wooden spoons!
Hey, my birthday is March 2–a lovely new knife would be a wonderful birthday gift–just sayin’. 🙂
My favourite kitchen tool is a neat little zester that you can find at a place called Lee Valley Tools in Canada. I use it mainly for zesting citrus and grating ginger and it works like a charm! I would be a bit lost without it. Love your site!!
I have a set of 2 peelers with horizontal blades (shaped like a squeegee) . One makes thin slices and is perfect for cheese – so I don’t get fat slices, which is way too much cheese. The other one makes thin julienne pieces, like shreds.
The Brotform (bread forms in which you let bread rise) I bought for my boyfriend so he can bake lots of yummy bread with those little floured ridges. We then eat it with something I’ve canned (jam, piccalilli, chutney… and maybe something else). The canning funnel is my can’t-do-without canning tool.
My favourite right now is my le creuset dutch oven. These knives look awesome!
I use silicone spatulas for almost everything these days.
Beautiful knives!
My favorite kitchen tool is my mixer!
thanks for the chance to win!
Manda
avalenti6936 at yahoo dot com
I lucked into a copper preserving pan — can’t believe the difference it makes. My favorite implement of destruction is a Benriner mandolin (still have most of my fingers…)