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!
My favorite tool to use in the kitchen has been my MIL Chinois strainer. I never thought it would be as useful as it has become.
I’d have to say that my favorite kitchen tool is my new blender. I don’t know how I lived without it for so long. But I bet it would change to that knife if I was lucky enough to win it!
My favorite is my slow cooker I love the magic it works!
my perfect little, fit anywhere, light as a feather, tough as nails bamboo cutting board. we hang out just about every day!
My big cast iron skillet
My favorite kitchen tool is my Wusthof chef’s knife -my boyfriend keeps it extra sharp and has even purchased a similar knife as a “substitute” so I still have one to use while he sharpens mine.
What an incredible store! I can’t pick a favorite as I have several, but the knife I reach for most often has the long blade like this one. It is perfect for cutting apples and other things that need a bit more of a reach then a paring knife and not as much as a butcher knife.
Beautiful! My favorite kitchen tool is an old knife that was my grandmother’s. It is the perfect length and weight to core a strawberry and slice an apple or pear.
I don’t know about favorite, but I love when I have a task for my mandolin. It’s fun (and a little nerve-wracking) to go make a whole bunch of slices or julienne. In terms of knives, my Forschner is my work horse. Recently my wife bough a MAC knife that is frankly so sharp that it scares me.
What a fun trip! I have real need for good knives but have a hard time pulling the trigger on the right one. My favorite kitchen tool is definitely the cast iron skillet. We use it for everything from tart tatin to fried eggs to spicy indian dal. YUM!
I have one “good” knife that I admit is not sharpened often enough. But when it is its makes chopping( not my favorite thing) pleasant. I would just love to win this knife! But will have to check out this store on my next (adult, no kiddos to this place) trip to NYC!!
well…i love my knives! but i think my top fave kitchen implement is my antique pastry blender. pie crust is my specialty and i have never found a modern pastry blender as sturdy as the old ones…you can find them in local antique/junk stores for a dollar or two and they are the best!
Close race between my crockpot and my cast iron skillet.
Tough question…I love a simple pairing knife I have, but also silpat mats, and an immersion blender. So many fun kitchen toys/tools!
Ah, I went to Korin with my brother a few years ago. He had just gotten a new job at a seafood-focused restaurant and needed a high quality boning knife. I inherited his Wusthof knife after that and I’ll say that a great knife is my favorite tool in the kitchen.
since i’m pickling and canning today… -mason jars!
My fave kitchen tool is my crock pot. Both my wife and I work and it is SO nice to walk in and smell dinner already to go at the end of a long, hard day!
My favorite is my kitchen aid stand mixer. My most used is my chefs knife, but I desperately need a new one of those!
I have a pretty little Squid whisk that I can’t get enough of…and I would love a new, sharp knife to go along with it!!
My favorite kitchen tool is my KitchenAid mixer, hands down. I don’t know how I managed before it!
My favorite kitchen tool right now is my non-stick skillet, but it changes depending my favored cooking technique of the moment. My slow cooker and pressure cooker have both held the top spot in the past!
My favorite kitchen tool is this fancy self opening trash can my husband got for handling our compost scraps. It is a big indulgence but so great to have something that the kids can use without making a mess.
They should be called Pretty knives, they are so lovely.
My favorite kitchen tool is my new Vitamix, my family has never eaten so many disguised veggies!
My favorite kitchen tool is my little green Kuhn-Rikon paring knife. I live in a college dorm with a communal kitchen, and my knife is just about the one kitchen tool I use that’s actually mine! It’s too short, really, to cut most things (a head of cabbage, for instance, can be a problem), but I love it nonetheless 🙂
We have been working hard to arm our kitchen with tools that will last and that will suit a practical purpose. MY favorite is the mango slicer- gives me easy access to one of my favorite fruits.
My husband’s favorite- the knife sharpener! Before he came along all our blades were dull!
Oh I love this post.ast Christmas my husband gave me two Wustiff Santuko knives- 8″ and 5″. The whole day was a series of me calling from the kitchen, “come over here and cut this!” and the requisite “ooooo’s” that followed. I’m still in love with them.
The do need to be sharpened, though. 🙂
I would have to agree with the cast iron Dutch oven. Just learned how to use it 🙂
My favorite kitchen tool is my brand new kitchen aid mixer!
Give me a chef’s knife, or give me death. A good, sharp, ergonomic beautiful instrument like that is indispensable.
Some years ago my mother gave me two Wusthof knives: a paring knife and a 6″ serrated-blade knife. They’re so much nicer than any of my other knives!
Those knives look amazing!
My favorite kitchen tool is a spoonula, those weird part spoon, part spatula things. Best invention ever.
Wow, what a great place! I think my favorite kitchen tool is my big cast iron skillet. A farmer friend gave it to me, perfectly seasoned by her grandmother. I think of all the women who’ve fed their families from it every time I use it!
My favorite kitchen tool is my Wusthof santuko knife. The handle is cracked, but I always seem to reach for this knife, it fits my hand perfectly and the blade is always sharp.
My favorite tool is the kitchen sink! We can always make do if we can’t find this knife or that pot, but the absolute luxury of having running water and a sink in a kitchen is such a blessing that much of the world doesn’t experience!
My spare pair of chemical splash goggles–my eyes are severely affected by even trace amounts onion/garlic fumes and unfortunately I cannot go a single day with some allium family in my cookery.
I absolutely love using my bench scraper- it’s like a second hand when dividing dough for rolls, you can use it to make pie dough, & it make cleaning up a wooden table a breeze!
I think nothing can beat a good sharp knife. I keep mine in pretty good shape and they reward me with even clean cuts through the food I am prepping. By the way a sharp knife also prevents cutting ones fingers!
Iron skillet camp for me. Specifically the cast-iron skillet inherited from a grandmother, coating so deep and black that you don’t have to add more than a teaspoon of oil every now and then to keep things from sticking. Although the tiny whisk is fighting hard for first place in my affections.
My favorite kitchen tool is my basic chef’s knife. I use it several times a day and even though I have other knives, I just never seem to get around to using them.
Have to go with the 8″ santoku right now.
food processor!
my kitchen aid mixer
Absolutely my Thai cleaver. Lightweight but it can slice through veggies like nothing!
My favorite kitchen tool would certainly have to be our shun 8 inch chef’s knife. Wouldn’t make it through my day without it!
My favorite kitchen too is a cherry pitter that fits on the lid of a canning jar. Love it because it makes a tedious chore oh so easy! My second fave? My husband’s kitchen knives because he keeps them nice and sharp – he would love this one!
My favorite kitchen tool is my cast iron dutch oven. It’s so versatile and it cooks everything evenly. Plus it’s lovely.
I am so jealous of your trip – it looked amazingly fun! In our house there are two things we could not live without, our 10″ chef knife and our giant saute pan. I bet I use both of them everyday if not multiple times a day! I am super intrigued by the petty knife though… I bet we could find it a nice home right next to the chef knife 🙂
Wow! I’m so jealous of your field trip!! Very very cool.
As for me, my favorite kitchen tool(s) are my hands. NOTHING beats the feel of bread being kneaded, or egg yolks slipping through my fingers.
My recipes! I am not a creative cook, but I pore over recipes and food blogs, collecting all kinds of delectable things to try. I even had special cabinets built into our kitchen island to hold all my cookbooks 🙂
Scissors! The aren’t necessarily my “favorite” tool, but certainly the most versatile and frequently used. That beautiful paring knife would be certainly be my favorite if I was lucky enough to win it!