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!
The Vitamix- it’s a dream machine!
I was originally going to mention my one and only chef’s knife, but the more I think of it, the more it’s got to be my food processor. Soooooo helpful.
Lately, I’ve so appreciated the Bosch mixer slicer/shredder attachment. In seconds, I can shred hard cheeses, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, apples, etc. It makes my life in the kitchen so much easier!
Maybe it’s not a tool per se, but I recently received my first dutch oven, in cast iron, and I’m cooking everything in it! That knife would come in handy since there is a lot of chopping with dutch ovens 🙂
Knives, yes, could not live without good knives. When thinking about my favorite kitchen tool my contenters all have sharp edges, knives, microplaners, blender, food processor…would not want to be without any of them.
Wooden spoon. My fav.
My favorite kitchen tool has to be my colander. I use it for almost every single meal.
It’s a toss up between my chef’s knife and my silicon spatula I use with almost everything I cook on the stovetop.
I love my citrus reamer.
My favorite kitchen tool is my sharpening steel, it always reminds me that sharp is relative to the task you are working on.
My favorite kitchen tool? Hmm, it would be between the French knife I’ve had forever, my Culinary Arts Apron from 1982-1984 and my Kitchen Aid Mixer. ya, I think that covers it!
My favorite kitchen tool is probably my 10″ french knife. Nothing stands up to that baby!
My most-used tool is an old set of kitchen tongs, but I’d have to say my FAVORITE tool is the can opener because whenever I use it my cat flips out and zooms around the apartment, which is hilarious.
My favorite kitchen “gadget” was my ulu which we had custom made while living in Alaska but alas it went “missing” when we moved back down to the lower 48. next favorites…. old cast iron skillet, bosch mixer, and calphalon immersion blender! Things I use on an almost daily basis!
My Kitchen Aid chef’s knife. It was a house warming gift for my first apartment out of college. I have been rocking it for 7 years. Though I would not mind replacing it 😉
Do pots and pans count? I love my Le Creuset oval oven and a new addition of an Allclad 2qt saucier. I have a clay stovetop casserole from Bram that I think I will love when I get more familiar with it too. Oops, that’s three. Thanks so much for doing these contests!
I think my favourite kitchen tool is my mother’s sharp chopping knife since my is so horrible. That’s why this would be the perfect prize to win!
My favorite kitchen tool is my pressure cooker. It makes everything from risotto to beans to soup in no time at all. And everything is always delicious.
Such a hard choice! The tool that gets the most use in my kitchen is my chef’s knife. I couldn’t live without one. But I have so many other favorites as well!
My paring knife.
Beautiful knives!! I have to say my favorite kitchen tool is my knife, but I’m afraid to say that it’s a cheapo knife that’s only nice because it’s fairly new. You really can’t beat a good knife though!
A favorite kitchen tool….just ONE? That’s tough. Although I can think of ways to do most things with the simplest of tools, I bet you & most of your readers would agree that a good knife is at the top of the list (hence your post!). So my favorite hand tool would have to be my Calphalon paring knife. But if I had to choose my favorite electric gadget, my immersion blender would be right up there. As always, great blog, great contest. Thanks!
My favorite tool? fine mesh strainer! just makes sauces more refined and everything just nicer!
My vegetable peeler is the tool that I like best, I have yet to cut myself with it. Unlike other tools…
With such a crazy family schedule I couldn’t live without my crockpot!
My 8 inch Henckles chef’s knife. It is used more than once per day, never put into the dishwasher, sharpened often, and kept in a wood knife block. I am always open to a newcomer if it is of very high quality!
What a task…to pick a fave kitchen tool! Hm I would have to say my maple end-grain cutting board. It is a work horse, and I’m sure it would be immensely happy to have such a special Japanese paring knife putting it to task! 😉 thanks for the draw, and sounds like a fun litle day trip.
I love my vegetable peeler. Use it for shaving cheese in addition to peeling vegetables.
My favorite gadget is our Kapoosh knife holder. Easy and configurable knife management ftw.
My favorite kitchen tool is my large Henkels chopping knife. I`d love to have this knife, it sounds amazing!!
Oh wow, there are so many things that I love using in my kitchen that it’s hard to just pick one one favourite tool, especially considering you can’t do a job without everything working together in harmony!
But one tool? I shall have to make it: a good sturdy pair of wooden chopsticks!
My citrus press! (necessary for delicious cocktails!)
My favorite kitchen tool is my giant cutting board….well, that and my well- seasoned cast iron skillet. The board sits out on the counter full time and the skillet’s “home” is on one of the burners of my stove. It just seemed pointless to keep putting them away when I’d just pull them both out again the next time I made a meal.
I bought some tongs recently and have found them to be more useful than I thought but I guess my *favorite* kitchen tool is my Kithenaid mixer.
Call me simple, but I can’t live without my kitchen shears. I’d love to have a new knife though.
I love my immersion blender! Though in June its bumped into second place by my cherry pitter.
My favorite kitchen tool is an old-fashion hand-powered food processor—the kind that strains skins and seeds out of applesauce. I don’t use it every day, but when I need it, it works perfectly.
Hmmm….well, the nostalgic part of me wants to say my KitchenAid stand mixer, since it’s tied into so many memories.
But what I use most often? A good cutting board! I love mine, with a special affection for my granite one. I suppose it doesn’t hurt that it was a gift from my husband, either. 🙂
How to choose my favorite? I can’t live without my 8″ chef’s knife, but I love my Kitchenaid mixer. For canning, (since this is a canning blog), I lovelovelove my Squeezo food mill. Can’t can without it.
There are so many items in my kitchen that make my life easier, so it’s hard to select just one. However, I recently bought a Hurom slow juicer, and it’s awesome!
I love my kitchen aid… I have so many attachments and am able to do so much
Mine would be between a global chefs knife and my kitchen aid stick mixer…. Both of them I use very frequently and love… Great post I think it was love at first site
I was given a huge stainless steel bowl for a wedding gift in 1983 and it has been beyond useful. It can hold a 26lb turkey carcass for stripping, or a pile of peelings, or multiple recipes of cookies. I will melt the margarine/butter/shortening while the oven preheats & make a quadruple batch of oatmeal chocolate chip (would last this house maybe 2 days).
Currently in an empty nest, I use it to mix up granola & bake it in the same bowl. I love it!
What an amazing trip that must have been! My favorite would be my Santoku knives–I have two–and I don’t think I can cook ANYTHING without them!
Does my stove count as a kitchen tool? Its a Bosch with continuous grate on top. When the old Wedgewood wouldn’t fit in our tiny kitchen, I compromised. To my surprise, this stove gets quite a workout, and never disappoints. It’s a pleasure to cook on it!
My stand mixer!!
I love my wire swirly thing for making gravy. I don’t know what it is called. My mother gave me mine and I have never seen one like it except in her kitchen. It light and springy and has a perfectly flat spiral of metal about 2″ across on the bottom. Spirals up to the handle. If you push down hard it goes completely flat. Perfect tool for getting the good bits off the bottom of the pan and keeping it off. Also great for stirring puddings and other milk based rouxs etc.
Tongs are my favorite tool, I honestly don’t know how I cooked before them!
I must say my new dish washer is the bomb! With kids and a busy life it is just nice. thanks for the great contest!
I love my global knives!