Matter of Knife and Death

No tool is as useful and necessary to the chef as his knife. Before Erik was a chef I knew nothing about knives. And now, well, I still know next to nothing but I'm certainly more aware of the styles, purposes, and different types of steels used. I also know they cost a lot, but thank goodness for tax write-offs. And because of the durability of the knives, Erik doesn't need to buy a new one that often. I'd say he splurges on a new knife every 4 or 5 years, but when he does I hold my breath at the final cost. These knives are made of all kinds of crazy steel and then gone through some crazy process to make them hard as rocks so they don't come cheap. Last week Erik headed over to his favorite knife store: Korin. Chef or not, this store is worth a visit. They have the most beautiful and unique knives as well as tableware, cookbooks, and sushi bar items.

He came out with a 240 millimeter Suisin Damascus Ginsan-Ko Gyutou with and ebony and silver handle, engraved with his name, a sharpening stone, and these awesome Japanese scrubbers called Sandclean, for cleaning pots and pans. I tried them on the caked on grease on my stainless steal pots and they are spotless! And I didn't even use any cleaning products. It kind of looks like a crazy sea creature and it feels like sandpaper, but it works great!

I seemed to get sidetracked with the scrubbers, but the knives just don't excite me like they do for Erik.

Food is Love,

Hilary

Desperate Chefs' Wives Radio!

Mike Colameco courtesy wor710.com

For those of you who only know me through my countless typing errors and web-based social chef observations-you're about to be awakened. I'll be a guest on WOR Radio's Food Talk with Mike Colameco this Monday, May 26. I am a little nervous about this. No more hiding behind the ability to click the delete key over and over. I'm going live, people!

The show airs weekdays 11 AM -12 PM and on Sundays 10 AM to noon and if you don't get 710AM radio in the New York area, then PLEASE podcast it via this link. Also, you can listen live, and play back the interview.

DCW_NYC
-Hilary-

P.S. Top Chef really sucks this season. I am more than annoyed, yet I can't stop watching. Dale, if you read this blog-you are better off leaving when you did. It's only going down-hill.

ERIK READ THIS: DO NOT BUY A NEW KNIFE! I got you something way better for your birthday! It has nothing to do with herbs, aerogardens, wii games, or even laptops- but you'll love it.

KORIN: DO NOT sell a knife to my husband. He does NOT need a new Japanese knife.

The Desperate Chefs' Knives

What is a chef without his symbolic knife? The heated power that floods out with every stroke is not just a tool that each chef uses. It is an exit for the passion that flows from the chef's hands and mind. And it is this necessary and appreciated tool that also sends grown men home with cuts, gashes, and other wounds of honor.


You can purchase one at the nearest $ store or search the world over to end up in Japan facing an 80 year old man who makes just a few knives each year that will cost thousands of dollars. The knives they use I thought were made of simple steel but my chef quickly corrected me: "No, there's virgin steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, blue steel, white steel, and steel blends." Silly me, why didn't I know that?



We always end up at Korin (downtown on Warren between W. Broadway and Church and Koring.com) that has the most helpful and courteous staff. When the chef is drooling over the knives through the glass cases I keep myself entertained reading the cookbooks or sitting at their little table. I think they put it there for chefswives. Even if the chef is going just to pick up a sharpening stone he always wanders towards the high end knives and gives me that look. And you know he loves the professional discount. Ah, the sweet taste of recognition and privilege.

The picture below shows Korin's showroom in downtown NYC.

I'm not sure about your chefs, but I know mine is very particular about his knives. He rolls his eyes when he has to cook at my parent's house who have common 'housewife knives'. He understands now that home and professional kitchens are different. After all, even my own kitchen has the hand me down knives that were once thought of to be amazing in my chef's culinary school days.

I remember that first call from the CIA. He was so impressed with the school grade knives that he wouldn't dare buy now. And when tv shows portray someone rapidly stroking a knife across a steel. "Ah!" I hear. "What are they doing? They're ruining the knife!" Knives are best kept sharp in order to prevent injuring yourself as well as yielding a better product. My chef sharpens his knives everyday and he has influenced his cooks to do the same. Dedication.

DCW_NYC

-H-

Hey Korin, you can make my chef "Chef of the Month" anytime!