The importance of a good knife
Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 06:04PM
I have never been particularly good at buying myself the things that I really want if they feel even slightly extravagent. I always find some excuse as to why it doesn't make sense to spend the money. A perfect example of this strange phenomenon happened in the summer when I was out in Calgary visiting my family and stumbled upon a Japanese knife store called Knifewear. Without even realizing what was happening, I was opening the door and stepping through the threshold like a magnet was pulling me in.
I was like a kid in a candy store walking along the display case and seeing knife after beautiful knife staring up at me from under the display glass. With what must have been a huge smile plastered on my face I stepped up to the counter and asked the salesman if I could perhaps try one out. He brought me a gorgeous wooden cutting board, handed me a tomato and a knife and told me to try it out. I can only describe that first slice as exhilerating. The blade literally fell through the tomato like it was soft butter. Effortless. I did nothing but start the motion and the blade did the rest. A slight shiver went down my spine. I was in love. How could I go home and use my old knives, when I knew knives like this existed.
So, I asked the very nice man helping me how must it cost. When he told me $250 I think I may have gasped audibly. Now I am not saying that I did not think this knife was worth the asking price. It was. It was just that it felt extravagent and I knew what happened to me when something felt extravagent. I felt like I couldn't possibly buy it.
As I was walking away from the store, my husband told me that I should buy the knife. He reminded me that I would use it for business and that I loved to cook. He was right, and I knew it but still I just couldn't do it. So we left without the knife and for the first 100 metres I think I nearly turned back 3 times.
So on Christmas morning when I unwrapped this long slender box which was a gift from my husband and I saw a Japanese knife starting up at me it was like he had given me an Hermes bracelet. He had told me the night before that he hoped I would like it because he was worried it might be too practical. He bought it for me at a knife store in Toronto called Knife.
Now whenever I am in the kitchen and it comes time to chop something, I don't care what it is, it's a joy. Even if I am chopping onions and I know there is a pretty good chance they will make me cry, I still enjoy it. Because using this knife is a joy.
Japanese Knife
Reader Comments (2)
congratulations Pinky - a great gift. The right (sharp) tools make all the difference with work. Have you looked into maintaining the edge on this knife?
Cheers,
konrad
Not yet Konrad, but the store where James bought it offers semi-private knife sharpening lessons so when things slow down a bit I am contemplating signing up for that. She is a sexy beast ;)