Japanese Kitchen Knives: Essential Techniques and Recipes
Product ID: 48649818
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Sales of Japanese kitchen knives are booming in the U.S. But how many people have the skills to use these superbly-crafted tools to full advantage? Now, internationally renowned chef Hiromitsu Nozaki shares his expertise and insights in a book that will help anyone who owns a Japanese knife to maximize its performance. In Japanese Kitchen Knives, Nozaki teaches the reader how to use usuba, deba and yanagiba, the three main traditional Japanese knives. He explains many essential techniques, such as the importance of understanding blade angle and point of force, and illustrates these lessons by working with ingredients familiar to western readers, like carrots and rainbow trout. Color photos and Nozaki's commentary further clarify the process, and the pictures are taken from the chef's perspective for easier understanding (most other books take photos from the reverse perspective). Each technique is accompanied by recipes that require its use, and all recipes are very simple, using easy-to-acquire ingredients. Other sections include a look at artisanal Japanese knife-making and information on sharpening, storing and identifying the variety of Japanese knives. Specialty knives are shown on location, from the unique unagi eel knife in an unagi specialty restaurant to the colossal tuna filleting knife in Tsukiji fish market. Review: Highly reccomended for a great start in Japanese food preperation. - This book is highly regarded and is seen as being the main English resource for choosing, using, caring and sharpening a Japanese Usuba, Deba and Yanagiba knives (the three most common knifes which you should purchase to start your passion). This book actively encourages you to pick up a Japanese knife and prepare spectacular food, through detailed yet easily understood step by step guides with essential diagrams to simplify the more complex techniques. It lives up to the expectation of being an excellent resource you will want to activlely use for learning Japanese culinary techniques, providing both guides and recipes and not to mention spectacular photography. The photography and easy to understand text allows this book to be equally at home in an always to hand kitchen library or as a coffee table book once you have mastered the techniques within. Either way it is a great book to get you started in learning Japanese knife skills. Review: A good addition for those of us who like Japanese cooking, but not for every body. - From the same people who gave us 'Cool Tools: cooking utensils from Japan', and therefore should be good, but the main thrust of the book is restricted to three knives. It does however have good photography and recipes in it, and explains the technique of using the knives, but it is still, in my opinion of little interest to the normal cook, except in passing. If you love it, then you do. But if you don't then you boo. (J R R Tolkien)
| Best Sellers Rank | 635,960 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 797 in Other Asian Food & Drink 1,411 in Cooking Equipment (Books) 54,654 in Home & Garden (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 167 Reviews |
S**Y
Highly reccomended for a great start in Japanese food preperation.
This book is highly regarded and is seen as being the main English resource for choosing, using, caring and sharpening a Japanese Usuba, Deba and Yanagiba knives (the three most common knifes which you should purchase to start your passion). This book actively encourages you to pick up a Japanese knife and prepare spectacular food, through detailed yet easily understood step by step guides with essential diagrams to simplify the more complex techniques. It lives up to the expectation of being an excellent resource you will want to activlely use for learning Japanese culinary techniques, providing both guides and recipes and not to mention spectacular photography. The photography and easy to understand text allows this book to be equally at home in an always to hand kitchen library or as a coffee table book once you have mastered the techniques within. Either way it is a great book to get you started in learning Japanese knife skills.
W**E
A good addition for those of us who like Japanese cooking, but not for every body.
From the same people who gave us 'Cool Tools: cooking utensils from Japan', and therefore should be good, but the main thrust of the book is restricted to three knives. It does however have good photography and recipes in it, and explains the technique of using the knives, but it is still, in my opinion of little interest to the normal cook, except in passing. If you love it, then you do. But if you don't then you boo. (J R R Tolkien)
D**R
Four Stars
Thorough and as previously reviewed comprehensive
P**A
Everything you ever wanted to know
A must have to understand not only the purpose of japanese knives, but also to learn how to improve your cutting techniques. Beautifull step by step photos teach us how to do it - Cleaning fish, different cutting aproach etc A must have.
J**L
A must for any chef with a japanese knife
This book is a must for any chef thats made the big investment that is a japanese knife. After spending over £200 on a knife you really need to know how to properly care for it and keep it sharp. The book was recommended to me by the boss of one of the biggest japanese knife suppliers in the uk and it is literally a wealth of knowledge. I have learnt so much from it and would recommend it highly.
M**C
Must be Good!
My husband has spent a fortune on his Japanese knives. I know nothing about knives but he's had his head in this book every since I gave it to him so it must be good.
T**Y
You can learn much more from youtube and it will be significantly better explained. Only three of the most used Japanese ...
This is a very basic intro to kitchen knives! Misleading book title!!! The real title should be " Basic techniques how to use Usuba, Deba and Unagi". Sharpening: Well, even more disappointing :(((( this is a less than basic guide how to sharpen your knives. You can learn much more from youtube and it will be significantly better explained. Only three of the most used Japanese knives are described ( Usuba, Deba and Unagi). I don't agree with the author that these are "The Three Main Knives". I would say that the Gyuto and lets say Paring knife are the two you have to begin with... Some of the different types of steels are explained with only one sentence!!! From this blog ([...]) you can so much more information than this book.
M**M
Five Stars
very nice book
G**E
Great tasting soup
Great tasting soup
M**O
tutto bene!!!
e' arrivato,tutto perfetto1
M**H
Muy interesante
Un libro que no pude evitar el comprarlo aunque no estuviera en el idioma castellano. Tiene muchas explicaciones de como coger el cuchillo, sus cuidados y alguna que otra receta muy interesante. Yo me lo estoy leyendo con el traductor google al lado porque no se mucho inglés pero trae bastantes fotos que hacen más fácil su entendimiento. Que rabia que libros como este no estén traducidos!
E**A
Livro Perfeito!
Livro muito bom! Mostra as técnicas principais utilizadas na cozinha japonesa e os diferentes tipos de facas em detalhes que eu nunca vi em nenhum outro livro.
T**N
EXCELLENT book for knife users...not scientists...
I find it a little strange when folks write a review and complain about something when it is obviously their own fault because they didn't pay attention or they didn't read the descriptions.... Therefore, I am going to depart a little from my usual "style" and make this review more of a helpful primer for someone who is wondering about this book.... First, this book is about Japanese Kitchen Knives. Is it about how Americans use knives.? NOPE.... Is it about the nice German knives or the nice steel from Sheffield England.?? NOPE.... It is about Japanese Kitchen Knives and Essential Techniques for their use. That's all folks...!! So does this book cover the entire process of how Japanese knives are made (in detail no less..)??? NOPE...not that either. Does it go into detail on Japanese steel.??? NOPE.. It is about Japanese Kitchen Knives and some Essential Techniques for their use. Really folks, this book talks about some different styles of Japanese knives and what they are used for in Japan. It discusses the basic forms and edge design. It talks a little about why one design is "better" than another for a specific purpose. It talks a little about the edge angles and the fact that the Japanese edges are extremely sharp.... but there is a tradeoff. The edges can chip or break if you use them wrong. Does this book discuss all of the knife technique in Japan.?? NOPE, not even close. It discusses the basic techniques, the basic uses, the basic cuts. If you want to start using Japanese knives and you want to learn something about how they are used... this book will take you there. It talks about blade shape and thickness, edge geometry, and handle shapes. It discusses the basic uses and cuts performed with each design presented in the book. NOT all designs and all uses.!! I think this book is most useful for its discussion of blade shapes and edge design (flat grinds, single bevel, etc., etc...), as well as the basic techniques in use for each one. For those who are interested in Japanese knives and maybe are considering an initial purchase, this book will help. If you already own a Japanese Yanagiba and are interested in a Deba or maybe a vegetable knife like a Nakiri or an Usuba, then this book will help make that decision easier. It talks about the knife styles and how and why to use them. It discusses some of the techniques and why a particular blade style is best for the purpose.... If you want a historical treatise on Japanese cutlery...This is NOT it. If you are a student of the art and want to know more about Japanese steel making or knife making... This is NOT for you. OTOH, if you are thinking about a Japanese knife or two and just want to know the how and why of a particular shape or edge design and what makes one better than the other for a specific purpose.... THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU OUT.!!! Recommended.!!
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