paul o' vendange
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Posts posted by paul o' vendange
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7 hours ago, paulraphael said:
"Wa" just means Japanese. They call any handle in the traditional style a wa-handle. They call western-style handles yo-handles. (I believe "yo" literally means "western"). Wa-gyuto means "Japanese cow-sword." But what they really mean by cow-sword is a western-style chef's knife (because westerners like to eat cows?). So it's a Japanese-style western-style knife. Try not to think too hard about it when there's something sharp in your hand.
Mine is by Ikkanshi Tadatsuna. They make it with either carbon (white #2) or stainless (ginsan ko / silver #3) steel. I had the carbon for a minute but traded for the stainless, and have had this one for 12 years.
It's not easy to find now, and the price has gone up. But there are knives by other makers that are almost identical. Probably the best known is Suisin (their inox honyaki wa-gyuto) which might be the first knife in this style. If I were buying a gyuto today, I might go to Japanese Knife Imports and get the Gesshin Ginga. Jon the owner says the performance between these knives is mostly identical (I trust anything he says).
I just weighted them ... the wee-looking goldhamster is 308g. Almost double the tadtsuna's 163g.
Here's a choil pic. Shows why it's so light and why it cuts the way it does:
The spine on the tad is about 2mm thick. The spine on the hamster is 3.5mm.
Thanks Paul, great info to go on.
"Wa," LOL.
"Wa (和) is a Japanese cultural concept usually translated into English as "harmony". It implies a peaceful unity and conformity within a social group in which members prefer the continuation of a harmonious community over their personal interests.[1][2] The kanji character wa (和) is also a name for "Japan; Japanese",[3] replacing the original graphic pejorative transcription Wa 倭 "dwarf/submissive people".
Wa is considered integral to Japanese society and derives from traditional Japanese family values.[4] Individuals who break the ideal of wa to further their own purposes are brought in line either overtly or covertly, by reprimands from a superior or by their family or colleagues' tacit disapproval. Hierarchical structures exist in Japanese society primarily to ensure the continuation of wa.[5] Public disagreement with the party line is generally suppressed in the interests of preserving the communal harmony.[6]
Japanese businesses encourage wa in the workplace, with employees typically given a career for life in order to foster a strong association with their colleagues and firm.[1][7] Rewards and bonuses are usually given to groups, rather than individuals, further enforcing the concept of group unity.[2]"
Never knew of association with "Japan Japanese." Living in the Japanese (zen and martial training) temple, "wa" was a constant hound' - as uchideshi, we were expected to develop the keen sense of a given space, and move in all ways according to the "wa" of the room and those gathering in it. It was expected that such training also leads to "an unfettered mind," able to read situations responsively, without the need to rely on rational, and sticking, thought.
Sharp things. Nothing sucks more than having a guy strike down kesagiri while you try to reason out your move.🤯
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3 minutes ago, paulraphael said:
The hamster's handle always felt comfortable to me, but I wasn't using it for hours of commercial prep every day. Mine is like every other Schaaf handle I've seen ... a double bolster, with fat, squared-off scales in between. The newer versions (the brand has been taken over by Solicut) have a wood scale option, but mine are bog-standard black plastic.
I'm not really a stickler for western knife handles. They all feel pretty comfortable to me, as long as there aren't sharp edges along the spine or bolster.
My gyuto has a wa-handle, which is now my favorite for a chef's knife. At least for a light / thin one. If I hold the hamster like a woodsman's axe, I hold the gyuto more like a violin bow. Very different styles for different techniques. I never, ever push hard on the gyuto. It's more like you glance in the direction of the food and let the knife do its thing.
My Chinese cleaver is basically a piece of scrap metal that's been cut into the shape of a cleaver. I tried sharpening it once ... a tedious, completely pointless exercise. I keep it hidden away so no one uses it to turn one of my nice cutting boards to kindling.
I suspect a santoku wouldn't be the thing for you. That style is for home cooks in tiny kitchens. They seem designed mostly to be unintimidating. I find them extremely frustrating to use. A very light and thin gyuto would be a good complement to your burly German knives. Even a long one will feel smaller and more nimble. I grab my 270 even when I'm just mincing garlic.
Great perspective. Thanks Paul. Very cool imagery on the "axe v. violin bow." That's one helluva selling point.
Edit: Neglected to ask. Would you mind sharing the make of your gyuto? And do you happen to know, "wa" is one form of "harmony," as in, "please do not disrupt the wa of the room." Is this implied with the feel of the handle?
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12 minutes ago, paulraphael said:
Greetings fellow keeper of the Golden Hamster!
I have an 8" Schaaf Goldhamster. It was my first "serious" knife, and I used it for everything for years. I love that no one's heard of it, and that somehow the little hamster silk-screened onto the blade has survived all these years. It's also got a mightier blade than other German chef's knives I've used, for better or for worse.
My main knife now is a very lightweight 270mm gyuto (actual blade length about 10-1/4"). It's much longer than the Schaaf but feels like it weighs about half as much. It runs circles around its German partner, but is too delicate for many tasks ... so the Hamster comes out when I need the burliness. Chopping chocolate, cutting hard squash, anything with bones, or even things that might have grit that could chip a razor-like edge (leeks etc.) ... all this goes to the hamster.
I went too far once ... tried to hack through a turkey neck with the thing. Left a big dent in the blade. Dave Martell at Japanese Knife Sharpening in Pennsylvania fixed it, and also ground down the bolster to make the thing easier to sharpen. I now use a $5 Chinatown cleaver for extra dirty work.
Brother! That's two of us!
I'm sure I'll make the move to at least a gyuto at some point. Even my MAC utility knife is nice with its thin, sharp blade. The Goldhamster heft is stout, agreed. I don't know if your handle is like this, but it also took some time (and blisters) for me to get used to the angled handle. Now that I've relied on it so long, though, it's natural to me. I don't know that I could ever use a santoku, though I know so many cooks like them.
I also thought it would make a fine neck bone implement. And earned a dent (smaller, thank god ). Countless sharpenings later, it's barely evident. But learned my lesson. I use an F. Dick 7" cleaver. Though I'm so self conscious of our neighbors downstairs. They already love me for my levains and their 100's of FF's.
I've always been curious about the Chinese cleaver, thanks for the idea. The F. Dick cleaver is about a kilo and has a rounded bevel edge, not sharp. TBH I love butchery and would love a good butcher's knife.
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As much as I love later Rieslings, I wonder if fabritius needs a bit more acid bite to balance out the sweetness? I'd think Gruner would be great, as would a dry Riesling. A chardonnay, not exceedingly fat, but giving some roundness and depth to match the richer sweetness - I'd think less "sugary" sweet, and more caramelization?
I've seen some suggestions for reds, but I haven't tried it and can't get a bead in my head.
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3 hours ago, weinoo said:
That's some cooking school guilt shit, man!
I'm hopeless, man. 😆
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10 minutes ago, weinoo said:
Who is tourné-ing?!
I am, when I go through something like Craig Claibourne's Classical Cooking, and want to get really, really disappointed in myself. I will master 7 faces before I leave this mortal coil, dammit.
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My chef's knife is an E. Schaaf Goldhamster. I don't remember named length but it's a large knife, 10" blade, 15.5" stem-to-stern. I use it for almost everything, including fine minces. I rarely use my paring knife - for some reason it's always felt weird in my hand, much more comfortable with the chef's knife. I use my Mac utility knife more than the paring knife. For turning I have a tourné knife.
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On 12/27/2021 at 2:53 PM, gfweb said:
Craft is a good one too.
"Grows together" has a nice philosophy but is easy to quibble over.
His roasted tomato thing is a nice dish from one of them.
Yeah, I hear you. Funny, I was thinking about just that as I as typing it. Not always! One that does come to mind is a magret with corn crepes and Michigan sour cherry duck sauce.
Do you mean his "tomato tatin?" Love it. Braised lamb shoulder for some friends.
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4 minutes ago, gfweb said:
Speaking of Collichio, his Think Like a Chef is good stuff
Agreed. "If it grows together it goes together" is a line that really stuck (I think that's in Think Like a Chef?). I also have his The Craft of Cooking. Second recipe - Porchetta, from a piglet!
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1 minute ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:
Sorry I asked. A copy is now on its way to me. Not like I don't have a pile of cookbooks I haven't read.
Similarly afflicted. 😬
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5 hours ago, gfweb said:
JP is an interesting case. Classically trained, moved to NYC and hung out with the culinary hot shots but never had a place of his own and then only a short while in later life. Worked for Howard Johnson ( I want to believe that he invented the top-loading hot dog bun) and did TV stuff. Wrote good books. Beloved.
Outside of the accent, who is more accomplished him or Puck or Flay (or Garten for that matter)?
A touching memory from his book is when he finishes up his stint as the chef to President DeGaulle. They bring him to a room and it was just Jacques, Mr. and Mrs. DeGaulle, thanking him for being their chef.
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5 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:
And don't forget volume 2 of that set:
The use of full color, step-by-step photos on almost every page of these books was a truly lavish choice at a time (vol 1 came out in 1987) when color illustrations were often still limited to a few sections and demonstrates his commitment to teaching.
This set is a treat!
Totally agree. If I remember correctly, this two-volume set are the books of which he's most proud.
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4 hours ago, heidih said:
I have a vague recollection that the lobster might be one of his illustrations? He is not a single faceted man.
That makes sense. His illustrations are delightful.
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3 hours ago, rotuts said:
Im a very big fan of JP.
please read " Apprentice "
if you have not already.
there is a story in that book
concerning Cow Heads.
hilarious.
I can't find the book right now but now you have me searching. I've forgotten - one blessing of a faulty memory, laughing twice, lol!
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6 hours ago, weinoo said:
Don't forget these...
All in my collection!
What kitchen task doesn't look mundane, once that moment in time has been photographed?
I've got the "complete techniques" version now, but the La Technique original sure brings back memories. Here's my JP collection. I have The Apprentice somewhere but can't find it:
I think it says a lot that Tom Colicchio lists La Technique and La Méthode as the books he used to teach himself to cook.
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1 hour ago, chromedome said:
Not gonna lie, I quite liked the ones filled with fruit. The savory ones skeeved me out, though. I just couldn't grasp why embalming chicken and vegetables and (the kicker) canned peas in lime Jello sounded like a good idea to anyone.
I learned a lot from my mom. Veggies and jello, and onion-apple pie, were not among them. 🤢
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1 minute ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:
Laughing about poor little children and melted Howard Johnson's ice cream.
I love his decision to tweak the chef's consommé by stirring it. Seems the chef really appreciated the initiative.
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4 hours ago, Anna N said:
I just want somebody to interpret “Modern Health”.
I did a little digging. Not that it answers Honkman's (fair) point, but it may give a bit of background:
QuoteThe new book was also born out of recovery. That included going to CrossFit and adopting the paleo diet, which you still more or less follow today. The new cookbook is categorized as "modern health." Can you explain exactly what you mean by "modern health?"
Modern health is a term that came out with, I think, the paleo diet. I think the paleo diet was really, really big 10 years ago. I think CrossFit was really big 10 years ago, and that's how I stumbled into it. I think modern health to me just really means being able to make some smart choices — not feeling like you're being restricted, not feeling like you can't have some things that you enjoy.
Really, what it truly means to me is understanding that while Mother Nature makes all these amazing things that have nutrients that come out of the earth — not all of them are the best foods for you. It's really about focusing on the plants and the proteins and all the amazing ingredients that are truly the healthiest. The superfoods: kale, sweet potatoes, organic meats, all those types of ingredients that you can truly have as much of it as you want. All the ingredients featured in my cookbook are based on the top 100 superfoods.
It's understanding that when we talk about something like grapeseed oil, which is an extremely chemically processed ingredient and it's made by a harsh chemical process, and instead use something like avocado oil, which is just avocado squeezed, which is a far more natural ingredient. Making these small switches and being confident that having these best ingredients, you can eat as much of them as you want.
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2 hours ago, liuzhou said:
No comment.
This was my hell as a kid.
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5 hours ago, FlashJack said:
The one thing that ensures I'll pass on an otherwise promising book is if it has an uncomfortably artificial portrait of the author on the cover pantomiming some simple kitchen task
Jacques is so screwed.
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27 minutes ago, The other Sven said:
Ok, getting one 2021 cookbook in just before it's too late. The most anticipated cookbook for me this year was Gregory Gourdet's Everyone's Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)
Not a great title, and I doubt that the short description will make this a bestseller:
BUT, he is a really innovative, inspired chef and the recipes I have made from the book so far were great and ended up immediately added to the repertoire. The Spicy Sautéed Shrimp with Cashew and Pineapple check all the right boxes.
I am very happy I bought it.
I absolutely love Gregory. Nice to see.
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4 hours ago, heidih said:
To me they have a juicy mildly sweet barely melonish flavor. We like them plucked from ice water and "popped" from skin on a hot day. Vaguely texture and ice cold as we enjoy loquats - though loquats are nice sun warmed from the tree.
That's a beautiful description. Thanks.
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On 7/12/2021 at 9:48 PM, heidih said:
I had an interesting fruit thing today at mainstream grocery. They labeled rambutan as lychee. No produce manager around so I bit my tongue. There were no lychee around, They looked pretty fresh though.
As a kid one summer vacation we houseboated around the Sacramento River Delta. Large Asian community and lots of stores, from a very young memory. First taste of lychee, but only dried. What are the qualities of the fresh?
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