Product Description: 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.

• The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving: Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions
• An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives -- How to Buy Them, Keep Them Razor Sharp, and Use Them Like a Pro
• Mastering Knife Skills: The Essential Guide to the Most Important Tools in Your Kitchen (with DVD)
• Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook
• Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art

Rating : - A knife sharpening professiona view
I bought this as a pro in the business. I have worked in 5*hotel kitchens before starting my own khife sharpening business.From a sharpening side it is important for all cooks both professional and amateur to read these books as the guide on how to maintain your knives as well as the edges. Also the description of knives and their use is important for purchasing more and different knives for your collection. I own 25 good quality cooking knives.

The cutting techniques are also inportant as there are many cooks who work in kitchens who have no idea on how to cut or even what knife is meant for what pupose. The recipes were also interesting and I have already tried a few. My personal problem is I keep repeating the same recipes over and over. The this book has helped me in opening my horizens and enlarging my repitoire of good recipes. All my "experimenting" is done im my own kitchen. I still run a catering service as one of my hobbies, and my clients love my "new" and inovative recipes. I only cater small functions of up to about 80 heads.

The guests love the presentation of salads and vegetables in different shapes and sizes. The eye is 50% of what we eat and when food is presented well it becomes more appertising. A good and sharp knife will help to achieve this.

I have made a wonderful investment by having these books in my library.

Robby Abrams
Robby's Sharp Edge Service.
Jerusalem