Knives for Christmas
It's that time of year! The sound of bells can be heard, Santa photo opportunities are abundant, and festive music is full volume in the shopping streets. It's a delightful season to gift memorable Christmas presents.
We're always excited to welcome people in during this festive time of year, and help you pick the best gifts for your co-workers, friends and loved ones. While Christmas Day is still a work day for Japan (including us,) we still like to enjoy the spirit as best as we can. At Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide, we've prepared a Christmas-only, limited edition mizuhiki gift wrapping to add more of that friendly spirit to your presents.
While it may seem odd to give a kitchen knife as a present, in Japanese culture it is seen as a very auspicious thing to do, as our general gift giving guide explains. Plus with free engraving, you have a wonderful chance to give something incredibly personal.
So, how about gifting a kitchen knife that will be useful for creating festive dishes for this season and beyond? A good knife can last a lifetime and be beautiful at the same time. Many people find the gift of Japanese artisan-made knives to be a wonderful mixture of form and function. It's a gift that keeps on giving!
Here are some of our recommendations for Christmas presents!
An all-purpose stainless steel petty knife for small, versatile usage.
The petty knife is a small, versatile kitchen knife that is a downsized version of a gyuto chef's knife. Made from rust-resistant stainless steel, these knives are suitable for cutting various smaller ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, and even some breads. These can also be used for smaller protein preparation, such as dicing up chicken breasts or thighs.
These make for perfect multi-purpose knives not just for Christmas and New Year's, but for daily use beyond that.
We feel these are the most popular choices for gifts because it's easy to get a very high quality one at an inexpensive price. Smaller knife means less material, meaning cheaper costs for you! Yet, it is an essential kitchen tool and pairs with a larger gyuto or santoku perfectly. 125mm petty knives are perfect for off the board work, and 150mm work well for fine slicing and prep work on the board.
A boning knife used for cutting poultry like chicken
A honesuki boning knife is used to separate meat from bones, and is perfect for procesing poultry and breaking down joints and cartilage. It has a thick blade to resist dulling and is almost completely single-edged for precision use. This type of knife can be used many ways, suitable not only for meat but also for filleting small fish and cutting hard root vegetables like pumpkins or sweet potato. Confirm whether the user is right or left-handed before you buy it, though!
As chicken dishes are frequently seen during the Christmas season, consider adding a honesuki to your collection alongside your existing knives. This can be a great gift for yourself before Christmas parties start, or a brilliant gift for someone you know who loves to prepare such feasts.
The perfect sized slicing knife that's easy to use
A sujihiki slicer is versatile; longer than a petty knife but more narrow than a gyuto. Making the most of its slender blade, these are ideal for slicing meats, vegetables, and thinly cutting fish fillets for dishes like carpaccio. Use this to carve your roasts up perfectly!
Available in many blade lengths, the 180mm size is recommended for all-purpose use, serving as a versatile alternative to santoku or petty knives. If you prefer using it like a sashimi knife or a slicing knife for meat, a 210mm or longer length is recommended instead. Get what you think you need to slice through something with in one cut. Longer blades need to be sharpened less frequently, too.
A special gift wrapping for that cherry on top!
For those wanting gift wrapping in December for our online or in-store purchases, we offer a complimentary original mizuhiki (decorative cord) in red and green to enhance the Christmas mood!
Whether it's a gift for a loved one or a well-deserved treat for yourself, find a knife that will make your cooking time enjoyable. We're always here to answer any questions you may have, or recommend accessories to go with your perfect gift.
From all of us, have a wonderful holiday season!