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"I cannot think where you would find a more beautiful collection of products than the Japanese cooking utensils illustrated and described in this book. If there was ever an example of the form and beauty following function this is it. They make you want to slice, grind, sieve, strain, cook and eat." -Terence Conran
"The esthetics of Japanese food, so evident on the plate, start with often hand-crafted kitchen implements."-The New York Times
.,."A neat package of useful information, elegantly presented." -The Associated Press
"Enthusiastically recommended as a beautiful compilation of photographs and informative briefings for the many decorative particulars of the Japanese kitchen." -The Midwest Book Review
"A beautiful guide to Japanese cooking utensils ... Klippensteen provides an enjoyable and informative journey through the Japanese kitchen." -Publishers Weekly
"This book is a winner and will surely engage many readers." -Library Journal
.,."Well-designed kitchen tools beautifully photographed by Yasuo Konishi. In addition to detailing their use, the text by Kate Klippernsteen...has much to teach about Japanese food. -American Craft
"Cool Tools takes a fascinating look inside the Japanese kitchen." -BookLoon Reviews (Online)
"The esthetics of Japanese food, so evident on the plate, start with often hand-crafted kitchen implements."-The New York Times
.,."A neat package of useful information, elegantly presented." -The Associated Press
"Enthusiastically recommended as a beautiful compilation of photographs and informative briefings for the many decorative particulars of the Japanese kitchen." -The Midwest Book Review
"A beautiful guide to Japanese cooking utensils ... Klippensteen provides an enjoyable and informative journey through the Japanese kitchen." -Publishers Weekly
"This book is a winner and will surely engage many readers." -Library Journal
.,."Well-designed kitchen tools beautifully photographed by Yasuo Konishi. In addition to detailing their use, the text by Kate Klippernsteen...has much to teach about Japanese food. -American Craft
"Cool Tools takes a fascinating look inside the Japanese kitchen." -BookLoon Reviews (Online)
Product Description
Japanese cuisine is flourishing among the food-conscious all over the world, as are the cookbooks featuring recipes from a wide variety of styles. Now, "Cool Tools" goes deep inside the kitchen, into the cupboards and the drawers, to the stove tops and wall hangers where a variety of unique utensils are stored. Here are the items seen used by the hands of the famous in their kitchens: and the not-so-famous in their homes. As with so many Japanese creations, these utensils are both functional and artistic, and the pieces that are the focus of this book are treated as both works of art and items of practical interest. The photography, by one of Japan's best, celebrates quality in materials and design. The text, by a long-time columnist on Tokyo dining and entertaining, celebrates the history, the usage and the people behind these tools, in brief and informative entries. It presents Japanese craft art to enliven the kitchen.
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First Sentence
Is Japanese cuisine intimidating to make? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Is Japanese cuisine intimidating to make? Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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6 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Even if you are allergic to cooking, this is a hip book
17 Jun 2006
Format:Hardcover
In a Japanese kitchen, form follows function, and in essence, Cool Tools is a tribute to kitchen design. Kate Klippensteen's book is more than a catalog of utensils: the featured items are handcrafted works of art. Yasuo Konishi's vivid photos highlight each piece so that the reader can feel the cool touch of the knife blades and the textures of the different graters. There are also revealing photos of old shamoji (rice servers), saibashi (cooking chopsticks) and yukihira nabe (pots) from a variety of households showing that, despite the wear and tear, these tools still have plenty of life left in them.
Klippenstein deftly guides the reader through the use of each tool, sprinkling each entry with interesting details. For example, the kogi (pestle) made from pepper trees, "which adds a hint of fragrance to the food being processed," and the ceramic clay suribachi (mortar) on which, "traditionally, the grooves... were made with pine needles."
If you're motivated to restock your kitchen arsenal, you won't want to miss "Five Basic Knives Every Household Should Stock." The indispensable shop guide and list of Japanese terms make Cool Tools the ideal companion for a trip to Kappabashi. And even if you're allergic to cooking, this handsome book will look smart on any coffee table.
Klippenstein deftly guides the reader through the use of each tool, sprinkling each entry with interesting details. For example, the kogi (pestle) made from pepper trees, "which adds a hint of fragrance to the food being processed," and the ceramic clay suribachi (mortar) on which, "traditionally, the grooves... were made with pine needles."
If you're motivated to restock your kitchen arsenal, you won't want to miss "Five Basic Knives Every Household Should Stock." The indispensable shop guide and list of Japanese terms make Cool Tools the ideal companion for a trip to Kappabashi. And even if you're allergic to cooking, this handsome book will look smart on any coffee table.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
An informative introductory exploration of the kitchen cookware and tools employed in the culinary aspects of Japanese culture
7 May 2006
Format:Hardcover
Superbly enhanced with full color photographs from Yasuo Konishi, Cool Tools: Cooking Utensils From The Japanese Kitchen by Kate Klippensteen is an impressively informative introductory exploration of the kitchen cookware and tools employed in the culinary aspects of Japanese culture. Presenting readers with a stunning collection of photographs and knowledgeable explanations for Japanese utensils ranging from the oni oroshi or "devil grater" (which is a useful grating tool for the daikon radish), the saibashi or cooking chopsticks, and the yanagi-ba (which is a long sashimi knife), to the yukihira-nabe (which is a hand made and highly crafted aluminum cooking pot), Cool Tools deftly details a complete selection of the beautifully shaped and functional tools of the Japanese kitchen. A welcome addition to any personal or community library reference collection, Cool Tools is enthusiastically recommended as a simply beautiful compilation of photographs and informative briefings for the many decorative particulars of the Japanese kitchen.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Treasures of the kitchen cabinet
14 Jan 2010
Format:Hardcover
After being so impressed with Kate Klippensteen and Yasuo Konishi's Japanese Kitchen Knives: Essential Techniques and Recipes, I wanted to check out their previous kitchen collaboration "Cool Tools: Cooking Utensils from the Japanese Kitchen."
This is quite a different book from "Japanese Kitchen Knives." There, they were collaborating with chef Hiromitsu Nozaki and the book was about one-third knife history and information, one-third knife skills course, and one-third cook book with recipes. "Cool Tools," on the other hand, is about Japanese cooking implements as works of art, filled with Konishi's beautiful photographs and Klippensteen's insightful and appreciative prose.
"Cool Tools" is split into four main sections; The Preparation (covering knives, mortar and pestle, nut toasters, graters, bonito planes, metal pots, strainers and other), The Cooking (covering rice cookers, ceramic pots and hot plates, copper oden pots, bronze tempura pots, oyakudon and tamagoyaki pans, stirrers, spatulas, skimmers, ladels, metal grills, drop lids, chopsticks, colanders and others), The Presentation (different graters and chopsticks, rice scoops, rice tubs, rolling mats and molds) and finally Cleaning Up (brushes, cleaning cloths, odds and ends and style),
Each section gives a description and history of the cooking tools, their various functions and how they are used. The focus is on typical items you would find in any Japanese household, rather than exotic implements with only a specialty function. Probably my favorite section of "Cool Tools" is when Konishi and Klippensteen delve into actual people's cupboards, and show a series of photographs of the tools as they are in average households.
For example, with the yukihara-nabe, or hammered-metal pan, there is a series of six photographs, showing the yukihara-nabes of a songwriter, aged 23, a mother aged 40, a housewife aged 48, a Japanese language instructor aged 52, a cook aged 45ish, and a bank employee aged 40-something. These series put a human touch on the cooking tools, showing how they are loved and used in daily life in Japan.
"Cool Tools" is definitely more of a specialty book than "Japanese Kitchen Knives." Whereas that book gave practical cooking tips and recipes, this is more about appreciation of design. If you are serious about your Japanese cooking, however, you will enjoy learning more about the tools that are essential to your art.
This is quite a different book from "Japanese Kitchen Knives." There, they were collaborating with chef Hiromitsu Nozaki and the book was about one-third knife history and information, one-third knife skills course, and one-third cook book with recipes. "Cool Tools," on the other hand, is about Japanese cooking implements as works of art, filled with Konishi's beautiful photographs and Klippensteen's insightful and appreciative prose.
"Cool Tools" is split into four main sections; The Preparation (covering knives, mortar and pestle, nut toasters, graters, bonito planes, metal pots, strainers and other), The Cooking (covering rice cookers, ceramic pots and hot plates, copper oden pots, bronze tempura pots, oyakudon and tamagoyaki pans, stirrers, spatulas, skimmers, ladels, metal grills, drop lids, chopsticks, colanders and others), The Presentation (different graters and chopsticks, rice scoops, rice tubs, rolling mats and molds) and finally Cleaning Up (brushes, cleaning cloths, odds and ends and style),
Each section gives a description and history of the cooking tools, their various functions and how they are used. The focus is on typical items you would find in any Japanese household, rather than exotic implements with only a specialty function. Probably my favorite section of "Cool Tools" is when Konishi and Klippensteen delve into actual people's cupboards, and show a series of photographs of the tools as they are in average households.
For example, with the yukihara-nabe, or hammered-metal pan, there is a series of six photographs, showing the yukihara-nabes of a songwriter, aged 23, a mother aged 40, a housewife aged 48, a Japanese language instructor aged 52, a cook aged 45ish, and a bank employee aged 40-something. These series put a human touch on the cooking tools, showing how they are loved and used in daily life in Japan.
"Cool Tools" is definitely more of a specialty book than "Japanese Kitchen Knives." Whereas that book gave practical cooking tips and recipes, this is more about appreciation of design. If you are serious about your Japanese cooking, however, you will enjoy learning more about the tools that are essential to your art.
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