The bearded guy behind the knife counter at Sur la Table on Spring Street looked at me as though I had spat on his shiny table before asking him if he stocked dead French babies.
Do you have any Opinel knives? I had asked, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Eager to buy some more of my favourite little slicers (I lost one), and even more eager for its high carbon blade, which sharpens to super sharpness...
No, he said. End of conversation.
My tail deflated.
It's French, I said helpfully (I thought).
And then, in a withering, dead-eye put down: We only sell Swiss! Japanese! and German! knives.
....
So...why is the store called Sur la Table? Cos that's, like, FRENCH.
And it sure ain't on your table, buddy.
Broadway Panhandler, Bridge Kitcheworks. Forget that other nonsense.
ReplyDeleteI like the panhandler.
DeleteI'd never heard of Opinel, so of course I googled. Amazon has them. Great reviews, too.
ReplyDeleteWow, I know where I won't be shopping.
ReplyDeletesounds more like surly la table! -dbn.
ReplyDeleteI live in France and bought 2 Opinel
ReplyDeleteknives in a fishing equipment store.
They cost me 2 euros each.
They are my very favorite and I use
them all the time...
I guess he didn't like your bright eyes and bushy tail!
ReplyDeleteTheir carbon steel versions really are the best, and dirt cheap too. I have 3 floating around the house and kitchen and another lives in my car. You should've got yours here - the hardware store at Constantia shopping centre stocks them... Sort of pleasing to find out that some of the essentials of a good life are easier to procure in Cape Town than New York!
ReplyDeleteI love Opinel Knives. They're ridiculously cheap and I agree that the Carbon blades are better than the stainless steel ones. Opinel are one of the few quintessentially French brands I still use.
DeleteGood point, my dear...
ReplyDeleteGood point, my dear...
ReplyDelete