Why I Happily Drove 90 Minutes to Slice an Apple

This winter, during a Swedish Death Cleaning project, I found myself staying alone with my cat, Genesis, in an adorable rental for a month.

After a full day of travel and moving in, it was nearly 6pm and I still hadn’t eaten anything. All I wanted was a sliced apple and peanut butter. So I scoured the kitchen looking for a chopping knife, but all I found was silverware and cooking utensils.

I assessed the situation:
“I’ll be here for a month, and I need a knife for food prep. It’s also important that I properly take care of myself and my environment so I can perform at my very best for my client. The property owners are away, so my only option is to go buy one.”

I evaluated my options:
Goodwill, Facebook Marketplace, Walmart, and Williams Sonoma — each had their pros and cons.

Goodwill’s selection is always an unknown and sometimes an adventure, but their prices are unbeatable. They were only six minutes away, but not open until the following day, so they were out.

Walmart would allow me to get a full set of basic-quality knives for a decent price, but I knew I’d hate using them, and I’d probably end up gifting them to the rental afterward anyway, which felt like money poorly spent, so they were out too.

Facebook Marketplace was my next stop, but I’d need to find something high quality, reasonably priced, nearby, and from someone willing to meet like… now. I found listings that met some but not all of the criteria, so after twenty minutes of searching, that option was out too.

Williams Sonoma was the farthest and most expensive option. (Sur La Table was closer but already closed and didn’t carry the knife I wanted.) But Williams Sonoma guaranteed something else: quality, reliability, and the certainty that I’d enjoy using whatever I brought home every single day for the next month.

I have a set of reliable Wüsthof Classics at home, but you can’t even see the name on them anymore. My mom gave them to me when I was 24, and I’m 42 now, but they were hers for decades before that. To call them vintage is probably an understatement, but it’s also a testament to their lifespan, and one more reason I could justify the splurge and finally start a set of my own.

I decided on the Wüsthof Classic Ikon 6” Chef’s Knife and drove the 45 minutes to the location that was open until 9pm, still with no food in me.

I’d been warned by many Google reviews that this location was tough on its customers and often rude so I armed myself with my best smile and waltzed in.

To my surprise, I was greeted immediately and kindly, asked if I needed help finding anything, and swiftly responded:
“I’m looking for the Wüsthof Classic Ikon 6” Chef’s Knife… not to be too specific or anything,” rounding off my decisiveness with a blush and a chuckle.

The associate brought me over to the display case and I happily pointed to the one singular knife that would become my everything throughout the next month. She went to retrieve it from the back room.

Only she came back empty-handed.

“I’m sorry, we don’t have that one in stock.”

She asked if there was another knife I’d be happy with, and we did this dance as I jumped from one size to another, and from brand to brand. (I’m sorry, but I stopped at the hollow steel blades. I like weight to my knives.)

Eventually she apologized profusely, offered to order one for delivery, and asked if there was anything else she could assist me with.

I replied, “I literally drove 45 minutes for this knife. I haven’t eaten all day and really, all I want is to cut an apple.”

So we moved over to the computer and tried approaching it from another angle, checking what the inventory system claimed was in stock.

While considering larger sets on sale and a few more brands, a manager casually suggested she check the drawer underneath the display case.

We both walked back over like kids on a treasure hunt and I pointed toward the little locked door with the keyhole at the top.

“I’ve never even noticed that before,” she said as she tried key after key until one finally opened it.

Two small doors swung open to reveal a drawer labeled:
Wüsthof Classic Ikon.

Excitedly, she pulled it open while I practically threw my hand toward the single box labeled “6” Chef’s Knife.”

“That’s my knife!”

She was just as happy as I was. We’d both learned something that day- about the store, about hidden drawers, and probably about my dedication to getting exactly what I want.

I checked out with the biggest smile on my face and genuinely enjoyed every single time I used that knife during my stay at the rental.

The knife made it home safely and now sits in the drawer beside my mother’s old 6” chef’s knife. One day it’ll have its own siblings in supportive role sizes and hopefully live in a second kitchen I intend on having someday.

And to say I’m glad I skipped Walmart is an understatement.

Ironically, the very next day I still went to Goodwill and found the most darling ceramic fluted mixing bowl, which doubled as my fruit bowl at the rental before eventually coming home with me as a gift for a friend who loves baking. (And yes, I told them it came from Goodwill. They love a good find.)

The morals of the story?

• Buy only what you love, you’re the one who has to live with it.

• Spend your money wisely and on things that will last.

• And, get things that have as much utility as possible, those are the things you’ll use 80% of the time (think the 80/20 rule) and enjoy every minute of it.

The Irony (or in this case Ivory) of the story?

On googling the knife to link to it I realized the series also comes in an off-white called Creme!! Now I’m swooning over it and wondering if I should exchange and start a set in white instead!!