Excuse Me Sir, But There's A Bird In My Pie

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye.
Four and twenty blackbirds,
Baked in a pie.

 The familiar nursery rhyme calls for 24 blackbirds to be baked in a pie. But you really only need one. Acting as a vent to release steam while baking, a pie bird prevents a bubbling mess of sticky sugar syrup and fruit from boiling out all over the place and baking to the bottom of your oven. A pie bird also supports the top crust, keeping it from sagging in the middle. The result is a lovely, picture-perfect pie.

For years, many pie birds have been spending their days quietly retired in Grandma's knick-knack cabinet, long forgotten as a collectible antique. But what's old is what's new. Pie birds are back in fashion. Try baking your next pie with the help of a pie bird, and find out for yourself what all the excitement is about. Don't put a fork in it. Put a pie bird in it.

Norpro offers both a modern Silicone Pie Bird and a traditional Ceramic Pie Bird. Your choice. And while you're at it, don't forget pie chains and pie crust shields.

Top 10 Kitchen Gadgets Under $20

Need some help with kitchen gift ideas for the chef or baker on your shopping list this holiday season? Help has arrived. Because Chef Tools is all about cooking a baking tools, we decided to make our top 10 list a baker's dozen. It's a technicality. But the best part is that all the best kitchen gadget gifts can be had for under $20 each.

1. RSVP Potato Ricer $13.95	The RSVP Potato Ricer is ready to race through piles of potatoes. • Includes 2 interchangeable stainless steel plates • Great for potatoes, apples, yams, parsnips, beets, turnips and chestnuts • Dishwasher safe
2. CDN MOT1 Multi-Mount Oven Thermometer $6.99	The CDN Mot1 oven thermometer is designed for monitoring exact oven temperatures. • 1-3/4-inch dial in a durable laboratory glass lens • Stainless steel housing • Includes magnet, tilt-down stand hanging hook
3. RSVP Herb Scissors $9.95	Snip herbs quickly and neatly with RSVP Herb Scissors. • Five sharp 3-inch stainless steel blades • Large plastic handles with soft silicone lining • Dishwasher safe
4. Trudeau Gravy Fat Separator & Strainer, 4-Cup $12.99	The sturdy Trudeau Gravy Fat Separator features an integrated strainer for keeping food particles out of your gravy. • Combination separator and strainer • Heat-resistant to 400 F • Microwave and dishwasher safe
5. Amco Basic Ingredients Measuring Cups, Set of 4 $11.50	Sturdy Amco Basic Ingredients Measuring Cups nest together for easy, compact storage. • High-quality 18/10 stainless steel • Small pour spouts on each cup • Dishwasher safe
6. Rosenhaus Swiss Pro Peeler, Carbon Steel Blade $5.49	A harp-shaped handle on the Rosenhaus Swiss Pro Peeler makes for easier, less stressful peeling • Carbon steel straight blade and stainless steel handle • Integrated side cutter for removing potato eyes • Suitable for right or left hand use
7. Cuisipro Herb Keeper $19.99	A suspended, slotted tray in the Cuisipro Herb Keeper allows herbs to stand upright and comfortably spaced. • Prevents fresh-cut herbs from drying out • Keeps herb stems immersed in water for hydration • Fits on a refrigerator door shelf
8. Amco Lemon Squeezer Juicer, Yellow $11.95	The Amco Lemon Squeezer easily turns citrus halves inside out to squeeze every drop of juice. • Heavy-duty enameled aluminum • Rust-proof • Dishwasher safe
9. Best Rotary Flour Sifter, 5-Cup $19.59	Easy sift flour with the sturdy and durable Best Rotary Flour Sifter. • Commercial-quality 18/8 stainless steel • Reinforced wire mesh • Rust-proof
10. Norpro Davy Crack'it Squirrel Nutcracker $13.99	Easily crack almonds and pecans with the Norpro Davy Crack'it Squirrel Nutcracker • Simply lift the squirrel's tail and place a nut in his mouth • Heavy-duty cast aluminum • Never gets tired or cracking nuts
11. Best Classic Deluxe Rotary Egg Beater $12.99	Efficiently whip fluid batters and eggs the old-fashioned way with the Best Classic Deluxe Rotary Egg Beater. • Four stainless steel beaters • Smooth nylon gears • Dishwasher safe
12. Norpro Silicone Pie Crust Shield $4.69	Use the Norpro Silicone Pie Crust Shield to prevent spillage, protect crust from burning, and allow pie to rise in the middle. • Fits up to 10-inch pies • Heat-safe to 450 F • Dishwasher safe
13. RSVP White Marble Cheese Slicer Board $13.95	Serve cheese to your guests on the classy RSVP White Marble Cheese Slicer Board. • Marble base helps to keep cheese cool • Durable stainless steel wire cuts both hard and soft cheese • Protective, nonslip rubber feet

Are You Ready For Thanksgiving Dinner?

Whether you're planning on cooking for a pack of hungry relatives or just a few close friends, preparing Thanksgiving dinner is not the time to get caught with your pans down. Chef Tools is here to help and has put together a list of helpful tools and gadgets we think will help make the biggest meal of the year more of a pleasure and less of a hassle. It's also a chance to show off a bunch of cool new kitchen stuff to your guests. Check out our helpful and Essential Thanksgiving Tools.

a roasting pan

Are you still using one of those flimsy aluminum roasting pans you bought last-minute at the supermarket? Did turkey juice and mess spill all over the inside of your oven, or onto the kitchen floor? You know it did. It's time to invest in a real roasting pan. The nonstick Emerilware hard-anodized roaster features ergonomic handles for balance, control and comfort when lifting your bird in and out of the oven. A versatile option from Camerons offers high-quality 18/10 stainless steel construction for excellent heat conduction.

and a roasting dish

Dress up your sweet potato surprise and green bean casserole by serving them in a beautiful roasting dish. Colorful stoneware from Le Creuset or elegant French porcelain from Revol just might convince those less-than-adventurous diners to dive right into the roasted Brussels sprouts. If you're looking for a less expensive option, choose from a large selection of HIC Porcelain high-quality culinary porcelain.

with mashed potatoes

There are two schools of thought when it comes to mashed potatoes. Some people like them silky smooth, while others prefer them with plenty of lumpy chunks. Using a potato ricer will result in smooth mashed potatoes. Using a hand potato masher, like this not-so-traditional one from Chef's Planet will give your mashed potatoes a home-style texture.

and gravy

You can’t eat your mashed potatoes and turkey without gravy, but you’re concerned about increasing the size of your waist and decreasing the gauge of your arteries. Don’t be afraid of the gravy when you use a fat separator, like this one from OXO.

The foundation of gravy that everyone will want the recipe for is roux. The Best Roux Whisk is designed to quickly blend flour into melted butter or fat when making your roux. It's also shaped for efficiently working the bottom and corners of your pan.

is the turkey done yet?

If you roast your turkey at too high an oven temperature (350 to 400 F), the meat closer to the surface will be over-cooked and dried out before the internal temperature reaches the proper 160 F. It takes more time, and patience, but roasting turkey at a lower oven temperature (275 to 300 F) will result in a moist bird with an even temperature throughout. An oven thermometer will let you know if you’re maintaining an accurate and consistent oven temperature. The CDN Digital Probe Thermometer, Timer & Clock will track roasting time and temperature from your countertop.

who’s doing the carving?

Carving the Thanksgiving turkey is an honorary duty. Whether you prefer using a round-tipped slicing knife or a pointed-tip slicing knife, like the Shun Classic Carving Knife. Don’t forget to let your bird rest for at least 20 minutes prior to carving in order to let the juice settle in and keep the meat moist. Using a cutting board with a juice groove will help prevent messy spill-over onto your countertop. Both John Boos and Epicurean Cutting Boards offer several options.

don’t forget pie

Saving room for the pumpkin, apple, pecan, or even mincemeat pie, is always a challenge on Thanksgiving. Baking your pie in a solid and dependable pie dish will give your pie more of a home-style-made-in-grandmas-kitchen appeal than if you bake in one of those flimsy aluminum foil pans. Using a French pin to roll out your dough will give you the most control and dexterity for rolling the prefered round shape. Whether you're planning on baking a juicy apple pie or a moist pumpkin pie, pie chain, a pie bird, and a pie crust shield will help you on your way to baking your best crust.

Kick Your Cookin' Up A Notch

Have you always dreamed of owning All-Clad cookware but have been reluctant to make the high-price investment? Your affordable dream has arrived. The signature cookware line of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, called Emerliware, is made by All-Clad, and is now available at Chef Tools. "Kick your cookin' up a notch" and simmer your next dinner in high-quality Emerilware cookware. Easily make professional-level recipes "nice and delicious," just like Emeril.

The classic Pro-Clad line of stainless steel tri-ply cookware features a thick aluminum core bonded between two layers of stainless steel for optimum cooking performance. Rivets secure comfortable and ergonomic handles. And a specially-shaped lip on these pans is designed for mess-free pouring.








Emeril's Stainless Steel with Copper collection features a triple-thick bottom layer of stainless steel, aluminum and copper for optimum cooking performance. Sauce pans feature pouring spouts, integrated measuring marks and integrated straining lids.

The Hard-Anodized collection features a durable, scratch-resistant, and nonstick surface. Sauce pans feature precision pouring spouts and integrated straining lids.

NEW from RSVP

RSVP Java Mitt

RSVP makes some very cool and useful tools and gadgets. Take the new Tango Tongs for example. These tongs, available in black, green, blue, orange and red, are not only stylish, but they are very practical. The tips are heat resistant up to 500 degrees F and the hinge is connected by a magnet so you can easily take the tongs apart for easy cleaning. If you love the Tango design you can also pair your tongs with Tango Spatulas. Another great innovation from RSVP is the Java Mitt. Do you sometimes forget to grab one of those paper/cardboard sleeves for your coffee or tea? Or, do you want to reduce the amount of paper you are using? If you answered yes, then the Java Mitt (pictured left) is the perfect tool for you. The Java Mitt is a reusable silicone sleeve with a handle for your coffee and tea cups. It can easily be stored in a purse or in your car and if it gets dirty you can throw the Java Mitt in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. The Java Mitt fits almost any sized tumbler-style cup and for only $4.95 you can get one for you and some for your friends. See the Java Mitt, Tango Tongs, and more new gadgets from RSVP HERE

Halloween Edibles

Halloween Monster Head Minis

Halloween will be here shortly and until it arrives we can't help but think about spooky cookies, cupcakes, cakes and more. You never need an excuse to bake, but when a holiday comes around it is the perfect opportunity to show off your skills. Our Halloween Edible Decorations department is designed to enhance your baked treats so you spend less time decorating and more time baking. The Monster Head Minis (pictured left) are perfect for Halloween cookies. Simply ice a fresh batch of cookies and place these edible images on top of each cookie. It is a quick way to add a little style and fun to a regular old Halloween cookie. We also have sprinkles, edible images for cakes, and sugar dec-ons, everything you would ever need to jazz up a Halloween treat. Shop all Halloween Edible Decorations HERE

New Tools From Pourfect

Pourfect Scrape-A-Bowl Pourfect Whisk-A-Bowl

With the holidays approaching quickly you may have started thinking about what you will be baking. If you have a KitchenAid you know what a great asset it is while you're cranking out batch after batch of dough and mix for your cakes, cookies, cupcakes and other baked treats. But, one draw back of the KitchenAid is that most of the time you have to stop to scrape the bowl down to incorporate all the ingredients evenly. This is exactly why we are proud to introduce the Scrape-A-Bowl (pictured top left) and Whisk-A-Bowl (pictured bottom left) from Pourfect. They are designed to fit the most common KitchenAid models and they do all the bowl scraping for you while your KitchenAid is running. The Scrape-A-Bowl and Whisk-A-Bowl are so effective that the manufacturer recommends you cut the mixing time on your recipe in half. For instance, the Whisk-A-Bowl can whip up meringue in about 2.5 minutes instead of 8 minutes. The Scrape-A-Bowl and Whisk-A-Bowl are truly irreplaceable kitchen tools that once you use them you will wonder how you ever got along without them. Check out the chefDemo videos on each product as well as the "more info" tab where you will find a detailed list of all compatible KitchenAids. Click HERE to see all Pourfect Scrape-A-Bowl and Whisk-A-Bowl KitchenAid attachments

New Bakeware

Nonstick Large Cookie Sheet Stuff It Up Pan

With over 90 new items from Chicago Metallic, we've got a lot for a baker to love. Chicago Metallic has completely re-designed their product line to offer more affordable, durable baking pans and accessories for the commercial kitchen and home baker. Their nonstick bakeware line features an Ilaflon Resist finish that will not chip or peel and it can withstand temperatures up to 550 F. Chicago Metallic bakeware is dishwasher safe and comes with a 25 year warranty. With the holidays coming up quickly, the Nonstick Large Cookie Sheet (pictured top left) is a great piece of bakeware to have in your kitchen. It is heavy duty, bakes evenly, and is very easy to clean. With the Chicago Metallic cookie sheet, you will be cranking out delicious cookie after cookie with ease. The new Chicago Metallic Commercial II line of bakeware is pretty amazing as well. Designed for maximum durability, each piece of Commercial II bakeware is made with heavy-weight aluminized steel, which also provides superior heat conduction and even baking. These pans are uncoated, dishwasher safe, and come with a lifetime warranty. We've also added 20 new pieces of specialty bakeware from Chicago Metallic. One of the more unique pans in this line is the Nonstick Stuff It Up Pan (pictured bottom left), which prevents stuffed foods from falling over or losing shape while baking. Stuff It Up is ideal for stuffed peppers, tomatoes, artichokes, and more. Another unique item in this line is the Nonstick Stocking Pan, just in time for the holidays! With this pan, you can easily bake small stocking-shaped cakelettes, add some simple frosting and/or Christmas dec-ons, then serve them to your family and friends.

New from Messermeister

tan plaid knife bag knife guards

We've added over 30 new knife bags, tools and knife guards from Messermeister. Messermeister is probably best known these days for their knife bags (pictured top left), which are becoming very popular. There are all sorts of new styles including pink with white polka dots, oxford gray, lemongrass, and more. We've also added some great new colorful tools. The 3-Piece Pro-Touch Peeler Trio Set is the perfect replacement for your dull peelers. With this set you get a regular, serrated, and julienne peeler that should cover all your peeling needs. Plus, these peelers are dishwasher safe and you can replace the blades down the road when they begin to dull. The Messermeister knife guards (pictured bottom left) are the ideal way to protect your knives. They are inexpensive, safe, and durable. Not to mention, they come in a wide variety of vibrant, fun colors. Shop all Messermeister HERE

Fat Daddio's Bakeware

Fat Daddio's Round Cake Pan

What's so great about Fat Daddio's bakeware you ask? Well, there are many reasons a Fat Daddio's pan is a good investment. The first reason is because each and every piece of Fat Daddio's bakeware comes with a lifetime warranty. The second reason is because Fat Daddio's bakeware is made with anodized aluminum. When aluminum goes through the anodizing process it comes out completely sealed with a smooth, scratch-resistant surface that ensures there is no cross-contamination. The anodizing process also prevents aluminum from leaching into your baked goods, which is very important. Another reason Fat Daddio's bakeware is a good investment is because of the way it evenly bakes your cakes, cupcakes, cookies and confections. Each cake pan, cookie sheet and cupcake/muffin pan are precision engineered for exceptional baking performance and durability. Fat Daddio's bakeware is also dishwasher safe, which makes clean-up a breeze. Shop all Fat Daddio's bakeware HERE

Uber Bar Tools

Uber Bar Tools ProJig

Michael Silvers (aka The Uber-Dude), the founder of Uber Bar Tools, is passionate about cocktails. The name Uber comes from the German word Uber, which means extraordinarily good or the best of the best. His goal was to take his 25 years of design and manufacturing experience and use them to design and manufacture the finest bar tools available. That's the story of Uber Bar Tools and you can find the entire line at Chef Tools. The ProFlow Speed Pour is Uber's take on one of the most common bar tools. Its ingenious design prevents leakage, breakage and evaporation. The Speed Pour is available in chrome and black and it disassembles for easy cleaning. ProFlow's air intake regulates the flow rate of liquids and gives you a perfect four count volume pour. Uber's ProJig (pictured left) is a revolutionary jigger that can accommodate up to 12 different volume pour combinations. The angled lip on the ProJig gives you clean, direct pour streams and the Polycarbonate body is durable and long lasting. Uber Bar Tools also has complete bar tool sets in 3 varieties that contain every tool you would ever need to produce the finest cocktails. Shop all 16 Uber Bar Tools HERE

Flying Wish Paper

Flying Wish Paper

When you wish upon a star does your wish come true? If you answered no, you might want to take a look at Flying Wish Paper. It is one of our newest product lines, and they make whimsical wishing activity kits that are designed to make your wishes come true. There are currently 16 different kits available, each one having its own theme/design, and they come complete with matches, a pencil, wish papers, wishing platforms, and instructions. Flying Wish Paper kits are intended to be used with two or more people, but you may also use your wishing activity kit alone. A Flying Wish kit makes a great gift, and the whole wishing process is pretty fun. Watch the chefDemo video located on each Flying Wish Paper product page to see the wishing process in action. You can be one step closer to your wish if you write it, light it, and watch it fly! Shop all Flying Wish Paper activity kits HERE

Introducing Norpro

Norpro Silicone Pie Bird Norpro Nonstick Pretzel Pan Norpro Battery Operated Flour Sifter

Whether you love practical kitchen tools or less common kitchen gadgets, you will love Norpro. We've just added 200+ new Norpro products with everything from a traditional roasting pan to a silicone pie bird (pictured top left) and everything in between. Norpro was founded in 1973 by Gunnar Lie who set out to design, manufacture and distribute the highest quality kitchen products. His daughter Kirsten runs the company now and she continues to build and grow Norpro, based on the principles established by her father. Norpro representatives travel the world to study developing trends, which in turn gives them the insight to create some of the most innovative tools and gadgets on the market. One of these innovations is the Norpro Nonstick Pretzel Pan (pictured middle left). This pan comes complete with recipes to help you get started making delicious, fresh pretzels at home and the nonstick surface makes sure your pretzels come out easily. If you like pretzels, you can't beat the fresh, homemade taste you get from using the Norpro Nonstick Pretzel Pan. Another unique product is the Norpro Battery Operated Flour Sifter (pictured bottom left). This product is ideal for people that love to bake, but are limited because of arthritis or a stroke. The Battery Operated Flour Sifter requires one AA battery (not included) and can be easily used with one hand. It features a stainless steel mesh screen, snap-on lid, and detachable handle for easy cleaning. The Norpro Battery Operated Flour Sifter also makes a great gift. If you're looking for more practical tools and gadgets, consider the Norpro Flexible Cutting Mats, Set of 3. These under $5 mats are FDA approved, dishwasher safe, and are ideal for everyday chopping and dicing. Another practical product is the Norpro Lettuce Compost Keeper. Shaped like a head of lettuce, the Compost Keeper is a stylish and effective way to store household organic waste for transfer to your garden composter. It comes with an odor preventing filter and will hold 1-3/4-quarts of waste. Click HERE to see all Norpro tools, gadgets and more.

100+ New Party Supplies

Trick or Treat Halloween Mermaids Invite & Thank You Set

If you love baking and/or parties you have to check out Meri Meri. Originally, we put Meri Meri's cupcake kits up on our website just to see what you all thought about them. They were a new company to us, but we instantly noticed their product's unique style and high quality. Needless to say, the cupcake kits were a huge success. You all loved them and it was hard to keep enough in stock. Now, we have over 100 more party supplies from Meri Meri! There are a few new cupcake kits, but in addition to that there are things like bags & boxes, stationary, wine & gift tags, and much more. Meri Meri gift bags & boxes are the ideal vessels for your homemade treats. The Trick or Treat Halloween Gift Bag (pictured top left) is a perfect example. What would look better than this gift bag filled with delicious Halloween-inspired treats? If you're throwing a birthday party, consider offering your guests a Pirate, Roarrrrr Dinosaur or Twinkle Toes gift bag to take home with them. There are plenty of different varieties for any occasion. Shop all gift bags & boxes HERE. Meri Meri stationary is another great new line of products. With the Mermaids Invite & Thank You Set (pictured left) your guests will start feeling the warmth of your party the day they get their invitation. Then, when Christmas comes around, there can be less stress as your guests take their seats for dinner. The Santa & Reindeer Place Cards let you assign seats ahead of time and they are sure to put a smile on the face of even the grumpiest scrooge. Shop all Meri Meri stationary HERE. To see all of Meri Meri's wonderful party supplies and more, visit our Meri Meri department HERE.

Over 100 New Epicurean Boards, Tools and More

Epicurean Flower Trivet Epicurean BBQ Salver

Epicurean makes fantastic cutting boards. They became famous for their boards because they are extremely durable, environmentally friendly, dishwasher safe and light-weight. If you are in the market for a new cutting board Epicurean is definitely worth looking at. Something else worth looking at is Epicurean's fantastic new line of tools! Like the Trivets and Coasters. Epicurean Trivets come in three different styles, Flower (pictured top left), Curve and Star, and each style has different color combinations. Epicurean coasters come in three different colors and they may be the best surface protecting coasters on the market. Epicurean Saute Tools, Turners and Spoons are must haves if you have any nonstick cookware. They are made from renewable and natural materials and won't scratch your pots and pans. The Epicurean Food Scrapers are pretty indispensable as well. If you ever work with pastry dough or need to chop and scoop some quick veggies this is the tool for you. Lastly, I'll recommend Epicurean's BBQ Salver (pictured bottom left). All of Epicurean's boards are great, but this one is exceptional for all types of grilling enthusiasts. This board allows you to have your tools, a beverage, and some sauces or seasonings always close at hand while at the grill. It comes in Grey and Red and includes a removable 15" x 11" Kitchen Series cutting board. If you are going to eat outside, this board is great for grabbing your meat off the grill, placing it on your board and slicing it up right there. You can also remove the board inside, chop your veggies, then carry them out to the grill to be cooked or placed on things like burgers and brats. Shop all Epicurean HERE

Deco Wraps

We've got some new cupcake wrappers! Deco Wraps come in 18 different styles that are perfect for any occasion. Party Hats & Cupcakes are ideal for birthdays, Party Animals wrappers (shown middle left) make baby shower cupcakes irresistible, and Elegant wrappers compliment wedding cupcakes beautifully. If none of those events are in your near future then focus on Halloween. Adding Jack-O-Lantern wrappers (shown bottom left) to your cupcakes along with something from our Halloween decorations department will make your party unforgettable. Deco Wraps are very easy to use and they adjust to fit any size cupcake. They are made in the USA with high-quality paper and are specially designed to be just the right size, not too tall, not too short, so as not to mess up your cupcake's icing. Another great thing about Deco Wraps is their line of Kid-friendly cupcake wrappers. Available in 4 varieties, Color-Me Cupcake Wrappers (shown below) are made without color, and are the perfect addition to any child's birthday party. Kids love coloring and customizing these cupcake wrappers in their own way with markers, crayons or paint. Happy Creatures Sea Life Cars & Trucks Pets Shop all Deco Wraps HERE

Autumn is right around the corner!

This year feels like it has flown by so far and now that Fall is coming up quickly it's time to start thinking about baking. If you're into cupcakes, Meri Meri has a great Thanksgiving Cupcake Kit (pictured left). It includes 24 cupcake liners in 2 designs and 24 toppers in 2 designs. Pumpkin cupcakes would be the perfect fit for this kit and will delight any recipient. If you want to avoid thinking about Thanksgiving right now and focus on something more present tense, take a look at Lucks' School Assortment Dec-Ons. You can throw a back to school party for your kids and their friends and use these dec-ons on top of your cupcakes or cake. Maybe you'll get the chance to pass a slice of cake or a cupcake along to a teacher as well. For all the wonderful Fall Cake Decorations available at Chef Tools, click HERE. For decorating ideas click HERE.