Lucky Cooking Tools for Friday the 13th!

In honor of today, April 13, a Friday – better known as, uh, Friday the 13^th – we’ve put together 13 scary, freaky items from the ChefTools.com inventory. Why are these items so ghoulish? Because that all have the number 13 in common! Without further ado:

Nos. 13 - 9: Various Fat Daddio’s 13-inch cake pans: these 4 pans are scarily practical. Whether you’re baking a standard square or round cake, or building a tiered layer cake, these pans are durable and have natural nonstick properties. Range in prices from $13.11 (oh my!) to $27.26. 

Revol 13oz. Souffle Dish

No. 8: Revol Porcelaine Grands Classiques 13 oz. Soufflé Dish: this wonderful French white porcelain dish holds an unlucky 13 ounces, but is excellent in all other respects. Use to make crème brulee, gratin, or as a serving dish at the dinner table. This French made porcelain is durable and beautiful! $13.45

No. 7: Heavy Weight Deluxe 13-3/4” Beechwood Spoon: use to mix salads, stir tomato sauce, or as a serving piece at the dinner table. Or, use it to exact revenge on teenage campers. We recommend using it for culinary purposes. $5.45. 

USA Pans 13" Sheet Cake Pan

No. 6: USA Pans 13” Nonstick Sheet Cake Pan: an excellent pan made in America – no doubt inspired by the Friday the 13^th series of films. $19.99.

No. 5: RSVP Endurance 13” Splatter Screen: protect your walls and countertops from splatter – not blood splatter, of course, but hot cooking oil, sauce, and all that. This handy mesh screen rests on top of pots and pans (up to 13” in diameter) preventing splatter, but still allowing air to circulate. $18.99. 

No. 4: Ateco Soft Gel Paste Food Coloring, 13-1/2 oz. bottle (assorted colors): paint your food blood red … and sun orange, and earth brown, and tree green. Ateco gel paste mixes well with any base. Perfect for when you’re mixing it with non-dairy products. The color will never break down in frosting. $5.60 per bottle.

No 3: USA Pans 13” Large Nonstick Pullman Loaf Pan: Why is the USA Pans company so obsessed with the number 13!? Just kidding. They make excellent products here in America, and this Pullman pan is no exception. Use a Pullman for creating dense breads, or for when you want a perfectly square loaf – just like supermarket-bought loaves. $24.99. 

Sweet figs go perfectly with meat and cheese

No. 2: I Peccati di Ciacco 13 oz. jar of oven-dried figs: 13 is even an omen in Italy – an omen for quality! These sweet, marinated figs are perfect for serving with meat and cheese. Imported from Italy, made in small batches. $14.85/jar.  

LamsonSharp vegetable cleaver - scar, strong, and made in America!

No. 1: LamsonSharp Pro Chinese Vegetable Cleaver: What does this have to do with Friday the 13^th? Well, nothing, except that it’s a large, scary knife. But! It’s also an incredibly useful knife. Chop vegetables and meat quickly and easily with this large, made-in-America cleaver. A high carbon stainless steel blade resists rusting, warping, and dulling. A walnut handle with brass rivets is comfortable and strong. Get one today – just make sure your vegetables don’t run away in fear! $34.99.

Have a happy and lucky Friday the 13^th! 

New: Fat Daddio's 2012 Bakeware

Fat Daddio's Flat Bottom Mixing Bowls

We added to Chef Tools last Thursday a host of new bakeware by Fat Daddio’s. Fat Daddio’s has always been a bakeware innovator, but they’ve introduced a couple of new products this year that are particularly exceptional. My favorite is the line of flat bottom mixing bowls: they don’t move or rock like round bottom bowls, and they’re super easy to use with spatulas (also, if you buy a couple of different sizes, they stack on top of each other really well). 

Here are some other highlights from the new 2012 Fat Daddio’s line:

Silicone Veiners (molds) in multiple shapes

Silicone veiners: Use these veiners – or, more simply, molds - to form beautiful fondant shapes quickly and easily. Simply press your fondant into this mold and remove. The silicone is naturally nonstick, so your shape will release easily every time. Made of durable, FDA-approved silicone. 

3-Cup sifter: Perfectly sift your dry ingredients with this sifter. A squeeze handle operates it, so you can sift with one hand.  This design also reduces tension on the sifting blades, which means this sifter will outlast others – no more sticking (or stuck) sifting blades.

Silicone string molds: Ever see a professional wedding cake outlined with pretty little fondant pearls? Now you can do that at home. Simply add a thin rope of fondant to this mold and squeeze shut. You're left with a string of beautiful pearls. Comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, too (pearls, roses, braided rope). 

Balloon whisk (multiple sizes): These are the most solid, comfortable whisks ever produced. Fat Daddio's manufactured these whisks in response to customer requests for a better, higher-torque mixing tool - the result is an entirely new design, with a solid core handle and solid, easy to clean stainless steel blades.

Fat Daddio's Confectionary Funnel

Confectionary funnel: Reenact “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” in your home kitchen with this incredible tool. This machine doles out perfectly sized drops of chocolate, ganache, jelly or any food. Simply fill this funnel and dispense by depressed the lever with your thumb. A stainless steel piston pushes out fillings evenly and quickly. Perfect for garnishing plates, filling chocolates, or portioning out melted chocolate. Includes a stand and tips for decorating. Does not include Oompa Loompas.

Check out all the new Fat Daddio’s products at ChefTools.com!