top picks – Page 3 – Chef Michael Rockwood

February 15, 2022April 21, 2022top picks

February 2022

What is the first food you think of when you hear Italian Food? For me it’s pasta! Celebrate National Italian Food Day with these three great products for making that perfect handmade pasta dish. The Matfer Bourgeat Imperia pasta machine is the perfect tool for making homemade, delicious pastas. Attach the clamp to the countertop or table and use the manual hand crank to work the interior rollers. This pasta machine has an adjustable thickness knob that accommodates dough up to 3/8 of an inch and can accept dough roughly twelve inches wide. Attachments are available for the production of different pasta shapes. I prefer the manual crank to the electric. Besides the price difference, the manual has less of a chance […]

January 15, 2022April 21, 2022top picks

January 2022

With the new year comes a new set of hobbies. Celebrate national pie day with these three great products that will help get the perfect slice of pie, every time–regardless of the filling you have chosen. This American Metalcraft pie pan is perfect for making great pies with delicious fillings. The pan is constructed of 18-gauge aluminum: this classic round pan is great for making the secret family recipe apple pie! The aluminum construction offers quick and even heat distribution, as well as quick cooling, making this pan perfect for pre-baking or blind-baking your crusts. The wide rim allows for fluting while the angled sides allow for a straight crust without the fear of the dough sinking during baking. Never […]

December 20, 2021April 21, 2022top picks

December 2021

In honor of National Hard Candy Day, here are three great products that will assist in creating the perfect sugar hard candies for the holiday season. The Matfer Bourgeat Sugar pump is the perfect tool for creating sugar art. The copper end is a great conductor of heat and ensures the sugar will stay at a temperature that avoids texture change. The air pump delivers a large volume of air quickly, while the wide, easy grip hose assures secure handling throughout the process. Cooper-Atkins Candy / Deep Fry Paddle Thermometer comes with an adjustable clip hook so the thermometer easily hooks onto the side of pots. The thermometer has a non-toxic spirit-filled tube and durable stainless steel housing for longevity […]

November 15, 2021November 10, 2021top picks

November 2021

Celebrate Homemade Bread Day with these great products from Matfer Bourget. Regardless of your favorite loaf of bread, make sure it comes out consistently perfect every time with this month’s top picks. The Matfer Bourgeat linen-lined wicker round banneton proofing basket is designed to house your dough during the proofing process. The basket helps loaves like sourdough hold its shape while it rises, The dough rises up instead of spreading out. By using the linen cloth and some flour, even wet doughs that do not require kneading are able to proof in the basket and are easily removable. Feel free to serve the freshly baked bread in the basket to add an artisanal bread touch for guests. The Silform Sub Roll, 6-“Sub […]

October 15, 2021October 15, 2021top picks

October 2021

In honor of National Chocolate Cupcake Day, here are three products that will assist in baking the perfect cupcake! The Matfer Bourgeat disposable pastry bag is the ideal bag for decorating, as the bag is made of polyethylene. This pastry bag is tougher than typical disposable bags to reduce the risk of rips. The disposable pastry bags come in a few different sizes–12, 18 and 21inches. All three sizes are able to withstand temperatures of 158 degrees Fahrenheit. The leak proof design allows for a translucent quick fill, twist to close and pipe. These disposable bags will allow for refilling to complete the task, but eliminates the need for cleaning up or waiting for a reusable pastry bag to dry. Matfer […]

September 20, 2021September 19, 2021top picks

September 2021

September brings National Pizza Day. Regardless of your favorite toppings, here are three products to assist in getting the perfect slice of pizza. The Waring medium duty Pizza oven is the perfect countertop appliance for small operations that want to expand their menu without breaking the bank or having to renovate a space. This 120V appliance is only 23 inches wide and 18 inches deep and has a temperature range of 280 – 600 degrees Fahrenheit. This unit is designed to accommodate a 14-inch diameter pizza, but can be used for reheating items out of a displaycase or other baking items–thanks to the manual fifteen-minute timer. It has everything you need to start cooking right out of the box– a […]

August 17, 2021top picks

August 2021

In honor of National Bratwurst Day, check out these three products to ease the process of enjoying a sizzling hot bratwurst and cold beer! The Waring countertop griddle is the ideal solution for facilities that are looking to save space or create a unique action station. This compact, heavy-duty electric griddle offers the best of both worlds– durability and performance along with a stainless-steel cook top. Just like traditional gas griddles, there is an adjustable thermostat that has a maximum temperature of 570 degrees, but perhaps the best feature are the splash guards along the sides and back to prevent grease splatters. Combine the splash guards with the 11-inch easy to remove grease trap and there should be no reason […]

July 15, 2021August 6, 2021top picks

July 2021

Get ready for ice cream…. National Ice Cream Month is upon us! What better way to ensure the freshest ingredients than to make the ice cream yourself! Here are this month’s top picks to make you look like a rock star when it comes to making and dishing out ice cream. The Waring 2.5 qt ice cream maker is the perfect all-in-one machine for making ice cream, gelato or frozen yogurt. This machine requires no pre-freezing of the bowl or paddle. Just pour the ingredients in and start the process; the easy-to-use display and buttons identify each step of the process. This lightweight vertical footprint ice cream maker is designed to be transported and stored away from the busy areas […]

June 17, 2021June 17, 2021top picks

June 2021

With the beginning of summer, come those trips to the beach clubs, picnics, banquets and evening events. What better way to emphasize this than showcasing products for National Cheese Day? Here are three products that will help with those cheese boards. When adding cheese boards to a buffet package, ala carte menu or casual evening with friends, don’t forget to pick yourself up a few American metalcraft cheese knives. These knives vary in use for soft to hard cheeses without sacrificing quality. Made from a one-piece stainless-steel construction, these modern knives will provide along-lasting clean look, regardless of how often they are used. They take up little space, ranging from 5 inches to 9 inches in length. Don’t sacrifice safety by […]

May 14, 2021March 26, 2021top picks

May 2021

In keeping with the grill theme from last month, here are three great products to help celebrate National Hamburger Day. The Dexter Russell High Heat burger spatula features a stain resistant high quality, high-carbon blade and a slip-resistant polypropylene handle. Perhaps the best feature is the Cool Blue handle is built to handle temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, while preventing those annoying burn marks on standard handles. These are available in several different lengths and widths designed to fit the needs of almost any kitchen. We all know the phrase “April showers, bring May flowers” and what better to hold the flowers than with the American metalcraft hammered flower vase. This vase stands about five and a half inches high and […]