The Soft Kitchen Revolution
The first kitchen products made of silicone were revolutionary baking mats. Chefs found even dainty pastry puffs cooked evenly and never stuck when they lined their baking sheets with the new mats.
Makers discovered how versatile silicone can be. In addition to heat and spill proof oven mitts, soon collapsible bowls, strainers, and funnels began to change the way people think about kitchen tools. Silicone's heat resistance is far greater than than the earlier generation of plastics. It's soft to the touch, totally flexible, and dishwasher safe. It will never scratch your nonstick or enamel pans. Beautiful mod utensils made from silicone come in every color of the rainbow.
While silicone versions of muffin tins and tube pans get mixed reviews, silicone really shines when it comes to kitchen hand tools. Thin, flexible, nonstick spatulas made of silicone have become a kitchen must-have. Silicone whisks mean a home chef can whip up a smooth b??chamel without damaging a nonstick saucepan.
And now, introducing the silicone pastry brush. Have you ever tried to clean egg whites out of a natural-bristle brush, or found a brush fiber stuck to your pie crust? You will appreciate the ease of cleaning and the indestructibility of a heat-proof silicone pastry brush.
Some tips on buying and using silicone kitchen tools
-Not all silicone is made equal. Different grades of silicone have different levels of heat resistance. The most resistant forms of silicone are stiffer and usually not as brightly colored. Match your silicone utensil to the level of heat you expect to encounter.
-When purchasing a silicone utensil or bakeware item, check the label to be sure your kitchen tool is made from FDA-approved, food-grade silicone.
-Don't use knives or metal tools on your silicone bakeware. Silicone is tough, but it can be punctured fairly easily, which will reduce its lifespan.
Printed from Oprah.com on Saturday, May 18, 2013
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