 |
By Elsie, Contributing Writer
Kitchen Tools of the Trade is a weekly feature each Wednesday! Click here to read all previous posts in this series–and come back next Wednesday to read about a garlic press!
Are you trying to cook from scratch more? If you think that that’s a step toward a healthier diet, you’re absolutely right.
Now…how do you rank in the realm of baking? Maybe you’re like me–you find the rhythm of measuring, mixing, and kneading therapeutic. Or perhaps baking isn’t your thing, but the extra sugar, hydrogenated oils, and artificial colors of many store-bought baked goods just doesn’t sound appealing. Either way, if you’re aiming for a less processed diet, baking will likely take a more prominent role in your kitchen repertoire.
A few years ago, I “discovered” a tool to simplify my baking routine: a pastry mat. I now consider it one of my top ten best kitchen tools. My 16” x 24″ silicone pastry mat is made by The Pampered Chef, but I’ve seen versions of it in department stores.
A pastry mat streamlines the process for many baked goods by providing a large work space for rolling out dough. It’s perfect for rolling pie crusts, farmhouse muffins, scones, naan, or yeast dough for caramel sticky buns.
I love my pastry mat because I don’t have to deal with prepping and cleaning up the counter, a task I’ve loathed since I was a girl. I use a nylon knife or a piece of string to cut dough on the mat. Once my creation is in the oven, I just rinse off the pastry mat, hang it to dry, and then roll it up for storage.
Easy. I’m pretty sure I bake more just so I can use it…
Do you use a pastry mat?
Elsie
Elsie loves to express herself through words and culinary creations. The food she makes is a reflection of her experiences–whether the homemade comfort food of a happy childhood, the flair of Latin American cuisine borrowed from her family’s time on the mission field, or the rich and hearty fare of restaurants and pubs she visited during her ramblings in Switzerland and Oxford. Elsie and her husband Eric live in Michigan.The couple enjoys pursuing a simple, natural life.
Someday Elsie hopes to write books that reflect her experiences, but in the meantime she’s discovered that her blog, Back to the Source, is the perfect venue for combining her love of words and of food.
LPC Survival: Drink purified water now–or in a disaster.
Plan to Eat: Meal Planning Made Simple.
Mighty Nest: Better Living Made Easy {Every product FREE of harmful chemicals!}
The Glass Baby Bottle: Eco-friendly, Toxin Free Essentials for Babies & Toddlers & Kids
|
I don’t use a pastry mat! But it sounds like I should!
I usually use plastic wrap to roll out pie crusts and it works OK. That sounds pretty helpful, though. 
Jaimie recently posted..Trust in God, not in myself
That’s great that you don’t have to use plastic wrap every time. I like to use my dehydrator sheets to roll stuff out. They’re wipe-able and they don’t bunch up like plastic wrap always does!
Joquena recently posted..Gluten Free Cornbread
That’s a good idea, Joquena!
Elsie recently posted..Pastry Mat: A Baker’s Best Friend