Entremet from Silpat

If you're familiar with Silpat, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a flat, flexible sheet that you'd use instead of parchment paper.

The Entremet from Silpat is a a little different than the company's other offerings.

The familiar flexible sheets are probably their most popular item, but that's not all they make. Not too long ago, I reviewed a ventilated nonstick sheet that's designed for bread baking called the Silpain.

The Entremet is different than either of those. But similar.

Like the company's other products, the Entremet is flexible and nonstick. But instead of being flat, it's formed into a shallow pan - about 3/4 inch high. So, it's perfect for sponge cake that you want to roll up to make a jelly roll. Or thin brownies. Or for candy. Or polenta that you're going to chill.

Or, for baking anything that you want to keep contained. It doesn't have to be fancy. Recently, I used the Entremet when I was drying out some cake crumbs. I could have spread them out on a baking sheet, no problem. But having them on the Entremet made it easier to gather up those crumbs and funnel them into a container for storage.

When it comes down to it, the Entremet is a flexible baking pan that you can use for pretty much anything that makes sense. Fudge. Bar cookies. Cornbread. Pizza. Focaccia.

Hmmm. How about those jelly squares? You shouldn't use a knife to cut anything that's in the Entremet, but since it's nonstick, you can just flip the product out and lift or peel the Entremet off. Okay, I haven't tried making jelly squares, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Who's it for: Bakers, candy makers, or anyone who thinks a flexible pan like this would be useful.

Pros: Definitely nonstick.

Cons: Because it's flexible, you do need to keep it on a baking sheet. For storage, it shouldn't be folded or mangled.

Wishes: It would be great to have this in other sizes.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Grrrr ... I mean, GIR

It wasn't that long ago that I first heard about GIR (which stands for Get It Right) and their spatulas. One might say that a spatula isn't a big deal, but I really like them. They're colorful, they're easy to hold onto, the shape is very useful, they're bendy enough, but not too bendy, and they're made from silicone so they handle heat and cold and everything in between.

Available Colors: Red, Orange, Lime, Teal, Studio White, Gray, and Black

So when they said, "Hey, we're making some new products - can we send you some pre-release items?" I said, "Heck yeah." One of the cool things about being a blogger who does reviews is sometimes you get a chance to play with new products before they're available to the public.

One really cool thing they sent was a set of silicone lids. They come in a variety of sizes, from a little 4" lid you could use to cover your beverage or a small bowl, all the way up to a 12 1/2" model.

I've been using these like crazy since they arrived. I have an aversion to using disposable plastic wrap when there's something else that can do the job, and these do the job really well. One might argue about the carbon footprint of disposing of some plastic wrap vs. washing something reusable, but it's not hard to find space for one or two of these in the dishwasher, so it's not like I'm using extra soap, water, or energy.

So far, I've used them to cover pots simmering on the stove, bread dough rising in a bowl, sauces in jars cooling down on the counter, leftovers reheating in the microwave, and stuff chilling in the fridge.

I wouldn't think of using them for permanent storage, but that's not the point. These are for the times when you need a short term lid for something that maybe doesn't have its own lid.

And the kinda cool thing is that if you put one of these onto a container and press down in the center, the silicone kind of grabs the rim of the container and creates a tight seal. It's not so tight that it's an unbreakable vacuum, but it holds well enough to keep your food happy.

If you want your own lids SOON, there's a Kickstarter. It's fully-funded, but you can still kick in and get yourself some perks. Start here for more info.

If you want to wait to buy them, here's the details:

Launch Date: Thanksgiving, 2014, on www.ProductofGIR.com.

Sizing and Pricing:

12.5” (318mm), $13.95
10” (254mm), $11.95
8” (203mm), $9.95
6” (152mm), $7.95
4” (102mm) 2-Pack, $7.95

Who's it for: People who don't want to always use disposable plastic or foil for short-term covers.

Pros: Great for everything from hot to cold.

Cons: A little pricey, but should last nearly forever.

Wishes: How about a discount price for a full set?

Source: I received these from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

illy Coffee #Giveaway

The nice folks at Illy sent me coffee to make a cocktail - the recipe is HERE - Check it out! 

They're also offering coffee to my readers. It's really good coffee! You WANT to win this!

And, if you're in the mood for mixing your own cocktails, check out these mixology charts.

Illy supplied these, so you can mix your own creations. What would you choose?

Now, are you ready to WIN some coffee?