Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Ditch the Sheet Pan — It’s Time for Made In’s New Porcelain Baking Slab

Chef Nancy Silverton serves up slab pie in a new Made In baking slab.
Chef Nancy Silverton serves up slab pie in a new Made In baking slab. Image used with permission by copyright holder

While world-renowned chef, baker, and author Nancy Silverton is most known for her bread baking, she loves to cook desserts, especially slab pies. As a dish meant to be served from its dish, Silverton was missing the proper bakeware to show off the finished pastry — until now. 

Slab Pies are usually presented in sheet pans, so from a plating perspective, the aesthetics of Silverton’s scrumptious purple and brown pies didn’t live up to their taste until Made In kitchenware stepped up to the counter. The company’s new porcelain baking slab was designed to her exact specifications, with Made In working alongside its French porcelain factory to bring Silverton’s vision to life.

Motivated by its 100-year family history in kitchen supply, creating the perfect baking slab was a challenge that thrilled its artisans and got the creative juices flowing. With cookware used in Michelin-starred kitchens, top-rated hotels and independent restaurants, shaping the slab’s difficult dimensions was no easy task, but Made In pulled it off. As the kitchenware maker continues to carve new ground in the chef’s landscape, designers weaved together three essential features to add function to this sweet-looking piece of bakeware.

Related Guides

Made In’s baking slab features undulated handles that make it simple to transfer the dish straight from oven to table. Its large surface area is designed to fit the maximum amount of dessert fillings and the dish is made with pure French porcelain. Called “the best bakeware material in the world” by Made In, the porcelain features thermal shock resistance, a naturally non-stick surface and crisp white coloring that elicits a beautiful piece of bakeware that will be a distinct addition to any home or restaurant kitchen. 

Designed to the 2014 James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef winner’s exact specifications, Made In’s baking slab is a one-of-a-kind piece of bakeware that stands not only as the perfect vessel for Silverton’s most cherished recipe, but for your next baking experiment. So next time, skip the sheet tray and sub in the brand-new baking slab, the ideal vessel for whatever you’re crafting in your kitchen this year.

Read More: Our Place’s Perfect Pot

Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
We know the most popular cocktails — Try these underrated drinks instead
Try some alternatives to the most popular cocktails
Cocktails

Recently, we wrote an article about the 10 most popular cocktails in the US. Not surprisingly, it was littered with classic drinks like the Mojito, Margarita, Old Fashioned, and Moscow Mule. But drinking cocktails isn’t a popularity contest. Just because many people seem to enjoy Espresso Martinis doesn’t mean you have to stop drinking your classic Dirty Martini.

But, if you take a moment to peruse the list of the 10 most popular drinks, you might see a few you like and others you aren’t sure about. That’s okay. Lucky for you, we’re here to help. That’s why today we’re all about the underdogs.

Read more
How to start your own home bar: the tools and mixers
the best home bar glassware version 1612854960 for your 2021

So you're building up your home bar. You've got the essential spirits in. You've added a selection of liqueurs and bitters to combine them with. Now, it's time to add the finishing touches. From mixers to tools to glasswear, we're rounding up everything else you'll need to turn a corner of your kitchen into a great home bar.
Speaking of the kitchen – this is, in my experience, the absolute best place for a home bar. While I love a good bar cart for a living room (or even an office, if you have that kind of job!) these are really more decorative than a practical place to mix drinks. The problem with using bar carts for serious cocktail making is twofold: One, the surfaces are usually too low, at below hip height, so you'll be bending over uncomfortably while you try to make your drinks. That's not chic, and it's hard on your back too. Instead you want something that's counter level, hence opting for the kitchen. The second issue is access to ice and a sink. Mixing serious cocktails requires a large amount of ice and frequent washing of glasses and tools. Sure, you can get an attractive ice bucket for your bar cart, and that certainly makes a fun decorative accessory. But you'll still be running back and forth to the kitchen to use the sink all the time anyway.
If you love the style of a bar cart, I certainly wouldn't want to stop you having one. They are great fun, and stylish to boot. I have a bar cart myself in my living room, which I love and use for very simple mixed drinks like negronis (though even then, you still have to go and fetch ice every time you want a drink). It's a great place for occasional special bottles, particularly beautiful glasswear, cocktail books, and other decorative accessories.
But for serious cocktail making, you want an area of clear counter space, near to a sink and to a freezer full of ice, and with easy access to all your bottles and tools. I find a small kitchen island perfect for this purpose, tucked into a corner of the kitchen near the appliances. Store bottles and equipment on the lower shelves of the island or on wall-mounted shelves to save space, and make sure you have a lamp or decent overhead lighting so you can see what you're doing while you mix. You'll want a small chopping board as well for slicing citrus and other fruit, and a small, sharp knife that you can borrow from your kitchen equipment.
Then it's time to turn your attention to home bar tools.

Essential home bar tools

Read more
Big Green Egg brings back a fan-favorite item for a limited time
However spend your evenings outdoors, the Big Green Egg Chiminea is there to help keep things warm
The Big Green Egg Chiminea.

Love good times by the fire on a chilly night? Want to enjoy a few drinks in a toasty spot after a long day at work? Of course, we all do. But throwing some logs in a pit in the ground doesn't quite do it. If you want a cozy evening, Big Green Egg brings the wow with the release of a special Chiminea to celebrate 50 years in business, and it will take your gathering around the fire to a whole new level.
The Big Green Egg update

Big Green Egg has been the go-to for outdoor grillers and smokers looking for an outdoor cooker for decades. But if you want to hang out in the fresh air without cooking, the Chiminea is what you need. Freestanding fireplaces aren't new, and Big Green Egg isn't trying to reinvent them. The vintage version from 1999 is the starting point, with upgrades worthy of a 50th anniversary.
What's cracking with this egg
If it's not broken, don't fix it, right? But even the littlest changes will make something feel fresh. For those who aren't the best at starting a fire and keeping it going, the Chiminea comes with Lava Rocks to keep the flames roaring more evenly and for longer. Made from NASA-grade ceramic, the quality isn't something to worry about, either. And, yes, it's still in that gorgeous, signature deep green color. 

Read more