[Photograph: BakingSteel.com]
You know the Baking Steel? The one that Kenji combined with The KettlePizza for the ultimate home pizza setup earlier this week? Engendering this dumb retort from Slate, followed by a rebuttal of epic proportions? Yeah. That baking steel.
Well, big news! Modernist Cuisine has partnered with creator Andris Lagsdin to release a specially engineered steel ($99), available from Bakingsteel.com. Considering how much we've raved about the original ($79), it's hard to imagine anything superior.
The new steel is 16" x 14" x 3/8" and weighs in at 22 pounds. [Photograph: ModernistCuisine.com]
So, what's the difference? Some might say there isn't one. But baking is about nothing if not science and precision, and the folks behind Modernist Cuisine have certainly made quite the name for themselves by stretching the boundaries of...well...both of those things. Which is why, when I say that the only difference between these two steels is Battlestar Galactica edges, 1/8", and 7 lbs, you should push that scoff right back down your throat where it belongs.* These guys mean serious business. Also, it's embossed with "MODERNIST CUISINE." So there.
*At least until we've had a chance to give this baby a run for its money....
You can read more about the steel, and how to "Build the Perfect Pizza in 12 Steps" à la Modernist Cuisine, right on over here.
About the author:Niki Achitoff-Gray is the editor of Slice and a part-time student at the Institute of Culinary Education. She's pretty big into pizza. Also, she likes offal. A lot.