In every cookâs kitchen, there is a treasured tool: a workhorse utensil, go-to gadget, or a family heirloom with its own background story and the lofty standing of being a cookâs most-prized possession. These beloved items say as much about the cook as their style of cooking. They tell stories about a cookâs past and about the moments that led them to where they are today. For some, it might be a spoon inherited from a grandmotherâs silver set, which they use to taste every sauce. Or it could be a spaetzle maker picked up during a stage in Germany thatâs been used during every job since. Whether itâs a colander, cake stand, or a grandfatherâs iron skillet, every chef has a piece in their arsenal that gives a glimpse into their cooking history, their philosophy, and their technique. In the enlightening kitchen compilation A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfatherâs Iron Skillet, author Erin Byers Murray collects stories from 37 top chefs about their favorite kitchen utensil. The stories, told in the chefâs own words, include the tale of how they came to acquire it, the details that it so essential, and insight into whyâand whenâthey rely on it. Along with each story, the chef provides a recipe utilizing the particular tool or something similar, so that home cooks can try their hand at a professional chefâs approach. Laid out with a minimalistâs design and featuring fine-point illustrations of the tools as well as beautiful color photographs of each recipe, A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfatherâs Iron Skillet reveals the personalities of some of Americaâs best and hardest working chefs, while giving readers a keepsake of recipes to go along with an insiderâs guide to some of the most treasured â and essential -- kitchen tools in the country. Featured in A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfather's Iron Skillet are some of today's most respected chefs including, among others, Jody Adams, Chris Kimball, Anne Willan, Andrew Zimmern, Norman Van Aken, Linton Hopkins, Joanne Chang, Slade Rushing, Jeremy Sewall, Ken Oringer, Jonathan Benno, Rob Newton, Chris Shepherd, Steven Satterfield, Virginia Willis, Ford Fry, and Kevin Gillespie.