Funny Side up

Just the thing to greet the unwary at breakfast--a whimsical Italian skillet with a porcelain-coated lid that looks exactly like a fried egg (the yolk’s the handle). But it’s no joke: It’s a heavy, aluminum alloy pan with a nonstick surface you can do serious cooking on.

Ovo Skillet, $40, from HomeChef, Pasadena and Newport Beach.

Baby Bells

Canned sweet peppers are all over the place, but it’s hard to find roasted peppers that retain as much fresh flavor (with even a hint of grill) as these from Invito.

Invito canned peppers, $5.99 for 400-gram can, from Roma Delicatessen, Pasadena, and other Italian delicatessens.

Sanity Comes to the Buffet

One of the absurdities of modern life is standing around with a plate of food, a napkin, a fork and a beverage glass--and only two hands to hold them. (And just wait, in a minute somebody’s going to want to shake hands.) These heavy plastic plates, available in two shapes, round or the quarter-round form shown here, include a thumb hole for sturdy carrying, a hole for your glass and even a slot for an eating utensil. They come with their own utensil, the “sporf”--a spoon with fork tines and a serrated cutting edge.

Wine Lover’s Party Plates, set of four, $24 (regular price; introductory price for phone orders, $19), from Wine Designs From the Heart, (888) 987-5700 or (805) 658-2225.