The tool: rolling pin

Turn flour, butter and cold water into a ball of dough, and you’re halfway to making a perfect pie crust. Next, you’ll need a good rolling pin. That has always meant weight and balance -- but these days, surface is everything. This next-generation Sil-Pin makes smart use of silicone. It’s nonstick, so you don’t need to add as much flour while rolling, preserving the supple dough’s ratio of fat to flour. The pin’s wide handles give you better control, and its substantial weight (3 1/2 pounds) lets you roll out the dough in smooth, sweeping motions. The Sil-Pin is available in various colors at housewares stores such as Sur La Table ($49.95), Cookin’ Stuff in Torrance ($44.99) and Bed, Bath & Beyond ($39.99).