These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things!
Cake Decorating: Favorite Tools
Last week on the Chef Nicholas Lodge Facebook page, we asked everyone to share the one cake decorating tool they couldn’t live without. There were a ton of great responses, a few funny ones, and a clear winner! I also have a favorite suggested by our very own Scott and Nicholas! Oh, and read to the end to find out how you can win a sweet surprise!
Over 50 wonderful Chef Nicholas fans responded to our facebook post! Thanks everyone! I have used all (but one) of the tools mentioned, and they are all must haves! Some honorable mentions were smoothers, levellers, rolling pins and sticks, dresden tool, and ball tools. Great tools. I own them all. I use them all. I love them all. I bet you do too. There were a few funny responses too. Dawn Marie said her must have was patience. When faced with a tornado, Linda Gayle grabbed her Nicholas Lodge DVDs, books, instructional handouts and class books (Love you LGB!).
Without further ado, the Top Five Tools according to our Facebook Fans:
4/5. Tie: Turntable and PME piping tips
3. KitchenAid Mixer (and the pasta attachment)
I think this is a pretty wonderful group of tools. I didn’t vote, but if I had it would have been for the KitchenAid mixer. I love mine. So. Much. But, I also love my turntable, my piping tips, and I have so many angled spautlas that my two year old has his own set. I do have a confession. I personally own every tool mentioned above… Except… #1. That’s right, I’m shamefully admitting that I don’t own tool numero uno- The Mini Palette Knife. I don’t know why. I want one. I work at ISAC, and we, ya know, sell them all the time. It’s really quite embarassing. In order to spare myself from the wrath of the cake decorating gods, I am going to give away a Mini Palette Knife! Yay!
First, let’s talk about one more favorite: the NL Floral Tape Cutter! This was suggested by Scott and Chef Nicholas when we began discussing this topic right after the ICES convention. Scott told me that they recieved so many positive comments about this tool at ICES, that we wanted to share the NL Floral Tape Cutter with everyone! You may have heard that we offer cake decorating classes at ISAC, and that quite a few feature gumpaste flowers. As you can well imagine- we go through a lot of floral tape. A LOT. Since flowers come in all sizes, one-size fits all does not apply to floral tape. Enter the amazing and easy to use NL Floral Tape Cutter! This handy dandy little tool can cut your tape roll in half or into quarters in less than 20 seconds! Easy, fast, convienant. No wonder everyone at ICES loved it! This little tool was even featured in Chef Nicholas’ Craftsy Class- Mastering Modern Sugar Flowers. Guess what? I’m giving one of these bad boys away too! HOORAY!
Enough chit chat, I know you are all wondering how to can win one of our Favorite Things: The Mini Palette Knife or the NL Floral Tape Cutter. Here’s how it works, you have to leave a comment below, HERE on the blog. In your comment, answer this question:
Why can’t you live without having a Mini Palette Knife or NL Floral Tape Cutter in your cake decorating tool box?!
Two winners will be randomly selected and notified on Sunday August 24; one person will win the Mini Palette Knife, and one person will win the NL Floral Tape Cutter. I will post a blog with the winners and I will also post them on facebook! Remember, you need to leave a comment HERE ON THE BLOG for a chance to win! Good luck dear readers! Thanks again for submitting your Favorite Things to us! Oh, and if you would like to purchase any of the tools mentioned in this post, click on the names of the products (they are the green links)!
Sweetly yours,
Stephanie
Thanks to nicholas lodge classes, I finely feel like a professional! His soft spoken manner makes it look so easy! I live near Atlanta and hope I get to meet him in person! I have wanted to buy the cutter for several months now. Keep up the good work!
I don’t have either of these fabulous tools in my collection.
My favourite stuff I could not possibly live without, would have to be my NL Rainbow Brush set, which are perfect for all my sugar flower needs. I wash them after every use with a little hair conditioner to keep them looking good….hugs x
Well, it is definitely hard to choose between them, they are all so valuable!
My mini palette knife is my saving grace for everything from paddling royal icing, trimming fondant, cutting down calyx’s for flowers, digging coloring out of those wilton jars, popping dots out of the polka dot maker :), sliding fondant pieces to the “flap keeper”, lifting/moving Tappit letters… everything. Not really sure how I functioned before Nick’s classes. His tools are awesome!
Love, love, love the palette knife…I use it every day for something ‘sugar-related’…and the quality is the best, I have one that I have been using over 10 years, I was given another brand and it bent in half the 1st time working with it…thanks for your quality tools and great classes…Mame
After using the palette knife at a class recently, I’m not sure how I’ve lived without one, or two, or three! It’s the one tool that was on my table the entire class.
I am in the process of building my talents and tools. Living in Canada makes it difficult to get to a class in person but I have bought all the NL Craftsy classes and making sugar flowers is so exciting. I don’t own either one of those tools!!
Love these tools…i need them for.many use from cutting to pipping to paiting on cakes…
I am down to one mini-palette knife and probably need to order a half dozen or so! As far as the NL floral tape cutter goes — anyone who has ever had one of your classes knows that they need that tool!
I have all the above and just wanted to say that I am Nicholas Lodge’s #1 fan in NC!
The flexibility of the palette knife is what makes it so versatile from trimming fondant to getting delicate pieces out of lace molds.
The mini palette knife is definately a must have. It gets under everything that nothing else will.
I would love the NL floral tape cutter, I saw Mr. Lodge using it in the Craftsy classes, which I have and I love, it was so easy to use and fast and since you can say Iam not as fast in this task it would be wonderful to have. Thank you 🙂
I am tired of cutting my floral tape with scissors, it’s so time consuming. And let’s face it, it’s not always a straight cut. This is why I should no longer have to live without a cutter. Btw, Sunday is my birthday and I would love to win.
Would love the ribbon cutter…great time saver!
Thank you, Nicholas, for a chance to win these fabulous items.
Both of them are great tools but the floral tape cutter is a most in sugar flowers
The process are time consuming but the outcome is well worth it 🙂
Would love to own floral tape cutter! Make a lot of gumpaste flowers both at work and at home and this little tool would make life so much easier and the process so much faster ;)! Love the blog post. Great way to find out about new gadgets.
I love both as I make lot of sugar flowers… The cutters are helpful to cut tape and mini palette knife is a versatile tool that can be used in so many ways…so hard to choose for a cake decorator.
Would love either, both have fabulous applications! I love shopping at the ISAC’s retail store, and have learned so much from the workshops there.
Such a fan!!!
Hi all!! my fav, priceless item would have to be my silicone mat..It is so nice to work on, and nothing sticks to it, and easy to wash and put away for another project!!
I would love to
win hate cutting my tape with sisorors love your flowers classes have all of them and a big box full
of your cutters and vainers
I just love your show room! I’ve been there just once flying back to Italy and I would have buy everything! I think the floral tape cutter will be very useful and I don’t know where I can find a tool like that in Italy! So I wish I will be lucky to win that!
I am addicted to creating gum paste flowers! Nicholas Lodge is an awesome instructor. To be successful you need the right tools. I would love to win the NL Floral Tape Cutter to make my life easier and to make my stems look cleaner and more professional.
I can’t wrap a wire with regular width floral tape to save soul. Palette knives are to helpful in lifting off anything without damaging it. It’s one oft go to tools whether I’m working with fondant, gum paste, chocolate clay, or buttercream.
The cutter is amazing!
You can’t live without the palette knife. Worked wonders lifting gum paste off your cellpad and putting gum paste flowers on a cake.
The ribbon cutter say you time cutting the floral,tape the right size you need and it will be even. Thanks Nick for all your patience with me when I took your wonderful classes.
What great tools!
I would love to win the tape cutter! I teach cake decorating at our community college and I am forever trying to tear tape into smaller pieces for flowers!
I need a time saver. The floral tape cutter fits the bill. The palette knife is one of the first things I bought from NL. Can’t live without it.
The mini palette knife is one of the best tools to have. I didn’t even know the tape cutter existed. I can imagine it would be awesomely useful. I’d love to have these tools…
I don’t own either of those tools! Sounds like I need them both! BTW, LOVE Chef Nicholas’ Craftsy class!
I love Nicholas lodge works. He made everything to look so delicate, fashion and easy. Thanks.
Great tools!! Can’t make the magic happen without them!
I have to have the sharp edge smoother!!!
OMG… to Win a Mixe!!!!!!!!!!! Dreaming……… ^.^
A mini palette knife would be perfecti to get in those skinny spots.
Would love any of those tools!
I have a lot of the tools mentioned but would love to have the floral tape cutter along with some of the others in the photo. Also, thank you Nicholas for teaching me how to make peonies. My niece in Chicago was married in June of this year and I did her wedding cake as well as the grooms cake. I love your videos on Craftsy and will continue on with your classes and products.
Very nice loved your Craftsy class.
I would love a floral tape cutter. I can never cut the tape straight!
I’m just a beginner at decorating cakes, I would love to have this set of tools so that I can expand my abilities in making flowers.
Both of those tools would immense time savers. Whether it be saving time cutting floral tape by had with scissors. Or in my case, trying to pick up super thin gumpaste with my clumsy fingers. I think they would be invaluable tools.
My favorite can not live without tool is my mini level.
I don’t have the floral tape cutter in my collection yet, but have you ever tried cutting that sticky floral tape! yeah it sucks so I desperatly would love to add this to my collection it would make my flower making process MUCH easer. I would definitely love an appreciate this item.
Both of them are great I can’t say which one is more essential for me. 🙂
Definitely need a palate knife for lifting gumpaste that’s stuck to the board and the tape cutter because it’s so much quicker than cutting it in half with a pair of scissors
If Chef recommends them, they are a MUST have.
Oh boy would I love that floral tape cutter. It’s just ingenious!
I have the Floral Tape Cutter and it absolutely IS one of my favorite things! I do not have the palate knife but would love to have one. I used it while taking a class from Chef Lodge and discovered the many ways the palate knife can be used. I’d love to win one!
Chef Nicholas is the best teacher – no detail left out which ensures success even to someone like myself who is new to the craft. Having a great time with his DVD’s and Craftsy platform.
I shouldnot be living without the floral tape cutter. The 5 stitches in my thumb tell me that
Congratulations Diane! You have won the Mini Palette Knife! Please call 1800-662-8925 or email us at customersvc@nicholaslodge.com to claim your prize!
Congratulations Karen! You have won the NL Floral Tape Cutter! Please call us at 1800-662-8925 or email us at customersvc@nicholaslodge.com to claim your prize!