Friday Giveaway: Hand-Forged Kitchen Tools
Written by julia // September 10, 2010 // artist stories // 81 Comments
ETA 10:26 AM, Sept. 13: Hope everyone had a great weekend! Congratulations to Jennifer, our latest Friday giveaway winner. Her favorite pizza topping is the garlic dipping sauce– which is a great answer for almost every slice.
Stay tuned for future giveaways by subscribing to The Goods via RSS.
This week’s giveaway comes with a really awesome story.
After 20 years of working in a high-production industry, Al Stephens decided to become a blacksmith. He visited Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site in Illinois, and soon became a volunteer in the 19th century blacksmith shop where they had bellows, a coal forge, anvil, and vise. For the next few years, Al developed his skills by working with other blacksmiths who taught him the trade.
And by 2000, he and his wife Sylvia had started their own blacksmith shop. Today Al makes items like the pizza cutter and cheese slicer by hand, in his shop in rural northern Alabama.
Impressed? We certainly are!
This week we’re giving away two hand-forged kitchen tools available on our site– a cheese slicer and a pizza cutter– to one lucky reader.
Want to win? You know what to do! Leave a comment below telling us about your favorite pizza topping or type of cheese. Then leave a comment on our Facebook wall, and tweet @uncommongoods on Twitter to triple your chances. We’ll announce the random winner on Monday.
Want to learn more about the art of forging metal? Al Stephens suggests you go out there and try it! The Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America has local affiliates all over the country. Find a group near you and attend the regular meetings. Al says, “One-on-one teaching is an excellent way to learn, hands-on style.”
And it certainly paid off for him! Happy Friday, everybody!
81 Comments on "Friday Giveaway: Hand-Forged Kitchen Tools"
spinach, garlic, and goat cheese is a particular favorite. mmmmm….
black olives!!!
my favortie topping si bbq chicken pineapple and red onions
Cbrocious1984 AT gmail DOT com
@lovemy21b
My grandpa played around with blacksmithing. It’s a great art.
tweet http://twitter.com/lovemy21B/status/24126265542
cbrocious1984 AT gmail DOT com
my fave pizza topping is banana pepper
Tomato, basil, and mozarella
Nom!
My favorite cheese is gouda cheese!
My fav toppings are bacon n cheddar cheese!!!! mmmmm I think i want a pizza now!!!!!
My current favorite pizza is called a pacific veggie. It’s loaded with so many wonderful flavors.
My fav toppings are bacon n cheddar cheese!!! mmmmm!!!! I think i want to order a pizza now!!! LOL
black olives & pineapple!
Sauerkraut and sausage
figs, gives you the sweet and salty factor
I love a white pizza! Mozzarella, ricotta, garlic, and tomatoes! YUM!
Sparklezstars@cfl.rr.com
@Sparklezstars on twitter (I tweeted)
Kathleen Dalton on Facebook (I commented on your wall)
pepperoni and green chile
Canadian bacon and pineapple!!
Some of my favorite toppings are goat cheese and carmelized onion. Mmmm.
My favorite pizza is Imo’s pizza… St. Louis style made with Provel cheese… YUMMY! Add some green pepper and you’ve got yourself one AMAZING pizza!
I’m so boring, I like tomatoes, green olives, and bacon on my pizza.
Fresh tomatoes, black olives, onions and Italian cheeses! Nummmmmmy!
I love provolone cheese!!
garlic butter dipping sauce for my pizza!
Bacon, mmmmmmmmm….
Favorite cheese? Uhhhhh, how ’bout ALL! It’s really hysterical how much I love cheeses! Lol! Thank God I’m NOT lactose intolerant!
Pepperoni, Mushrooms, and Green Olives!
roasted garlic, sundried tomatoes, fresh spinach and inconceivable amounts of feta and mozz. cheese!
My favorite cheese is bleu – but not so much on a pizza!
I love fresh spinach & fresh mushroom pizza! And almost ANy white pizza around!
That’s it! Pizza = Friday night special baby!!!! Looks like pizza tonight! Pepperoni please?!
I love bacon & onion on a pizza & some good pepperjack cheese!
My husband & I are pizza snobs – nothing’s as good as when we make it ourselves. I’ll make the dough, and he makes the sauce – our favorite toppings: pineapple & hot pepper!
Lots of veggies: black olive, mushrooms, peppers, onion, tomato – yum!!!
My other fav is pineapple, just pineapple.
I love gorgonzola cheese – but not on pizza…mushrooms on pizza!
A little bit of anchovy makes the ‘za for me.
Fresh basil & roma tomatoes…on a gluten free crust
Definitely some good old NYC plain cheese pizza, covered in fresh rosemary and sea salt. YUM. Growl. Now I’m hungry…
I’m eating pizza right now!
My favorite is grilled chicken, bacon and mushrooms on a thin crust! Delish!
cheese with thinly sliced carmelized purple onion on top. Thin crust of course:)
I have to steal from a restaurant I used to work at… pesto, avocado, red onions…
green chile’, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and pineapple!
Oooh but I do love hawaiian.
favorite cheese would have to be smoked gouda. Especially good in a homemade mac and cheese.
mmm, one of my favs would be mozzarella with basil. =) i ♥♥♥ pizza!
My fav topping for pizza is pineapple, but the catch is, I’m vegetarian, and pineapple traditionally goes w/ham. Sigh. (Not to mention that my hubby doesn’t like pineapple on pizza…)
Roasted green chile and cheese. MMMMM.
Roasted garlic and cheese on grilled pizza.
Mushrooms, onions, tomatoes! Oh my goodness! Melty!
Italian sausage, banana peppers, ricotta cheese, and red sauce
favorite pizza: lots and lots of cheese. simple and fantastic