One of the great joys of being a professional chef is someone else cleans up your messes. The Silpat makes you more like a pro, since it helps you make no mess, even during the heavy holiday baking season. Slide one of these silicon-on-the-outside, fiberglass-mesh-on-the-inside mats onto a cooking tray and there’s no stick and no ick-no extra butter or oil or glop from an aerosol necessary. As for approval, not only do Silpats make the FDA grade, they’re kosher and they come from France, where they know a few things about baking.