Rolling Pin

A long cylindrical shaped kitchen utensil, generally used to roll out various types of dough when making food items such as bread, pastries and cookies. This tool also works well for crushing crackers and breadcrumbs. Rolling pins are made from many types of material, such as wood, ceramic, marble, porcelain, glass, brass and copper, but wood is the most popular. There are also many sizes and styles available but the standard rolling pin seems to be the most popular because it is the easiest for most people to use. The standard or common rolling pin has handles securely attached on a rod that runs through the center of the pin and are fitted with ball bearings, allowing the pin to roll free of the handles. Other types include baker's pin, French pin, mini-pin, tapered pin, single-cut or double-cut pin, and hardtack pin. There are also a variety of specialized pins used for making specific foods such as pasta.