This Crow Canyon Enamelware Tray Makes a Glorious Little Gift

Before I got married, I was hellbent on not having a wedding registry.

My husband and I had already lived together for four years, and it felt silly to add material items to our already-full, quite-small apartment.

But then I had a sobering realization: Without a registry, well-meaning great aunts or friends of my in-laws would go off-book, and we’d be left with a stockpile of “Mr.” and “Mrs.” mugs or worse — signage emblazoned with “The Rankels.” (I did not change my last name.)

So I did what any persnickety, particular person would do — I sat down and curated an exhaustive list of nice-to-have items. A few months later, at my bridal shower, I tore open pie-in-the-sky gifts with glee, but the best item ended up being one of the most humble: a petite enamelware tray in a peppy teal-and-white splatter pattern.

Don’t get me wrong, I swear by some of the Wirecutter picks I added to our list. I marvel every time the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker churns out plump, chewy rice, and I proudly display my Le Creuset Dutch oven on the stove when it’s not in use. But of the items from our registry, the one I reach for most often is Crow Canyon’s small splatterware tray.

This splatterware sheet pan is about the size of a piece of computer paper, so it’s perfect for roasting sides, reheating leftovers, and serving snacks.

Let’s get one thing straight: I’m no stranger to enameled kitchen gear. I grab a vintage splatterware piece whenever I see one at an estate sale, and I have laser vision for mottled colanders and irregular-size pans at the thrift store. But I don’t usually risk cooking with my vintage pieces for fear of lead contamination. So I was happy to have a brand new, retro-looking workhorse that I knew would be safe to use.

Enameled kitchenware is made by fusing porcelain to metals like steel (as with this sheet pan) or cast iron (as with Dutch ovens). The resulting smooth surface is surprisingly nonstick in practice, without using PTFE or sol-gel ceramic nonstick coatings. And I’ve never had an issue with getting enamelware items clean (though sometimes they need a soak or a cycle in the dishwasher). For particularly crusty jobs, like meatloaf, I line my pans with parchment to help prevent sticking, but that’s mostly a bit of laziness on my part.

According to Crow Canyon, its enamelware products can be used in the oven, on the stove, and even over a campfire. While I haven’t tested my Crow Canyon tray over an open flame, it is the perfect size (11.25 by 9 inches) for oven-roasting small batches of vegetables (dinner for two!), a whole chicken, and croutons. I especially love using it to inject some life into the lunchtime ritual of crisping up soggy leftovers. And though this may be a niche use, it’s also the ideal size for pressing homemade puffed-rice treats into a uniform block. Yet since this tray is just a little larger than a regular sheet of computer paper, it’s small enough to clean by hand or in the dishwasher without taking up too much real estate.

My other kitchen fave is the all-aluminum Nordic Ware quarter-sheet pan (which we recommend in our guide to the best baking sheets), and it comes in a similar size. I love both pans equally. But unlike the Nordic Ware pan’s more-utilitarian look, the Crow Canyon pan’s delightfully vintage-inspired pattern peeks out around the food, and it cheers up even the most unremarkable dining- or coffee-table setup — making it the perfect oven-to-table vessel. I also love to use the Crow Canyon pan when hosting, as a serving platter for crudité, toasted pita, crostini, or grilled meats.

If a teal-and-white pattern isn’t your thing, this tray also comes in a variety of other splatter patterns, like burgundy and cream or shades of pink, as well as a simpler white version with trim.

Since I received the teal splatterware tray as a gift, it has been so useful and has inspired so much delight that I bought one more in black and white. I often use the pair in tandem for prep that calls for two quarter-sheet pans, like breading chicken cutlets or rolling meatballs. And I line them with paper towels to catch fried eggplant or bacon as they come off the stove.

While Crow Canyon’s pieces are sturdy enough to be dishwasher-safe, enamelware does require a bit more gentle care than a standard aluminum sheet pan. As with enameled Dutch ovens, with these steel pans the coating can chip if dropped, banged, or scraped. Crow Canyon recommends that you avoid using sharp metal utensils and abrasive cleaners on your enamelware, since they can damage the surface. You also shouldn’t “shock” your enamelware by adding cold liquid into a hot pan or a piece of bakeware, since doing so can damage the coating.

If your piece does happen to chip, the enamelware is still safe to use, though it may be more prone to rusting. To prevent rust from forming, Crow Canyon advises fully drying your piece and wiping it down with cooking oil before storing.

One more thing: What a glorious little gift this pan is. Its festive, retro splatter pattern feels special, with that just-right balance of utility and aesthetic appeal. It would fit as well in the kitchen of a seasoned home cook as it would on the entryway table of a friend who prefers takeout.

After all, this pan came to me as a gift. Even though I treasure the glitzier, pricier items gifted to us from our wedding registry, this charming little sheet pan ended up being one of the most-used items in my kitchen. And of course, it doesn’t hurt that I think fondly of our wedding each time I tear off a gooey hunk of marshmallow rice treats.

This article was edited by Katie Okamoto and Catherine Kast.