Prodigal Ponderings — culinary RSS



What's New?

By now, if you've been following our blog or other social media, you know that we have transitioned from the interior marketplace we occupied and are taking a different approach. We continue to market our creations here on our online store, however we're now taking a different approach to "brick and mortar" venues.   In our ongoing "learning" process, we realized that our "niche" products (end grain cutting boards, cheese boards, pepper mills and sets, and other culinary tools) reach our target customers best when placed in venues where compatible products are found.   Hence, we recently were welcomed to show our wares in a local olive oil and balsamic vinegar store here in our hometown. ( Olive Tree and Vine........

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How Safe is Your Cutting Board?

It’s pretty clear that we woodworkers love our wood and for me in particular I get the most satisfaction out of making  end grain cutting boards. They are beautiful, functional, durable, forgiving to your knife edges and, perhaps more importantly, they are far more bacteria resistant than the more common (and less expensive) plastic cutting boards. Of course there are other surfaces that you can use to cut on, however materials like glass or stainless steel are completely unforgiving to your knife edges. If you value your knives, you will choose wood; if you value your health, you will certainly choose wood! **We’ve attached some research articles to back up our claims so don’t just go off my opinion, however...

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Handcrafted Kitchen Utensil Rack

During a recent visit to our retail market space we were talking to one of the managers who has been very supportive of our work. One of the particular items she pointed out was the long display rack I created and on which we hang our  handcrafted kitchen utensils such as wood spoons, spatulas and pot strainers for outdoor markets or retail display.   She asked if we could make a similar “scaled down” version for a limited space kitchen.  My wife and I began to look at options for those who want access to their favorite utensils without having to dig in a drawer or pull one out of a crowded bin.   Our design was fairly simple but took into consideration...

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The Organized Kitchen: Magnetic Knife Rack

My wife is an extraordinary cook and since one of my serious pleasures is eating well prepared, full flavored food, we make the perfect match. One of my other pleasures is finding simple ways to display my woodworking craft while also making our home more functional. Anyone who has rustled through a drawer looking for the perfect sharp knife for a particular job is aware of not only the frustrations, but also the hazards of this method.  So after shopping for some magnetic knife holders and being less than satisfied with the industrial “workshop” models, I decided to take a crack at making my own. My first challenge was finding magnets strong enough to hold any size knife without the threat of...

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