Hello my Foodie Friends!
This time of year is filled with events of having family or friends visiting, or traveling and often times includes finding gifts for those who have done something special or bringing a taste of our hometown to others. Whether you’re shopping for a neighbor or a friend, or family member who has visited, a locally made gift has value beyond the price tag. Local gifts can remind the recipient of some of their favorite memories of their travels or represent the beauty or culture of their hometown. One item that is useful and beautiful to give is a hardwood cutting board.
At Compliments to the Chef, we love wood cutting boards! Good hard woods such as oak, maple, walnut, ash, and cherry are tough cutting surfaces that have been used for centuries to cut food or butcher meat on. Early man just cut down any old tree to butcher and cut meat on but quickly realized that soft woods got people sick. A good cutting board properly maintained can last a lifetime and they are safer than plastic which if it isn’t sanitized or is left wet can actually harbor bacteria. Some of the reasons for this are:
1. Plastic is not water-absorbent, so it stays wet longer, which means longer bacterial survival.
2. Wood is water-absorbent, so it dries faster, which means shorter bacterial survival.
3. Wood contains natural antibiotic agents that retard bacterial growth.
We carry beautiful hand-crafted wood cutting boards made by Saratoga Springs Artisan Adam Cielinski. Choosing an Adam Cielinski wood cutting board can make a great “Saratoga” gift to bring to family or friends or it can be one for your own home. Bring one as a house warming or thank you gift, or choose from one that may reflect a special love or hobby of a person you are buying for. They are simply beautiful and functional.
Adam’s boards are part of Saratoga Springs Art History. Each are different and no two is exactly the same. We have boards shaped like horse heads, owls, guitars, violins, hearts, fish, handled serving boards, and small individual boards. He also makes large cutting blocks that are great for larger items. The good news is they are reasonably priced too! Wood cutting boards have been in my family for generations and we hand them down. Stop in and pick up a piece of Saratoga History and have something that you can hand down in your family. A little advice on their care:
1. Dry the board immediately after (hand) washing, and
2. Once a month, rub the board with oil, to keep it water-repellent and warp-free. Apply a coat of warm food-safe mineral oil, let soak in, and then wipe off the excess. Scratches can be sanded out then re-oiled.
Gratitude is appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — to other people, nature, or a higher power. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs. Give that gift that gives happiness to someone special in your life. Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”
Take Care,
John & Paula
