Ready To Go!

I'm going to be going "off the grid" for a few days, readers! I will miss every single one of you very much, but it is time for our annual camping trip, and, boy am I excited!! I look forward to this weekend every year because it's four days of relaxation with many of my favorite people. I always find myself referring to things that happened during these trips, because there are always funny tales to tell! I usually find myself laughing so much on this specific weekend that I come back with stronger abs...and sore ones at that! :)

The first night is always a hodge podge of different dishes that each person puts together to bring to the table where we all congregate. I like to go all out for this night because we usually go pretty simple the other nights, or end up eating out. (I didn't say we "roughed it," I said we camped!) So, today was spent in the kitchen, getting ready for the feast we'll have tomorrow night. I thought I'd leave you with a few photos of the finished products before I sign off for the weekend!

Grilled Steak Kebab Pitas with Ginger and Garlic Dressing

Shrimp Salad Rolls with Tarragon and Chives

Buttermilk and Herb Cole Slaw

Roasted Potato Salad with Shaved Fennel and Salsa Verde

I plan on documenting this trip through the food I eat, so be on the lookout for a lengthy post, with lots of pictures on Monday night! I hope to have lots of stories to tell, and lots of pictures to share! Wish us good weather, good eating, and good company!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Potato Pillows

Well, tonight I decided to make some gnocchi, using my new (old) potato ricer, as well as this gnocchi board that my brother bought me a few months ago. Making the actual gnocchi was about as far ahead as I had planned for tonight's meal, however, so this was going to be a "fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants" type of dinner!

from Flickr - by Samer Farha

I got the potatoes in a pot to cook, and then focused my attention on what I could do to make this ingredient into a meal! You've seen the gnocchi process before, so I won't bore you with it again. I do have to apologize however, because I was so engaged in making this dish up as I went along...that my camera got left behind. I have a picture of the finished dish...but nothing along the way. Don't worry, we can always rely on Flickr for some pretty images. :)

My husband was running to the store for something, so as he ran out the door, I yelled to him to get some pancetta. Pancetta makes for a nice, salty component in a pasta dish, so I started with that. Okay, what else do I have? A shallot, some garlic cloves, some greens left over from the CSA share (I'm pretty sure they were baby bok choy), some frozen peas...and some butter and white wine. Okay...I can totally do this!

from Flickr - by Patent and the Pantry

Once the gnocchi was made, and boiled, I started sauteeing some minced garlic and shallots with some butter. Once they had a nice aroma, I added the pancetta to the pan and allowed it to simmer and brown for a few minutes. I added some white wine, and another pad of butter...and the gnocchi. While everything was browning together, I added the greens (allowing them to wilt) and the peas (allowing them to thaw quickly). The final touch was some grated parmesan, and some salt and pepper. A quick taste...and YUM! I worked it out!

I served the gnocchi alongside an artichoke, because we all know that I love artichokes! :) It was a totally delicious and fulfilling meal, and I was so psyched that it came out as well as it did! No recipe required - although, feel free to give this a go - because goodness, it was hearty and delicious!

Crafting a Menu

This weekend, I worked on a menu for the coming weeks, and decided that I wanted to do something a little different this time around. We're going to go on a little trip around the world, with each menu item hailing from a different corner of the globe. Sounds fun, right?! Different cuisines, and different ingredients, and along the way, we'll learn about the traditions of each nationality as well. Obviously, I won't even hit on a small percentage of the different kinds of cuisines out there, but it's a start! I really enjoy learning about new places, and eating the local food is one of the best ways to do it because you learn about local ingredients, the reasons for certain traditions, and more!

from Flickr - by Ben Bunch

We didn't go grocery shopping this weekend, because we'll be leaving for our annual camping trip in a few days! It's us...and 15 of our closest friends, and it's always a great time! I had to come up with a small menu for our trip as well, since I prepare in advance for the first night's meal...a giant potluck where everyone brings different dishes and we all dig in as we set up our tents and crack the first beers of the long weekend! These are friends from near and far, and getting together on this weekend each year is very special to me! This year, I tucked into a magazine that "The Best of Fine Cooking" produced, all about Tailgating, for my menu.

Shrimp Salad Rolls with Tarragon & Chives

Grilled Steak Kebab Pitas with Ginger & Garlic Dressing

Roasted Potato Salad with Shaved Fennel & Salsa Verde

Buttermilk & Herb Cole Slaw

I think this little menu will make for a nice assortment of things to add to the table during the first night of our camping extravaganza. We'll pair the menu with some nice cold, frosty brews from the cooler and that sounds like my kinda night! 

from Flickr - by sew~amy

Check out the Current Menu tab for the trip around the world that will take place when we return from our camping trip! 

And the winner is...

Momogoose!

As the bright red cart boasts, it was recently awarded the Best Food Truck of 2011, by the Boston Phoenix. It has recently made its appearance in Dewey Square, in the Financial District, and I happened upon it today. It is oppressively hot here today, and so the wonderful folks at Momogoose were handing out free cups of ice water to all their patrons. How nice is that? And by nice, I mean every single employee at that cart was helpful, friendly and engaging!

As I waited in line, and realized I wanted a little bit of everything on the menu, a lovely woman came over to offer me water and ask if I had any questions! I asked what her favorite was...and she recommended the #1 (which is a full dish of noodles, veggies, slaw and chicken, cooked in a lemongrass sauce) as well as today's special. When I got up to the counter, the special was sold out, but the #1 was available, so I went with that. I will definitely try and get there earlier than 1:15pm next time...so that more choices are available to me.

Each dish on their menu is $5 and healthy at that. From their website I learned that they are the country's first food truck enterprise, founded in 1989 by MIT alums. They specialize in Southeast Asian gourmet cuisine. The short amount of time it took for me to get my order was shocking - by the time I'd handed over my $5 bill, it was ready! I carried it back to my office and dug in!

This food is delicious! The chicken was tender and flavorful, the noodles were cooked to perfection, the veggies were nicely steamed (not soggy) and the touch of slaw with slices of mango in it was totally refreshing. Even though it's over 100 degrees outside, I found this hot meal to be comforting and filling! It was so satisfying! I would have liked to have gotten the crispy roll to go along with my meal (an extra $1.50), but they were out of that as well.

So, for all you folks that are looking for a satisfying, filling, affordable and healthy lunch, take a trip down to Dewey Square and get in line at Momogoose! And remember, get there early for the best selection!

Running on Empty

It's been a long week so far, and it's only Wednesday night! After a phenomenal birthday dinner for my dad last night (at Troquet), and some sushi for dinner tonight (Blue Fiji), I realized that this weekend will definitely see us going grocery shopping. I've got some potatoes for gnocchi on Friday night, and there's some beets and radishes left over from the crop share that I received, but all in all, the refrigerator is looking a bit bare.

from Flickr - by CubaGallery

A friend of mine passed along a few cookbooks that she was getting rid of as part of a move, and there are also a few books that I haven't used in awhile. I've also cut a bunch of recipes out of magazines recently, so I have a lot to choose from for the next menu. However, I didn't want to leave all my readers out of the loop!

from Flickr - by Horn & Ram

Do you have a ton of something growing in your garden...and you don't know what to do with it? Do you have a recipe that you've been dying to try, but are a bit intimidated by the instructions? What about a cuisine that you've never tried before...feel like something new? Let me know - comment on this post and give me suggestions for the next menu! I haven't gotten many requests as of yet, but as you've seen, I really do try to accomodate them when I get them...so get in touch! I really enjoy helping you guys learn more about flavors and ingredients that you are unfamiliar with, and in that process, I'm learning something new everyday as well! So, let's learn together! Comment now!

First Cukes, Now Zukes!

My friend Laurie brought me a few gorgeous zucchini from her garden, in exchange for a post on how to make fried zucchini sticks. Now, that's my kinda trade! I decided to serve them with some steamers, cooked in beer and shallots, and sprinkled with a chiffonade of arugula as well as some scallions. I love steamers on a hot summer day, and these were no exception. I could have eaten another two pounds!

Okay, so the steamers are delicious - and I could go on all day about them, but this post is about zucchini, and amazingly fresh zucchini at that! The recipe I used was loosely based on a Giada de Laurentiis recipe from foodnetwork.com, but I just kind of threw stuff together - no measurements this time around. For the breading, I mixed together some panko, grated parmesan and salt. Taste it to make sure it's seasoned correctly, but you won't need a ton of salt since parmesan is quite a salty cheese. In a separate bowl, crack and beat two eggs. The zucchini should be cut into 3-inch pieces that are about 1/2-an-inch thick.

This is a bit time consuming but don't rush, because you want each zucchini stick to be nicely coated. Dip it into the egg and soak it thoroughly, and then allow the excess to drip off before dunking it into the panko/parmesan mixture. Try to get it buried in there and pat the coating all over each piece. Once a piece is ready to go, place it on a baking sheet while it waits to be fried to a wonderful crisp! Keep going like this until all the pieces are finished. If your hands get all "gloopy," rinse your fingers off to avoid thickening the egg wash.

Once you are ready to fry, heat some olive oil or vegetable oil in a pot and allow it to heat until it fries a small piece of "test panko." I just took a little clump of egg and panko, threw it in the oil, and waited to see if it started to fry immediately. It takes a few minutes for the oil to heat up so don't rush it - if you rush it, you're going to get soggy, doughy zucchini sticks, and that...is not...appetizing. Once the oil is heated, fry your zucchini sticks in several batches, depending on the size of your pan.

I did about 5 at a time because I used a small pan. The larger the pan, the more you can do at one time. Once they are crisp and browned, about 2-3 minutes, you can remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain on some paper towels. Serve fairly quickly so that they don't have time to cool completely...the cooler they are, the soggier they get, but when they are hot, boy are they crispy!!

I sprinkled them with a bit more parmesan, and served them alongside the steamers. You could serve them with a ranch dressing dipping sauce, or even give them an extra kick by adding some crushed red pepper flakes to the panko/parmesan mixture. Get creative with it! As long as your oil is hot, and you fry them for the right amount of time, you've got a wonderful side dish for an easy summer meal!

My New (Old) Potato Ricer

While we were in Vermont this weekend, we decided to visit the Farmer's Diner for breakfast. This is a great establishment that uses locally sourced ingredients to make delicious meals for its patrons. I love going here when we're in the area, but on top of the delicious food and fresh, local ingredients, they also allowed us to bring Oia (the puppy) on to the patio while we ate!

from Flickr - by kaszeta

In the same complex as the diner, there is a huge antique fair that is always full of interesting finds. I love to wander the stalls and see what kinds of fun kitchen oddities I can find! Today was no exception, but they were having an outdoor flea market as well! As I browsed the tables for anything that struck my fancy, I happened upon an old potato ricer. This gadget will usually run you $20 and up, and that is the main reason why I didn't own one. Gnocchi is best made using a potato ricer because of the fineness that can be achieved in the consistency of the cooked potato. Until now, I've just used a fork or a masher to make my gnocchi "dough."

I couldn't resist the deal I found at the flea market, though. This is an old model of a potato ricer. It's a little clunky, but with the bright red metal handle, and the sturdiness of the gadget, I was really excited to see a price tag of $7. As I approached the gentleman behind the table, I said "Is this an old-school potato ricer? It's fantastic!" His response: "It sure is, $5!" Wow, I didn't even have to argue over the price, he just lowered it for me! I was going to give him $7, but hey...I'm not a girl to pass up a deal, so I pulled out a $5 bill and handed it over...and came home with my brand new (pretty old) potato ricer! It's so cute, isn't it!? While I was at Whole Foods earlier, I also grabbed some potatoes, so be on the lookout later this week for some fresh gnocchi! YUM!

My Favorite Way to Eat Cucumbers

During recent weeks, I've been all about eating simply and easliy due to the hot summer weather. Tonight is no exception, as we returned from a weekend in Vermont visiting our dear friends Matt and Sarah, and their adorable daughter, Finn. We stopped at Whole Foods to get some grilling necessities, but I knew I had some cucumbers at home, and wanted to incorporate them into the meal. My favorite way to eat cucumbers is an Asian-inspired dish, and it is simple, yet extremely flavorful and refreshing.

I picked up a red onion to complete the list of things that I needed for this dish...it's really just cucumbers, red onions, rice vinegar and some salt and pepper.

I used a mandoline slicer to get an even slice (and a thinner slice, at that) on the pieces of cucumber and red onion. It's a fast, easy way to slice a large amount of something in a very quick, effective manner. Once the cucumbers and red onion are sliced, toss them in a bowl with a healthy pour of rice vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit until the rest of your meal is ready...the more it sits, the more the flavor will incorporate into the cucumbers and onions so don't be afraid to make it the day before you want to use it if you want a really flavorful salad!

Mmmm! Crisp, refreshing and flavorful! It goes great with fish, meat, noodles, rice...you name it, it pairs nicely, and did you see how simple that was!?

Happy Bastille Day!

Bonjour mes amis! Today is the 14th of July, which means it's French National Day, or Bastille Day. The holiday commemorates the 1790 Fete de la Federation, which was celebrated on the one-year anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison. Parades, parties and fireworks are just a few of the traditions carried out on this spectacular day in France. And, since France is one of the epicenters of both classic and modern cuisine, I had to dedicate a post to French delicacies. (Special thanks to MyCityCuisine for some info on the most important treats to hit on!)

from Flickr - by Grobbs

Escargot: Snails! That's what they are, and I'm not ashamed to say that they are delicious! Usually cooked in a massive amount of butter and some garlic, these tasty little morsels are served in their shells. They have the consistency of a well-cooked, salty mussel.

Foie Gras: A very decadent dish made of duck or goose fat liver. It's an extremely rich dish, as most French dishes are, that is usually served in the form of a pate alongside another dish, or simply by itself.

Brioche: This is a loaf bread, rich in butter and egg that yields a very tender crust. This bread is so rich that it resembles a pastry more than any regular bread, and is often baked with fruit or chocolate chips within it. It is usually served as either a breakfast pastry, or as part of a dessert.

from Flickr - by euthman

Along with the above examples, many cheeses, sweets and rich entrees hail from France. It would take a very long post to list all the good ones, so I chose just a few of my very favorites! Each region of France has its own traditional specialties with different wines and cheeses being unique to those regions. Champagne for example...REAL champagne...only comes from the French region of Champagne. If it comes from anywhere else, it's sparkling wine.

Wikipedia states, "French cuisine is also regarded as a key element of the quality of life and the attractiveness of France." I normally wouldn't quote something directly but I felt that this line captivated the true essence of French cuisine, and I really couldn't have said it better myself!

Bon Appetit! Bonne Bastille!

It's a Scorcher!

Phew, is it hot out there today! On days like this, the last thing anyone can think about is standing over a hot stove, slaving away at a complicated dinner. You want to eat simply, lightly, and with the least effort expelled, right?

I have all this produce to use, from the CSA Share, and I was sitting at my desk today, thinking about what I could make for dinner. I haven't gone grocery shopping in awhile, but I have some things, and thought about what I could buy at the farmer's market to fill in the gaps. On my way back from the gym at lunch time, I stopped in at the Foxboro Cheese booth at the Dewey Square Farmers Market. The gentleman there also sells some beef and veal products and that's what I had my eye on. The prices were better than I remember them being last year, so I was psyched about that...but more importantly, he had two gorgeous veal loin chops with my name on 'em!

This was going to be easy! Now, all their meat comes frozen, so I left it out for the afternoon to defrost, and when I got home from work, I mixed up some olive oil, rosemary (from my dear friend, Heidi's, garden), salt and pepper. I let that infuse for a little bit before coating the veal in the mixture. I let it sit for a little bit while the grill was heating up.

I sliced the swiss chard I received in the CSA share into 1-inch ribbons and also minced up a couple of garlic cloves. While the veal was on the grill, I sauteed the garlic in a little butter and olive oil until fragrant and then threw in the chard.

Chard is a very hearty green but it will wilt down just like any other, given the time. I tossed it every minute or so until every leaf was wilted equally. At the very end, I turned down the heat and threw in a bit of Champagne Shallot Mustard from Stonewall Kitchen. The mustard gave a nice creamy texture to the chard, as well as a nice bite...and I only used a tablespoon or so.

This meal came together in about 15 minutes, 10 of which I spent outside, enjoying the weather near the grill. Now that's my kinda summer-time meal!

Fun fact of the day: Did you know that Swiss Chard is high in A, K and C? The World's Healthiest Foods says that Swiss Chard ranks only second to spinach in a total-nutrient analysis!

Pesto ... as Promised!

I opted to use the bunch of basil I received in my delivery first, because basil spoils quite quickly, and I didn't want it to go to waste. The best way to use a large amount of basil is to make pesto sauce. What's pesto sauce, you may ask...well, I'm about to show you. It is probably one of the easiest sauces to throw together!

Pesto goes great with any pasta, but I prefer it with a shape that has a larger surface area to catch the sauce. I decided to go with a box of medium shells that I had in my pantry (I told you I was going to start using stuff up!). You'll also need some grated Parmesan, pine nuts, salt and pepper, garlic and olive oil, in addition to the basil. I decided to add some ricotta to the top of my dish, as a garnish, as well, so I saved a few basil leaves to mix in with that as well.

The first thing that you need to do to prepare your pesto sauce is toast the pine nuts. When I say toast, I mean, get some heat on them...they burn VERY quickly so throw them under the broiler for a minute or two tops, but keep a close eye on them. All you need is a little heat to bring out the flavor of the nut.

In a food processor, chop up a clove of garlic (or a little less than a clove if you don't want it to be very garlicky) and the pine nuts until they are all chopped up. Add about 3 handfuls of basil and chop it all up. Add the Parmesan and then start pouring olive oil, little bits at a time until you have a thick, chunky consistency.

While the shells were cooking, I took half a head of lettuce and mixed it with some shaved carrots, sliced radishes, and lemon-tarragon vinaigrette, as a side dish to the pasta. I also mixed a few tablespoons of ricotta with some salt, pepper, and basil ribbons.

Once the pasta was drained, and put back in the pot, I added the pesto and tossed it all together. Reserve a little bit of the pasta water before draining, in case you need to thin your sauce a bit. In this case, I didn't need to, but depending on the consistency of your pesto, it could be an option for you, and the starchy water is the perfect antidote. I plated the salad alongside the pasta and added a nice quenelle (a dollop shaped with two tablespoons) of ricotta mixture to the top of each plate. I sprinkled it with Parmesan and a few extra basil ribbons. VOILA!

Farm Fresh Produce in the House!

The CSA share from Harvest Delivery arrived this evening! I thoroughly enjoyed unpacking the box full of goodies, since I had no idea what would be arriving in the delivery! The gentleman who delivered this wonderful package was named Ed, and he was very friendly and sunny! He told me a bit more about the CSA shares and how their deliveries work. They have a very cool (no pun intended - ha!) system that involves an insulated cool box that stores your deliveries until you arrive home from work and unlock the box to retrieve your fresh produce.

Look at all that beautiful fresh produce that I was lucky enough to receive! So, let's take a short inventory, shall we? We have two bunches of crispy, bright radishes and a giant bunch of fresh beets, with the greens attached! Radish greens and beet greens can be used in recipes separate from their root counterparts too, so I'm going to try and make the most of these bunches! We've also got some summer squashes, and some cute little cucumbers. The bunch of scallions are enormous - I've never seen scallions that big! We have a carton of deliciously sweet blueberries, and a half-dozen farm fresh eggs as well!

There are two huge heads of different lettuces that will make us salads for a week and a half! We've got a gorgeous bouquet of swiss chard, as well as a giant bunch of basil!  Since basil goes bad fairly quickly, I think I might use that first and make some pesto sauce for a pasta dish for tomorrow night's dinner. There's also a bag of delicious, peppery arugula which I can't wait to eat! I had to try a leaf, just to TASTE it ... and OH...so good! Lastly, I got two little heads of a strongly flavored green, but I'm not completely sure what it is - I think it's baby bok choy.

So, let's see, so far, I'm thinkin' pesto sauce...which isn't exactly the most creative use of basil, but when you have a lot of it, and want to use it all before it goes bad, it's the best way to go! I'm also thinking of some sort of curry, using those summer squash, since I also took a little trip to Penzey's Spices today. I picked up quite a few Indian spices, even though they weren't on my list of refills. Sometimes you see things, and you just think..."yes, I will be able to use that for something in the very near future." We'll be having lots of salads to use those two giant heads of lettuce, and I love the crunch of crispy radishes sliced in salads as well! I think I'll stop by the farmer's market booth that sells locally-made goat cheese, for a nice big salad full of greens, feta and some roasted beets as well! And I think...maybe a pasta carbonara with the addition of some wilted swiss chard. Sound good!?

Join me as I work my way through this CSA share...I love a new adventure and this one is exciting! Next up: I'll teach you how to make pesto sauce!

The Weekend is Upon Us!

Originally, I planned on writing about the final item on the current menu, an Osso Bucco from the Food Network Favorites cookbook. However, I just wasn't all that inspired by the final result. It could have been that I was missing the gremolata accompaniment for the Osso Bucco ( a cut of veal that is on-the-bone, and cooked slowly to maintain its tenderness) but I ran out of parsley, and really didn't feel like toasting pinenuts. I also should have made a rice, or a couscous to go along with it - the laziness of summer weekends is setting in, I know!

I got a phone call today, letting me know that my Harvest Delivery would be arriving on Sunday. Remember, a few weeks back when I let you all know about that special deal I found on Bloomspot? If not, check it out here. I don't know what I will be receiving until it shows up, but I know I will be getting a full share of fruits, vegetables, some farm-fresh eggs, and a special surprise. They also include a booklet of customized recipes for the share being delivered.

from Flickr - by ChickenThistleFarm

It's also time to make a new shopping list since I've finally finished the current menu, but I don't want to start a list until I know what fresh produce I have to work with, so this menu might be a little different than usual. I also have some fresh herbs from my friend's garden that I'm trying to use as well, and my pantry is overflowing with half-full bottles and jars of wonderful ingredients just waiting to be used! I'm thinking I might get a bit creative this time around and work through some of the things I already have lying around, picking up proteins as I need them.

Have you all been visiting the farmers' markets? I love to walk around the booths and think about what I could make with all the different ingredients these local vendors have to offer...and now is certainly the season for it! Let's make this a culinary adventure we can all appreciate - as I find wonderful ingredients I will share them with you, and if all of you out there in the blogosphere find things you want to know more about, send me a comment or an email - I will do my best to include those items in posts! It'd be a waste if we didn't take advantage of all the things offered to us in these lovely summer months!

from Flickr - by muddbutter

Stay tuned for some pictures of the bounty I'll be receiving on Sunday! I know I'm looking forward to it!

Fennel Bulbs and Artichokes

The plan was to make Fennel Risotto with Ricotta and Dried Chili, from Jamie Oliver's, Jamie's Italy, for dinner. The other night, I had to run to Whole Foods, and as I've been known to do, I wandered over to the artichokes...and had to buy more of them. I'm obsessed, I tell ya, obsessed! But, really, I just figured they'd go so perfectly with this specific risotto...and I was right!

I've talked about risotto many times in the past, so I won't regale you with more instructions on making it, but what I like about Jamie Oliver's books is that he takes a basic recipe, only explains it once, and then elaborates upon it in subsequent recipes. So, the recipe I chose had, as an "ingredient," the plain risotto recipe. Cool, right?

I gathered my mise en place for both the plain risotto, as well as the elaboration, and voila!

While I started the soffrito for the basic risotto recipe, I also sauteed some garlic and fennel until they were both soft and sweet. That took about 20 minutes, but it's great to just throw them in a pan, cover them, and forget about it.

Once the risotto was halfway done, I added the fennel mixture to the pot and continued to cook it until it was perfectly done! At that point, I removed it from the heat, added butter, crushed chili pepper, lemon zest, ricotta and parmesan and allowed it all to meld together for a few minutes. I seasoned the risotto with lemon juice, salt and pepper, tasting a few times to assure the correct flavors, and then it was time to plate!

The artichoke was a perfect pairing for this risotto, because it added a meaty quality that was absent from the risotto. It was also a very healthy side dish to an otherwise heavy meal...it balanced so well. Without each other, I would have been left wanting more...but together, it was the perfect meal!

My Best Friend's Wedding

My best friend got married last night! That explains my 3-day hiatus from the blogosphere. I apologize to all you epicureans...but I had duties to attend to! I was the "best woman," standing up for the groom during the ceremony and I was extremely honored to be there. It was a lovely evening, complete with a delicious meal including lobster strudel, israeli couscous with sauteed vegetables, an assortment of salads and a delicious creme brulee, which they cracked instead of cutting a cake! How cute is THAT?

Enough about the wedding itself...I promised my best friend that I would write about the gift he gave me for being his "best woman." They really found me the most perfect present ever, I think. An in-laid wood, handmade cutting board! He bought it at an art fair in Salt Lake City, where he lives, from a company called Split River Designs.

Now, the tag also says that I need to oil it on a monthly basis, as well as occasional sanding...so this is going to take some care, but I'm going to be sure to actually use it. Too many times, people get something beautiful and it sits in the closet...I intend to put this to its natural use, and take the time to care for it appropriately. You'll be sure to see it in many posts to come! :)

Tip of the day: Art fairs and antique festivals are great places to find cool additions to your culinary collection. Old cast iron, vintage glassware, and handmade cutting boards like this one can make it exciting to use your kitchen. If you love your tools, you'll love what you use them for!