“There’s just something about a winding road that ignites wanderlust,” says photographer Kathryn Dyer! At an impromptu stop in California’s Yosemite National Park, Kathryn captured this incredible shot of Half Dome shining golden from a beautiful alpenglow and framed by trees. When you visit public lands, you never know what amazing vistas you’ll find! Photo by Kathryn Dyer. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 9/25/16.
The Board Chronicles is an ongoing series of articles about the adventures of Mrs M’s Handmade as a vendor at community festivals & craft fairs. Mrs M’s subsidiary, Mr M’s Woodshop, has been approved to create this chronicle for the good of vendorkind.
The California Avocado Festival is set in Carpinteria, which is on the coast in Santa Barbara county.
How far away? About an hour.
We enjoy doing the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History Holiday Boutique in November, so it was natural to add this much, much larger event. We tried to get in last year, actually, but we were late to the party and could not get a space. With advance planning and patience, we were accepted into this very expensive event that promises traffic of over 100,000.
That sounds like a party to me.
I’ve called the event Holy Guacamole ever since, much to Mrs M’s chagrin. Come to find out, there was a booth called Holy Guaca-Moly selling the stuff … but they were sold out when I finally went to buy our snack on Sunday. We got no guacamole at the event that proudly states they have the largest vat of the stuff in the world.
As if you want a vat of food.
This year was the 30th annual California Avocado Festival. There were community fundraisers everywhere you looked – unless you looked to the west, where the ocean was just 6 blocks away. The event itself is a non-profit that raises funds for local charities, which might explain why the booth fees are so high. Charity events are always pricey for vendors, it seems.
We have had a run of a few events with unexpectedly poor sales results … and unexpectedly poor food choices, as well. We were anxious to get back to our winning ways.
New Ideas
This event set a new record for us, with a booth fee for our 10×20 space of $950.
This event was unprecedented in our experience, as they kept a $100 cleaning deposit per 10×10 booth space. Since we do a double booth, we had to provide a $200 cleaning deposit to guarantee our little piece of roadway would be left as clean as asphalt should be.
Mrs M brought out Lime Avocado soap just for this event … which speaks to 8 weeks of planning, culminating in this new offering that was properly cured in her soap drying rack. Hope it sells!
Observations
This is event # 2 of 11 in our 4th quarter. Yes, we’ve added an event. No, we won’t be adding another.
Overheard, 9:30am, from a 4-year old. “I want ice cream.” She was doing it right, even though Mom was a bit aghast.
My goal is to be of use. I make kitchen tools … not kitchen decor. I am aware, however, that some people make their own decisions about how to use my boards without consulting me. I need to come to terms with that. On the other hand, I’m thinking about traveling with a knife & an array of vegetables. Then, I can make every buyer chop something before I’ll let them have their board. The first cut’s the hardest.
My goal is to be of use. I may become the Soup Nazi of cutting boards.
It was surprising how many people approached us here and told stories of buying boards in Ventura, Oxnard, Carpinteria, and even Ridgecrest (200 miles away) in years past. Everyone was still ecstatic with their purchase, thankfully. This whole brand loyalty thing just might be worth serious consideration….
As soon as I sold 3 boards (today’s first 3 were 2 Magic Bottle Openers & 1 Lazy Susan), I was under 200 pieces in inventory … and then I sold 31 more. 200 is but a distant memory. Again.
I had 3 new cutting boards on display this weekend, and my booth was in the sun most of the day. The result: the boards heat up, and the oil weeps out. I explained this to a lady in the booth, telling her that the boards were wet because the sun makes the oil weep out. Her reply, “Me, too.” Best line I’ve heard in quite some time.
Two different purchasers were rewarded with a passionate kiss from their significant other in the booth on Saturday. My boards create happiness. My goal is to be of use.
Saturday night found us hot, tired, and resolved that we would not eat at the hotel. We drove to the hotel, and then just made a right turn in search of acceptable sustenance. Velda was Yelping as I was driving, and we quickly found Clementine’s. 4 stars. Steak. Sold. We found a very homey, old-fashioned kind of place that gives you celery, carrots & pickles to munch on before the bread arrives. When Pat came to take our order, Velda had just taken a bite and was chewing furiously to be able to speak. Seeing her distress, I started to give my order, but Pat shushed me. “Be quiet. It’s not your turn,” she said. Duly noted.
I went walkabout to see the event, and at the top of the street, there was a party going on. The whole food area was a designated drinking area … and there was music on 3 stages, going constantly. So, you had music, guacamole & beer. It was clear that people were having a very good time here!
Mrs M did sell the Lime Avocado soap … all 17 bars that were available. Next year, she promises to make 3 times as much. She’ll also highlight that she uses avocado oil in all of her lotions, a little fact she kept hidden at this event for no good reason at all. Well, not hidden, exactly, if you read the ingredients list on the back of the lotion bottle, but next year the avocado inclusion will be highlighted, not ignored.
A nearby neighbor sold jewelry, and left some glass bead debris on the pavement. The organizers documented the mess she left … and then she came back with a broom to clean it up & save her $100 deposit.
Requests were for a pineapple-shaped board, an elephant-shaped board, a turtle-shaped board, and hair sticks. I could help none of them, but I’m now considering doing some sort of shaped board complement to the soon-to-be ZooSoapia.
Mrs M thought she was busy this weekend.
Most. Transactions. Ever.
Best. Mrs. M. Event. Ever.
This is an expensive event, and the sales results were not spectacular (it was only our 3rd best sales event ever). This event was not our most profitable, given the high costs, but I’ll take this level of success any day.
The Food
Saturday Breakfast: Cold bagels in the hotel room at 0 dark 30. We were at the event site at 6:15am for setup.
Saturday Dinner: Clementine’s is the place to go in Carpinteria … and I even got blackberry pie! Dessert is included with dinner, so you know they’re treating people right at Clementine’s.
Sunday Breakfast: An omelet at the hotel. Hardly good, but it was hot.
Sunday Lunch: Cheese & Crackers & Charcuterie, part deux
Sunday Snack: Trail mix … and mixed nuts
Sunday Dinner: Carl’s Jr was at the freeway on-ramp. We ate while driving home (sigh).
The Facts
Total miles driven: 142
Booth cost: $950
# of people we met during the event from the producer: 3
Visits in our booth by a promoter’s representative: many. This was a rare high-touch event; the organizers were present, and engaged with their vendors.
Total sales: $3,931
# containers of product taken: almost all of them
# boards available: 202
Saturday alarm: 5:30a
Sunday alarm: 6:15a
# transactions: 167
# soap & lotion vendors: there were a couple of others that seemed to be less than truthful about their products. “Organic” has a specific meaning, which some people choose to ignore.
# woodworking vendors: only one other, a newby that was making boards specifically tricked out for the eating of avocados – and made from avocado wood. Now, this was the perfect event for that, but how many people really want a board just for the eating of avocados?
Edge grain vs. end grain: 33:1
Returning next year? Absolutely
Boards sold: 34
Magic Bottle Openers: 11
Cheese Boards: 6
Cutting Boards: 3
Lazy Susan: 2
Pigs: 2
Legal Clipboards: 2
Letter Clipboards: 2
Notepad Clipboards: 1
Small Surfboard: 1
Medium Surfboard: 1
Small Board: 1
Large Cutting Board: 1
Domed Cheese & Cracker Server: 1
Magic Bottle Opener 16 – 11. Double Magic. Padauk, Hard Maple, Yellowheart & Purpleheart. 5″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Magic Bottle Opener 16 – 101. Padauk, Hard Maple, Bubinga & Red Oak. Double Magic = Refrigerator or Wall Mount.
Lazy Susan 16 – 024. Black Walnut, Purpleheart, Cherry & Bloodwood. 17″ diameter.
Lazy Susan 16 – 026. Chaos board. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Purpleheart, Cherry, Yellowheart & Jatoba. 17″ diameter.
Clipboard 16 – 021. Jatoba, Yellowheart, Black Walnut & Bubinga. Note pad size. 1/2″ clip.
Cheese Board # 15 – 060. Padauk, Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Cherry. 8″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Cheese Board 16 – 044. Cherry, Bloodwood, Birds Eye Maple & Black Walnut. 9″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Cheese Board 16 – 034. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Cherry. 12″ x 9″ x 3/4″.
Medium Surfboard 16 – 01. Canarywood, Purpleheart & Bubinga.
Pig 16 – 04. Hickory, Yellowheart, Hard Maple & Goncalo Alves. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Pig 16 – 09. Padauk & Hard Maple. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/8″.
Easily one of the most beautiful sights in Arkansas, the view from Big Bluff looking down on Buffalo National River will amaze you. Established in 1972, Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states. Once you arrive, prepare to journey from running rapids to quiet pools while surrounded by massive bluffs as you cruise through the Ozark Mountains down to the White River. Photo by Aaron Bates. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 10/5/16.
The best cutting boards, you ask? In my opinion, end grain boards are the best. End grain boards have been used in busy kitchens for centuries. Here’s why:
The FDA says cutting boards should be “Hard Maple or its equivalent.” What I do is combine Hard Maple – which is the wood I use the most – with other hardwoods from around the world to make colorful, pretty, durable cutting boards.
End grain boards show less wear than edge grain boards (the kind that show stripes; you see the edges of the boards instead of the ends). However, since these are hardwood boards they show much less wear than the less expensive softwood boards that many people are familiar with.
Wooden boards are naturally anti-bacterial. These boards actually inhibit the growth of bacteria. Scientific tests have shown wooden boards have less bacteria than all other kinds of cutting boards after 5 minutes, after an hour, after a day. This is not just my opinion: it’s science. See the links at the bottom of this post.
These 3 boards were finished together with the 200th cutting board that published yesterday; the 4 of them hearken back to when I made boards in small batches of 5 or 10.
Those were good days.
Each of these boards are unique; I’ve described why in the description of each board.
Cutting Board 16 – End 043. This is the second time I’ve made this design. I love the colorful edge, and the strong brown Jatoba that complements the more muted tones of the Hard Maple. Purpleheart, Hard Maple & Jatoba. End Grain. 14″ x 18″ x 1-1/2″.
Cutting Board 16 – End 041. “Kaye’s Board.” I’ve made a few boards similar to this one, but the woods are different in every one. When I make this board, it generally sells in one of the first events it is shown at. Bubinga, Cherry, Purpleheart, Bloodwood, Jatoba, Yellowheart & Canarywood. End Grain. 14″ x 18″ x 1-1/4″.
Cutting Board 16 – End 042. This board took over a year to make. I purchased the Spalted Ash from a woodworker in Camarillo who was selling off his inventory – the boards were decades old. The last few pieces of Ash got glued up in the shape you see here, and there they sat until I got some wide Jatoba pieces that were the perfect complement to the Ash’s brown tones. In woodworking, and in life, patience is a virtue. Jatoba & Spalted Ash. End Grain. 11″ x 15″ x 1″.
Of course, we were home at the time, which makes the statement somewhat curious.
The philosophy was first expressed by the eldest in the Rocky Mountains of Arizona, as the boys & I backpacked through the outback of the Philmont Scout Reservation. We were on a 52 mile trek, and that saying became one of our touchstones. We were doing the big idea, and we were going to summit the ultimate peak at dawn. The Tooth of Time would lay beneath our feet as the sun rose. Go big or go home.
Yes, we made the summit at dawn and viewed the world beneath us as we munched on our breakfast. And THEN we went home.
Four cutting boards made it out of the shop this week, and one needed to be selected as my official 200th cutting board, celebrating the 4th time that my inventory had grown to this number. I asked the Lady for an opinion on which one, as I think all 4 are rather nice pieces … and she wanted the big one. So, here you go.
This board is 16″ x 21″ x 1-1/2″. It’s a beast of a board, called Colorific. The woods selected are from 3 continents, and combine to make a striking statement. These are the 7 woods used (and if you follow the first strip of woods on the left, you’ll be able to identify the species in this order, top to bottom):
Cherry, AKA American Cherry or Black Cherry. This traditional choice for American furniture primarily grows in the Eastern US.
Yellowheart, AKA Pau Amarello – which is Portuguese for “yellow wood.” This vibrant wood grows in Brazil, where it’s commonly used for flooring and boat construction.
Bloodwood, AKA Satine. This crimson favorite is a very hard wood that grows in tropical South America.
Purpleheart, AKA Amaranth. This vibrant wood is one of the most popular exotic hardwoods, and is grown from Mexico to southern Brazil.
Hard Maple, AKA Sugar Maple or Rock Maple. Hard Maple is the standard of hardwoods for cutting boards according to the FDA. This light-colored, dense hardwood grows in North America, primarily in the northeast.
Canarywood, AKA Canary. This wood can sometimes seem to be rainbow colored, with streaks of reds, yellows and browns. It grows from Panama to southern Brazil, and, believe it or not, one of the common uses of this incredible wood is to make railroad ties.
Bubinga, AKA Bevazingo, from equatorial Africa. This rose-colored wood is quickly becoming one of my favorites to work with.
The board went through 2 glue-ups, and was sanded smooth each time on my drum sander using 80 grit sandpaper. After the board was rough sanded there, it was cut square and sanded by hand through 5 grits: 80, 120, 180, 220 and 320. On the table router, the edges were rounded and handholds were added under each end.
The finished board was saturated with mineral oil, and then a top coat of Board Butter was added. I use Mrs M’s Board Butter, of course, which combines locally harvested beeswax and mineral oil. Finally, non-skid rubber feet were added, and they are held on with stainless steel screws for long life.
Please note the photos are not enhanced for color: this is how the board really looks.
In the shop, glued up in its final form but not yet smooth – I was about 3 board hours from the finish line. This is when I knew the board would live up to its name.
Cutting Board 16 – End 040. “Colorific.” Cherry, Bubinga, Yellowheart, Bloodwood, Purpleheart, Hard Maple & Canarywood. End Grain. 16″ x 21″ x 1-1/2″.
National parks are both the stuff dreams are made of and the places where dreams come true. Photographer Evan Brogan snapped this gorgeous vista of Colorado National Monument shortly after quitting an unfulfilling job and asking his girlfriend to marry him. “We took photos of her ring over the 485-foot cliff where we camped. We found ourselves at this vantage point, yelling echoes into the canyon walls, alone, watching the rain blow in and carrying with it one of Colorado’s many daily rainbows.” Photo by of Evan Brogan. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 10/3/16.
A snoozing sea otter in Kenai Fjords National Park. These cute mammals are found in the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean, including areas around several national parks in Alaska. Their dense coat of luxuriously soft fur helps keep them warm in cold waters, where they can dive up to 250 feet in search of food like clams, crabs and sea urchins. Photo by National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 9/19/16.
As you enter Zion National Park from the east, Mt. Carmel Highway offers spectacular views and ever changing landscapes as you zig-zag your way down into the park’s canyon. Ian Barin captured this pic from above the winding road at sunset this past June. Photo by of Ian Barin. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 9/21/16.
Stretching from the Maine coast to inland forests and dotted with lakes and marshes, Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge welcomes 300,000 nature enthusiasts a year. Exploring miles of trails from dawn to dusk, visitors can observe wildlife and take in the beauty of nature all while honoring the memory of world-renowned marine biologist, author and environmentalist Rachel Carson. Photo by Judy Grabowicz. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 8/8/16.
Established in a high valley tucked into the Allegheny Mountains, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in West Virginia preserves almost 17,000 acres of forest and wetlands. The Blackwater River meanders through this rugged and gorgeous landscape, supporting an impressive variety of wildlife. The refuge is a great place for fishing, hiking and, as you can see, photography. Photo by Frank Ceravalo, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 8/10/16.
The Board Chronicles is an ongoing series of articles about the adventures of Mrs M’s Handmade as a vendor at community festivals & craft fairs. Mrs M’s subsidiary, Mr M’s Woodshop, has been approved to create this chronicle for the good of vendorkind.
One of the delightful people that I had the pleasure to work with for 20+ years is Nancy … and she really insisted that we do her hometown event in Manhattan Beach.
So, last year, we applied, and were rejected. They had too many vendors offering skin care products, and we applied as a duo.
As we do.
This year, we applied as a duo OR as two single vendors … and Mrs M got accepted!
But me … I got nothing. No acceptance, no rejection. Nothing. Just … crickets.
So I emailed the volunteer committee chair, and she said she’d look into it for me. And, a couple of weeks later, the issues (whatever they were!) got resolved and we have now both been accepted into the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair. It took us 2 years to get to the event … what’s in store for us?
New Ideas
Surprise! When I arrived for setup, I learned that we were in a middle aisle, with traffic on both sides. No front & back, just sides. We’ve never set up this way before. OK, go.
When I tried to call Mrs M to discuss, Verizon could not deliver a connection. No conversation = no way to discuss options. I texted her: “I’ll set up the booth, and you will like it.”
You would think the middle aisle, set in the middle of the street, would be at the crown of the street. Nope, we were in the gutter. There was a pronounced slope to the booth on its way to the gutter … nothing good comes from being in the gutter.
Observations
The vendor booths are on a street between 2 parks on one side, and a walking path on the other. Very nice location; lots of trees & green … for a very crowded urban area near the beach.
After intense visualization during set up, I settled on a layout that basically had Mrs M’s layout intact, with my booth turned 180 degrees to face hers. Entrances were on both sides of the booth, on her side. There was a small entrance by my chair, and we sat in opposite corners. The layout worked, though many people chose not to enter my booth, and just look over the table from the “outside.” That was not good; there was less customer engagement. Less touching of the boards. Also, the entrance on her side became a super highway with many, many people using our booth as an aisle. Unfortunately.
The organizers have a map for the event – there was a very nice poster-sized map at the information booths. They didn’t share that with any of the vendors, though, and it is not posted on the website. Why would they keep the map a secret?
Surprise! Two-sided booths are bad. This is only the 2nd time we’ve had one; the first time was when we still had a single booth, and we didn’t like that event, either.
The event began with the mayor and mayor pro-tem driving down the narrow vendor aisle in classic cars. And then the high school marching band marched through, in full uniform. It was funny watching the people on cellphones try and talk over the percussion section as it marched by.
Oh, so many groups of young girls visited Mrs M’s booth this weekend. Lip scrubs became a “gotta have” with the younger generation.
I love community events.
Saturday evening, the vendors closed at 5pm … but the beer garden & live music continued until 6pm. Why in the world would they close the vendors while drunk people with spending money were still nearby, and about to exit through all of the booths?
We almost missed an exfolier sale because we didn’t have a purple one … I can’t believe Aunt Sis let us run out of purple. But then, when we got home we had received a new box holding a LOT of new exfoliers, so all is well. But we’re still low on purple. How can that be?
Mrs M thought she had a busy weekend (she did), but we still didn’t do the number of transactions that we did at our biggest event … that had similar groups of young girls loving Mrs M’s stuff.
One person observed that the domed cheese & cracker servers would be perfect for serving a cupcake under glass. Uh, OK … but they didn’t need one of those, I guess.
Losing It: Mrs M lost it at 3pm Sunday when another group of young girls descended & left her scrub testing station in shambles. Frenzied Velda did not appear, but she was not far away.
Sold my last large surfboard, and my last small sous chef board. Missed a sale because I only had one large sous chef board, and it was the wrong color. I hate being out of things; more work to do!
My only request was for wine accessories. Alas, I’m still not there yet. Maybe in a month, if I’m lucky.
Every returning vendor that I spoke with told me that sales were way down from prior year – perhaps half of last year! – in spite of the lovely weather. Theories abounded, from pre-election jitters to the phase of the moon. No way to know of course, but this year’s event was a shadow of last year’s event. Unfortunately.
The load out was the worst I have ever seen. Total chaos. No management of traffic – vendors were allowed to drive in at 5:01pm, and there were still people walking every which way. The beer garden and free music was still going as well! Kids were darting between cars on bikes. This is an accident waiting to happen, unfortunately.
Both aisles were wide enough for one line of cars to drive through while another line was parked, but only just. Large trucks and trailers were always a problem, and there were many of those. We had vans scraping by under our awning, inches from our booth just minutes after the official closing. The whole idea of strike your booth and then drive in to pack it away seems to have been lost on the organizers, who ceded total control of the load out. This part of the event was even worse than spending the whole weekend in the gutter.
The Food
Saturday Breakfast: McDonald’s # 4. Hello, old friend.
Saturday Lunch: A Boy Scout cheese burger. Great char. Always happy to support BSA.
Sunday Breakfast: When it works, you don’t change. Hello, old friend.
Sunday Lunch: A different Boy Scout troop was selling pizzas as a fund raiser, so I had an individual pizza: pepperoni.
Sunday Snack: Potato chips left from yesterday’s lunch.
Sunday Dinner: Velda’s ham & pasta salad. And bourbon.
The Facts
Total miles driven: 221
Booth cost: $850
# of people we met during the event from the producer: 0
Visits in our booth by a promoter’s representative: 0
Total sales: $2,213
# containers of product taken: all of them
# boards available: 220
Saturday alarm: 5:30a
Sunday alarm: 6:45a
# transactions: 114
# soap & lotion vendors: there were 3 others, we think. Two had soap and a small lotion line (one was all about bath bombs); one just sold lip balm.
# woodworking vendors: UNPRECEDENTED. There were 4 vendors selling cutting boards! One was from northern California, and had a broad product line (but a narrow use of exotic woods). One was a senior citizen selling stuff at his first ever event, and everything had inlays. Finally, a high school shop was selling untreated boards using cheap wood (soft wood & hard wood) as a fundraiser. I saw 2 of their boards on the aisle, and I saw 1 from the NorCal competitor.
Edge grain vs. end grain: 21:1
Returning next year? I think so … because staying with our hometown friends in Manhattan Beach made this a lovely weekend in spite of the disappointing sales! It’s not all about the vending, this vending thing.
Boards sold: 22
Small Boards: 4
Cheese Boards: 4
Small Surfboard: 3
Magic Bottle Openers: 3
Notepad Clipboards: 2
Custom Orders: 2
Large Surfboard: 1
Chess Board: 1
Bread Board: 1
Small Sous Chef Board: 1
Legal Clipboard: 1
Magic Bottle Opener 16 – 098. Black Walnut, Bubinga & Yellowheart. Double Magic = Refrigerator or Wall Mount.
Small Board 16 – 031. Purpleheart, Jatoba, Bloodwood, Bubinga, Padauk, Cherry & Hard Maple. 12″ x 7″ x 1-1/8″.
Small Surfboard 16 – 15. Hard Maple & Padauk. 6″ x 16″ x 3/4″.
Surfbord # 15 – 38. Red Oak, Black Walnut, Teak & Yellowheart. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/4″.
Magic Bottle Opener 16 – 139. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Canarywood & Yellowheart. Double Magic.
Cheese Board 16 – 030. Chaos Board. Padauk, Cherry, Jatoba, Hard Maple, Black Walnut, Bloodwood, Yellowheart & Honey Locust. 9″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Chess 16 – 01. Purpleheart & Hard Maple playing surface with a Purpleheart frame. Squares are 2-1/8″ across.
Cheese Board 16 – 047. Purpleheart, Bloodwood, Jatoba, Black Walnut & Caribbean Rosewood. 7″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Cheese Board 16 – 046. Purpleheart, Birds Eye Maple, Goncalo Alves, Jatoba, Bloodwood & Yellowheart. 9″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Small Surfboard 16 – 10. Hard Maple, Padauk & Yellowheart. 6″ x 16″ x 3/4″.
Small Surfboard 16 – 14. Hard Maple, Purpleheart & Bloodwood. 6″ x 16″ x 3/4″.
Magic Bottle Opener 16 – 096. Jatoba, Black Walnut & Cherry. Double Magic = Refrigerator or Wall Mount.
Clipboard 16 – 020. Hard Maple, Canarywood, Purpleheart & Jatoba. Note pad size. 1/2″ clip.
Clipboard 16 – 022. Black Walnut, Purpleheart, Yellowheart, Cherry & Hard Maple. Note pad size. 1/2″ clip.
Small Board 16 – 022. Hard Maple, Black Walnut & Bubinga. 10″ x 10″ x 7/8″.
Small Board 16 – 021. Black Walnut & Cherry. 6″ x 9″ x 1″.
Small Board 16 – 022. Black Walnut, Goncalo Alves, Yellowheart & Hard Maple. 10″ x 10″ x 7/8″.
Bread Board 16 – 11. Hard Maple, Canarywood, Jatoba & Yellowheart. 8″ x 20″ x 7/8″.
Cheese Board 16 – 008. Edge Grain. Hard Maple, Jatoba & Padauk. 9″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Sous Chef 16 – 018. Padauk, Yellowheart, Black Walnut & Hard Maple. 9″ x 16″ x 3/4″.
It’s that time of year in Alaska when the gorgeous fall colors come out at Serpentine Hot Springs in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Gone are the shockingly bright pinks, yellows and purples of summer, replaced by deeper and darker reds, yellows, greens and the beginnings of brown, all of equal vibrancy and beauty. Enjoy the change of seasons wherever you may be! Photo by Katie Cullen, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 9/17/16.
The California Avocado Festival is set in Carpinteria, which is on the coast in Santa Barbara county.
The best cutting boards, you ask? In my opinion, end grain boards are the best. End grain boards have been used in busy kitchens for centuries. Here’s why:
One of the delightful people that I had the pleasure to work with for 20+ years is Nancy … and she really insisted that we do her hometown event in Manhattan Beach.
