HAND CRAFTED ARTISAN KITCHENWARE
PROCESS
Our process begins with the earth and with the forests of Cortes Island, a small island in the Discovery Islands on the coast of British Columbia. This is the traditional unceded territories of the Homalco, Tla'amin, and Klahoose First Nations. This land is also home to the big leaf maple that grows here, covered in moss and ferns, huge and outstretched, reaching for the heavens. When there is blow down, or someone needs to take down a danger tree, such circumstances provide a supply of maple to local sawyers. The lumber for these boards is custom cut for our unique process.
VISION
Home Culinary began with a vision that developed slowly over the years as I learned more about myself, about life and about the ways that we can sustain a responsible and healthy lifestyle. Home Culinary is part of this personal exploration. It has been a creative part of wondering how our economic life can honour the life that sustains us, and how we can use our gifts and talents to be less destructive than the current paradigm. In truth it is many things, and it includes this exploration of how we could aim to create more harmonious relations in a business model. Here's my story.
END GRAIN
Our culinary boards are end grain or 'butcher block style' cutting boards. The wood grain in these boards stands vertically on its end, resulting in a board with some remarkable virtues. The most significant of these is it's durability and how well the board maintains a clean and smooth surface. The reason being that with ordinary wooden cutting boards the wood grain runs laterally and the wood fibers are severed as the knife cuts into the surface. Whereas, the fibers of an end grain board are not severed but are able to give way and self-heal returning to their place in the matrix. End grain boards are also easier on knives so that your blades will require less frequent sharpening. These boards are also known for how well they repel bacteria and how they make a safe surface for the processing of meat or fish; so long as your board is properly cleaned and maintained... More on this below.
CARE & MAINTENANCE
A new cutting board was once a great living being, a tree. As with her previous form, she will respond to and benefit from some loving attention. The beautiful thing about these boards is that with a small amount of proper care, it can last a lifetime! Here is a user's guide to keeping it fresh.
