Tantalizing Tastes of Summer

Warm weather brings a bounty of fresh fruits, exotic flavors, and refreshing beverages. Exploring new serving styles and experimenting with flavors is the kind of artistic expression that inspires us this season. From mocktail stations to gourmet dessert boards, mix and match these festive ideas for new ways to sip and share at your next summer soiree.

Artisanal Beverage Boards:
Instead of the traditional charcuterie serving board, create a luxurious beverage board. Arrange an assortment of artisanal syrups, flavored salts for glass rims, citrus twists, gourmet garnishes, and even small chocolates or macarons that pair well with the beverages. It adds a visually appealing and indulgent experience for friends and guests to sample.

S’mores Sophistication:
Elevate the classic s'mores experience by offering a variety of gourmet ingredients. Include flavored marshmallows like salted caramel, churro, or toasted coconut, different types of chocolate such as Wilbur buds or white chocolate, and add-ons like sliced strawberries, caramel sauce, or nut butter. Create a self-serve s'mores bar with a variety of toppings and fillings. Peanut butter cups, sliced bananas, crushed peppermints, or sprinkles make delicious and colorful additions. Invite your guests to get creative and enjoy customizing their unique combinations.

Mocktail Serving Station:
When you need a splash of afternoon hydration, transform a handcrafted gift box or serving board into a unique mocktail station. Include a variety of premium non-alcoholic spirits, like Hella Bitters & Soda spritz, sparkling waters, Little Saints plant-based mimosas, or Athletic’s alcohol-free beer. Skip the measuring and add Herb and Lou’s frozen infused cubes to your choice of spirit or seltzer. Complete the celebration station with lemons, limes, and oranges in textured ceramic bowls: specialty drinkware and a book of creative recipes make cheerful additions. A mobile, artisan serving station makes it easy to carry refreshments inside or out, and it’s a unique way for friends to enjoy a tasty beverage experience - with or without alcohol.

Whether you’re roasting, toasting, or coasting, enjoy a new twist on traditional summer favorites. (Shop our handcrafted serving boards here.)

Is the Extra Juice Worth the Squeeze?

When you’re a creative in a workshop, discovering new woods, finishes, tools and edging can make for a mighty fun sandbox to experiment. Our workshop has been bustling this year as we’ve made pieces for special events, increased our custom shipments, and created additional options for our Collection. When you’re a craftsman, it’s not only an evaluation of can we make a lovely gift box, but can we make it in a quality, timely and profitable way?

Changing out the type of wood, for example, can add significant time to the finishing and refinement of a gift box. Another variable is using rough cut lumber versus commercial lumber. It’s beautiful, however, the time from start to finished product has to be considered. We’ve realized, if we can’t be confident that we can repeat the quality, for a minimum order of 25+ boxes, in a reasonable amount of time (and the time part is key), then the answer is no. Beauty can’t outweigh economics.

Adding decorative corners made from other hardwoods is another place that can add unique detail, yet impact timelines. For now, the cost of that time commitment still outweighs the benefits of adding those specialty additions. And that’s okay.

Part of building a business around craftsmanship and creativity is knowing when to be done, at least for a time. An endless supply of choices often results in confusion as clients try to choose and become overwhelmed, and the attention of the team is spread across too many offerings. Part of creative talent is understanding customer needs upfront and adding value by narrowing the field. A curated line of beautiful options is a wonderful thing. Sometimes, the extra juice of “more” isn’t worth the squeeze.

Now Boarding...How Cutting Boards Serve Up a First-Class Gift

Updated April 6, 2022

If you’re tired, dare we say “bored,” of traditional gifts, welcome a new friend to the neighborhood with a new look, and make it a block party! A chopping block kind of occasion.

The standard cutting board has a fresh, new gifting style, thanks to the finishes, wood, and tools now available. Even color combinations can vary depending on the wood, adding a deep, rich appearance that highlights the artisan appeal. Red oak, mahogany, and maple are a few of the woods we use but take your pick. 

If you want to add a personal touch, pair your cutting board with a unique accessory that matches a specific style or passion. 

If cooking is a favorite pastime, a veggie chopper (or cheese cutter), matched with a cutting board is a thoughtful option for crunch time decisions. 

For folks who love the taste of limes, we pair our handcrafted boards with an iron-forged slicing knife to keep it dicey. (Given our #ruggedstyle we like to use a strip of leather to tie pieces together.)

Small is mighty, despite what some may say. Having a compact cutting board handy for quick jobs like slicing lemons, onions or cherry tomatoes is perfect. It’s still big enough to be useful, yet small enough to tuck away. Custom edging can make a big difference too, creating a sleeker look.

In terms of maintenance, a splash of Howard Cutting Board Oil will do the trick every three to four months to keep it looking spectacular. Beautiful and easy! (Any of the cutting boards shown above can be added to our gift boxes using the Custom page form.) 

The good news is that custom tools and wood options have elevated the old idea of a cutting board. There’s no need to be a chip off the old block anymore.