Covid 19 lockdown and extra time on my hands, “let’s do something crafty.” The “stay home, stay safe” mantra has invigorated the ‘creative’ inside many of us. Painting, crafts, cooking, baking and making our lawns look like we have caretakers at every residence. Except mine!
Here’s the scoop!
This old house, circa 1728 had a fire. The roof had to be replaced. Damage to the attic flooring that has been there forever, due to fire reaching that level had to be removed. Come to find out the shiplap oak boards have laid there for 230 years. How do you ask that I know that? Well, we had a professional restorer and old things’ conservator from Massachusetts come and give us the run down on our house.
We found out a lot about our home, from the post and beam construction to ‘what’ things in the house are still original and what it would take to restore any part of it.
To make a long story short, we saved some of the floor boards and that is how these eye drop shaped bread boards came to be.
Susan, a very close friend of ours has taken on baking of breads and dough related yummies. Great taste and look! My wife and I were invited to a distancing dinner recently, so she mentioned what a nice gesture it would be if we made a bread board for her to further motivate her skills as a baker. Looked at some vintage designs of bread boards and this one hit the mark. Make it personal by using the saved old wood from our home and produce a bread board for her. Did three from a salvaged floor board.
Firstly, old wood is funky to work with, from cracking to rougher areas than others; secondly, how to clean and preserve for food serving usage. The internet off course. Found many ways of cleaning and preserving. The one I went with, The Crowned Goat site. Easy, peasy. Check it out for directions on restoring old boards/cutting boards and more restoration project. Their story is nice.
Clicked the Howard Products website to read more about their product. Wow! Made in the USA. Food grade Butcher Block Conditioner, revitalizing blend of genuine beeswax, Brazilian carnauba wax (hardest natural wax available), and pure USP Food Grade Mineral Oil that is tasteless, odorless, and will never go rancid. No brainer, and they had more instructions about wood care on the site. To finish the boards off, I used the recommended Howards Butcher Block Conditioner. The dried old wood sucked it up like a sponge, brought out color that has not seen sun for centuries.
I found this product awesome and will be using it from now on with more wood projects ahead.
Happy ending, Susan had tears in her eyes. Said she loved the history and the entire sentiment behind her gift. Oh, dinner was exceptional.
Thanks, Susan and Steve from Lyme, Connecticut.
