There was a great little story today from Tasting Table that featured my cutting boards.

Look at this!

Thanks to all who've come by and taken a look at my wares, and stay tuned for more innovative cutting boards, bike racks, wine racks, etc. So many more ideas...

]]>

Oh, I'm excited.  Today I received my shipment of these cool metal tins and soon I'll be offering my Cutting Board Salve for sale.  The Salve can help you maintain your GFC board and make any kitchen woodenware feel and smell almost as good as a cutting board you got from me.The Salve is a blend of mineral oil, beeswax, anise oil, and orange oil (and some other stuff too), and the amount of beeswax is what determines the thickness of the product. When I apply the finish to the board, I use a blend that has the consistency of chicken fat / petroleum jelly (for lack of a better descriptor), and heat it up so that all of the wax melts.  I then apply it hot to the board so that the wax penetrates the wood. Subsequent applications usually aren't heated.

This thickness is great on any wooden cutting board, wooden spoons, tongs, etc - it's easy to apply, seals and protects the wood, and can't spill. And if you want, you can always warm it up so that the wax soaks in more deeply.

I also have an oil which will have some wax, but still flow easily and good for a quick application, as well as a cream that has more wax and behaves more like a furniture polish to help fill and seal any knife marks and make the board extra smooth.

All products are made from food-grade ingredients and perfectly safe for indirect food contact.

If you want to stay in the loop so you know when and where these will be available (and for special deals), follow Gowanus Furniture on Twitter or like it on Facebook.

]]>

Every summer needs some London Broil.

I made some last night to give the new carving board a test drive. Yum. It worked quite well, and an evening with friends is even better with some tasty meats. "London Broil" isn't a specific cut, and is generally top round or shoulder round. It's relatively inexpensive and usually can be a bit tough if you just throw it on the grill, but, with the right marinade, it's delicious.

Go with a top round if available. The shoulder round cut that's sometimes labeled as "London Broil" can be a bit too tough. It tastes even better if you get it on sale!

Here's what I use for the marinade:

4 large garlic cloves, minced 
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
1 tablespoon soy sauce 
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled 
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled 
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled 
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes 
2/3 cup olive oil

That's enough for one piece - which is usually about 2lbs. I find that's usually good for about 2-3 people.

I like to put all the ingredients in a gallon-sized zip-top bag and mush it around to mix it well. Sure, you could get out your bowl and whisk and emulsify to your heart's content, but I have yet to taste the difference - and who wants to wash another bowl? There are beers to drink and a gazebo to sit in.

If making more than one, make a separate bag for each to maximize marinade-to-meat contact.

[caption id="attachment_1276" align="alignright" width="243" caption="The au jus groove on the board is key for dipping"][/caption]

After you add the meat, squeeze out any air, fold over the top of the bag, and place the bag on a dish or tray (in case of leaks) in your fridge. Keep it in there for about 8 hours. Somewhere in the middle squish it around a bit and flip it over.

[Addendum - 5 July 2011 - over the weekend made some, but didn't have the full 8 hours, only about 2-3. To speed things along, I added some canned pineapple chunks and some of the juice. Pineapple has bromelain, which works as a meat tenderizer. Can also use papaya, which has papain, and has a similar effect. Too much or too long (>4hrs) will make it mushy, but in a pinch, they work quite well.]

On a good hot grill, about 8-9min per side should get you medium-rare. Let it then rest for 10min. Last night's grill was a bit of an inferno, so we ended up with medium, but it was still quite tasty.

No leftovers.

[caption id="attachment_1279" align="aligncenter" width="243" caption="Clean Plate Club."][/caption]

]]>

All cutting board features and options are now listed on their own page, for your convenience.

(Also - pssst - big news! - working on a wall mounted bike rack that you could win at the book release party for The Wonder City at the Bell House on 6/29. Come by, meet the creators and other comic book artists, learn some NYC history, and, in the spirit of Coney Island [which plays a key role in the book], get your fortune told by the lovely Kahshanna Evans.... Bike rack pictures and details to follow, but I can say that it will be made of solid walnut and work for both men's and women's bikes.)]]>

So no beach this weekend for me, unfortch. I really wanted to get out there  to grill up a London Broil and slice it up on this new board (half the size of a standard board, with an au jus groove, and the perfect size for a rare or med-rare steak, maybe medium - sadly "well done" will not work on this board). Those pics will have to wait, along with a recipe for the marinade, but will leave you with this ribeye instead:

More on Facebook. And real steak forthcoming.]]>

For your weekend enjoyment, here's the latest creation.  It's now in the model apt at the Oro over in Downtown Brooklyn. Full treatment forthcoming, but - wow! - it has a mini board that slides out to make it easy to move your celery across the kitchen without losing any at all.

The lip on the top helps too.

I have more photos of this board on the Gowanus Furniture page on Facebook - I'm finding that to be the quickest way to get new, interesting, and in-process photos out into the world, with posts on here coming a little while later.

Like GFC on Facebook and you'll always get the latest info. Much more to come!

Don't know about any of you, but I'm off the the beach tomorrow, rain be damned.

Have a great weekend!

]]>

http://twitter.com/#!/PeteRaho/status/79295402540662784]]>