Wineplanks

Cheese is the bread of my life so when I serve it up to my company and friends I always want to make sure that I do it justice. Cathy Davison is the owner and artisan behind Wineplanks. I first met her at the One of A Kind Show a couple of years back when I bought my first cheese board from her. All of her work is made from reclaimed recycled oak wine barrels. I'm usually not easily impressed by a lot of that recycled woodwork but her cheese boards practically whispered at me...."psssssst.....Christine....think Lemon Fetish....think Riopelle....think smoked Applewood Cheddar....."

I own two of Cathy's boards. I love turning them over and seeing the incredible deep rich red of the wood knowing that it has been the aging of grapes that has embedded their hues into the wood. How appropriate for serving cheese. My latest acquisition is a monster round board with a fork and a spoon being used for handles. These boards are beautifully constructed and the different colours in the wood grain give the board depth and character.

Cheese boards run anywhere from $80.00 - $115.00. This year I noticed the addition of a large round lazy susan styled cheese board which can be very handy. Care is quite simple, never, ever submerge into water, just wipe with a damp cloth. If you find the wood drying slightly then you just massage in some vegetable or mineral oil and let it sit over night.
Wineplanks are available at several retail outlets, one being Rosehill Wine Cellars where we bought our wine storage unit, located in Etobicoke. You can also order directly online from Wineplanks.