cute kitchenware

Giorgiana and Miloika Penon of Costa Rica design this breadboard made of teak wood, showing off its beautiful grain, and polishing it with beeswax to give it luster. It is the perfect shape and length for baguette-sized loaves and has a circle cutout at one end for easy handling. The artisans recommend occasionally polishing the board with any edible oil to maintain a soft sheen.

With a unique shape and design, this pair of spatulas is hand-carved from jobillo wood. The Peten Wood Artisan Sculptors choose certified woods that are native to the Peten region of Guatemala in order to preserve the region's natural forests.

Hand wash with soap and water. Never use a dishwasher or expose the wood to heat sources or water, as they could cause it to warp. To renew the shine, polish the wood with vegetable oil and a soft cloth.

"These spatulas are ideal for mixing anything, from beans to cake mixture," Peten Wood Artisan Sculptors tell us with obvious pride. They carve the spatulas by hand from manchiche wood, a Guatemalan hardwood that is burnished red by nature, with the grain forming myriad patterns.

Hand wash with soap and water. Never use a dishwasher or expose the wood to heat sources or water, as they could cause it to warp. To renew the shine, polish the wood with vegetable oil and a soft cloth.

Turquoise waves evoke the Guatemalan Caribbean as flowers in the same tone add their beauty to this lovely design. Working in high-fired ceramic, Lilyan Bebecke crafts a covered casserole dish that is oval in shape. Nature is her inspiration.

"We designed these for spreading the icing on a cake, butter on bread and even your favorite dips," Peten Wood Artisan Sculptors tell us with obvious pride. They carve the pair by hand from cericote wood, a naturally dark-grained wood with interesting patterns that sometimes shows white parts, creating a striking contrast.

Hand wash with soap and water. Never use a dishwasher or expose the wood to heat sources or water, as they could cause it to warp. To renew the shine, polish the wood with vegetable oil and a soft cloth.