FAQs

At the moment, we do not sell directly from our website. We are happy to offer Virtual Shopping at your convenience and (please use the "Contact"(www.lacollinany.com/contact) form to reach out to us) and we encourage you to visit our Retail Partners (www.lacollinany.com/partners)who offer selections from our collection in their stores.

Never subject any wood to your dishwasher. The heat, and prolonged exposure to water will permanently damage your item. Rinse with warm water and a mild soap. Dry immediately. Restore regularly with food safe mineral oil or our "Cera della Nonna" (carnauba wax + beeswax + mineral oil) conditioner. Please check out our blog post "Caring for Handmade Woodenware"(https://www.lacollinany.com/post/caring-for-woodenware) for more detailed information.

The short answer is "no". Most of our pieces have the La Collina brand in a discrete location and I do sign the bottom of all of my bowls. I want the wood to be the Star. Covering it up with a logo or personalized message, in my view, detracts from the natural beauty of the object. Having said that, I would consider adding a short message to the underside of a board or bowl. https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a13a7b_7faaf7362711473a810c14ea5be6ae12~mv2.jpg Please note:  I am unable to accept returns or refunds for any item that has been personalized in this way.

Yes. I have worked with clients and interior designers on custom items in the past and I would be happy to discuss a special order or project with you. Please reach out via my contact form.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a13a7b_74a2c116449142ffa0c5ea8ec747256a~mv2.jpg We are fortunate to have a large variety of beautiful hardwood on our land. We take advantage of those trees which are victims of Mother Nature's pruning (high winds, winter storms, etc.), or those species weakened by age, disease or natural predators (like the Emerald Ash Borer which is currently decimating this species of tree). Homeowners often reach out to us to offer wood which would otherwise be fed into a chipper or left to rot. In exchange we love being able to offer them a bowl or a board as a memento of a beloved feature of their property. We also rescue wood that has been cut down by utility crews and left by the side of the road. All of the Apple, Pear, Cherry, Black Walnut, Maple, Ash, Oak, and Birch wood used in La Collina pieces has been harvested at our farm and dried for several years. We never kiln-dry our wood – it might require less time, but some things are worth waiting for.

[Here's the "quick" answer; for more details please read our blog here (https://www.lacollinany.com/post/choosing-the-right-cutting-board)on the difference between these two types of boards.] We divide wooden cutting boards into three distinct categories – serving/charcuterie boards, edge grain and end grain (butcher block). ​ End Grain Our end grain (butcher block) boards are assembled from many pieces of wood. In these boards the wood grain is oriented vertically. These boards are generally more resistant to repeated cutting and chopping and, since one's cooking knives are not slicing through the wood fibers, they are more likely to hold their edge longer. While we wouldn't go so far declare end grain boards as "self-healing", many chefs prefer these boards. ​ We offer several styles of end grain boards and many people use them for presenting hors d'oeuvres that might require some slicing (meats, hard cheeses, etc.). All of our cutting boards are finished with a natural oil which both dries inside the wood (unlike mineral and vegetable oil finishes) and seals the surface from moisture and contaminants. Edge Grain Our edge grain boards are generally created from several strips of wood which are glued together. The wood grain is oriented horizontally. La Collina's edge grain cutting boards are available in three sizes in Maple, Black Walnut and Black Birch. The largest easily accommodates your large holiday roast with room for fixings! These boards are both practical in your kitchen and handsome enough to bring to the dinner table. They feature non-skid feet, and finger grooves to make them easier to carry to the table. Our Medium and Large sizes have a juice groove to keep things neat; the smallest size makes a beautiful palette for your hors d'oeuvres. Live Edge Our serving/charcuterie/live edge boards are made from one piece of wood. They are, technically, edge grain boards since the wood grain runs horizontally. Where they differ is that live edge boards generally feature the natural profile of the tree. We select them for their fluid form and striking grain pattern and color. While they may be used as cutting boards, we recommend that they be used primarily as serving platters. We apply six coats of our custom finish to these boards and allow thirty days of curing between each coat (yes, that's six months!) to create a durable, food safe finish which both accentuates and protects the natural beauty of these exceptional pieces of wood. Most of our customers slice their meats and cheeses on a butcher block or end grain board and then stage their appetizers on one of our live edge boards.