How To Store Your Dutch Oven!

Dutch ovens are large earthenware or cast-iron cooking pots and are used as simple ovens that are heated by placing them under or near hot burning cinders.

They're thick-walled cooking pots with tight fitting lids used for cooking such things as stews and casseroles and have been used for centuries.

During the 17th century the Dutch produced a technically superior design. A similar design was subsequently patented in England, so the term 'Dutch Oven' has endured!

Pinewood Dutch Oven Container

However, once you've used your Dutch oven what do you do with it? Well, you can leave it lying around the kitchen to gather dust and get in everybody's way, or you could obtain a wooden storage container, specially designed for the purpose.

Using pinewood would be my choice of wood, as it's robust, hard-wearing and inexpensive, with lots of knots. The construction of your container needs to be substantial. The side panels should be between 15-20 mm thickness and include a tight-fitting, hinged or lift-off lid to prevent dust incursion.

You can use butt joints, or tongue and groove joints to hold the side panels together, which are easier and cheaper to form but I would recommend glued finger joints for a stronger, more permanent solution.

Pinewood is a soft wood, so is susceptible to dents and scratches but minor impact damage such as this, over time tends to enhance rather than detract from it's rustic quality!

Pinewood also has a long tradition of use in cooking. For instance, pinewood has been used to make dough boxes for hundreds of years and many Italian Pizzerias even today use them to make their pizzas crispier.

Pinewood baking boxes are also used today to bake traditional fruit, pumpkin and chocolate fudge cake. This makes the cakes uniquely moist and infuses that delicious, natural pine aroma from the natural oils and resins into the baking.

Pinewood Dutch oven containers will make a great addition to your kitchen and will protect your Dutch oven for many years. You'll only need to obtain one, unless of course you buy another Dutch oven!

http://www.polmacuk.com

Please feel free to add your comments below...

Why We Love Memory Boxes!

Our homes are stuffed with objects that hold personal memories. Putting these items into memory, or keepsake boxes as they are sometimes called, is a way of retaining these objects and the memories associated with them, so we can stay in touch and others can discover and learn from them.

Memory boxes can contain objects that help us recall people and events from the past. They can be based upon a particular theme or era and may contain items such as photographs, letters, a toy from childhood, music, or even a recorded message. For instance, baby keepsake boxes are incredibly popular nowadays!

Polmac Hand-Painted Keepsake Box

Though it may take some time to find which keepsakes to store in your memory box, it's certainly worth the time and effort, as they can provide a continuous and fascinating time-line to the past, for future generations.

Memory boxes can be made from practically any material. Keepsakes can even be stored in an old trunk if nothing else is available. However, if a memory box is to be created from scratch, wood is the ideal material, as it's natural warmth and beauty resonates so well!

Wooden memory boxes can be inscribed with a personal message and/or decorated with natural wood and colour stains, carved, or hand painted with colour motifs to provide a particular theme. They can also be left unfinished, if the natural, raw quality of wood is preferred.

Ideally, memory boxes should be small enough so they can be lifted easily and large enough to accommodate a range of keepsakes of different shapes and sizes that can be easily accessed.
 

Wood memory boxes can be designed with compartments if necessary, for different t5ypes of keepsakes and provided with a lock and key to help keep the contents secure!

You can create several memory boxes with different themes. For instance one memory box can be dedicated to children and another for a favourite hobby, or sport and so on.

Memory boxes are being used more and more nowadays to engage with people suffering from dementia and similar illnesses, where memory may be a huge challenge, providing them with an opportunity for mental and even physical stimulation.

Creating a memory box, particularly if it's an activity undertaken with friends and relatives can take time but it can also be a lot of fun and it may someday be a great memory itself. Now there's a thought, or is that a memory!

http://www.polmacuk.com

Please feel free to add your comments below...

Wood Turning & The Art Of Producing Beautiful Round Boxes!

Wood turning is the art of using a wood lathe with hand-held tools to cut shapes that are symmetrical around the axis of rotation.

The wood lathe can be used to create many beautiful forms, including hollowed out cylindrical wooden boxes, needle cases and urns etc.

Before the industrial revolution in England, wood turnery was a difficult skill to master, because the turning mechanisms used were primitive. This is why turnery at that time became known as 'the misterie'!

Wood Turned Box With Lift-Off Lid

However, once mastered, wood turning is a great way of transforming small pieces of wood into beautifully crafted objects, using creativity and skill.

Most woods, including alder and linden wood can be used to make turned boxes, although a fine-grained hardwood is probably the very best wood to use.

Irrespective of the choice of wood, it's essential that it's properly cured and seasoned, to avoid any moisture movement which could lead to warping issues.

Wood turned boxes may be created as stand-alone artwork, or as functional and economical storage containers, with or without lift-off lids!

They are usually small and round, due to the lathe-turning process and so their lithe appearance differs quite significantly from square or rectangular boxes

Lids may be designed in a variety of ways, including ...

1: Sitting loosely on the base.

2: There is some resistance between the lid and the base but any sharp movement will dislodge the lid.

3: The lid is retained on the base securely and will not fall off if the wooden box is overturned!

In the case of 1 and 2 above, lid restraint can be easily improved by the use of tiny, flush mounted, lid magnets, if required

Beautiful turned boxes may be made from single pieces of wood, laminated woods and even segmented woods and despite the special skills needed, they can be very economical to produce.
 

They can be decorated with stunning natural wood and colour stains and clear lacquer finishes, to bring out the natural warmth and beauty of wood. 

For more exotic finishes they can also be embellished with metal, or hardwood inlays and hand carved decorations.

Whatever the style or finish chosen, the only limit on the design of wood turned boxes is your imagination!

http://www.polmacuk.com

Please feel free to add your comments below...