Enrico Products' Bamboo Housewares

Enrico takes its name, and inspiration, from an Italian woodworker who eloped to the US, but failing to find any Italian kitchen utensils handcrafted his own. Their signature piece is a box grater for hard cheeses (pic below), but they also have a line of bowls (as seen above) and cutting boards. Originally using exotic timbers like rosewood and bubinga, the company has since switched to a TreeHugger mainstay — bamboo. In their words: “The Moso variety of bamboo we use is the hardest of the bamboo family; harder even than rock maple. It is also extremely durable and moisture resistant, making it perfect for kitchen implements.” The utensils are laid up using three different grain laminations (flat, vertical and end), bound with a food safe adhesive. Although not suitable for a long swim in a dishwashing machine, they are happy being hand washed with warm, soapy water. ::Enrico Products via Dexigner.