Some people are easy to buy for. You know which cookbook they have open on the counter, or that they’ll make a salad even when everybody else is ordering pizza. For everyone else, it helps to picture an ordinary meal at their house.
That’s how we’ve put together this year’s gift guide. We make wooden bowls and boards here in Massachusetts, and we like seeing them go to people who will put them to work. We’ve included a few things from other makers that would be fun to give with them. You can also give a bowl by itself. We think that’s plenty.
Image: Hero featuring actual Spencer Peterman pieces on a table: a serving bowl, a handled cutting board, and a round or oval board. Gather clear product photos that show their real shapes and grain.
The salad maker
You probably know this person. They have a favorite dressing and make enough salad that someone always asks them to bring it. Give them a bowl they’ll want to bring to the table, leaves and all.
For a larger salad, we like the 15-inch spalted maple round bowl. The 15-inch live-edge oval gives you a different shape and room to toss. If they’ll carry it from kitchen to table, take a look at the cherry Harvest bowl with handles. The handles are part of the bowl itself.
We make cherry salad servers in several lengths if you’d like to put a pair inside. And for the cook who gets tired of making the same salad, Jess Damuck’s Salad Freak is a lively cookbook to tuck alongside it.
Image: Three-panel image at the same visual scale: 15-inch spalted maple round bowl, 15-inch live-edge spalted maple oval, and 15-inch cherry Harvest bowl with handles. Gather a full-view photo of each exact bowl. A separate detail can show the cherry servers. Obtain rights to any cookbook cover photo.
The friend who puts out cheese before dinner
This may be the easiest person to shop for. A board gives them a place to start, and they’ll decide whether that means two cheeses on a Friday night or a full table when everyone comes over.
Our 15-inch round spalted maple board suits the smaller version. For more space, there’s the 21-by-11-inch live-edge oval board. We’d leave some of the wood showing when it’s set out.
Want to send something edible, too? Murray’s Greatest Hits has four cheeses with crackers and a few extras. The MVP assortment brings in cured meats. These are food boxes for the recipient to unpack and arrange, so order them separately from the board and choose a delivery day when someone can receive the cheese.
Image: Two panels showing the actual 15-inch round board and 21-by-11-inch oval board with simple cheese arrangements. Gather straight-on product photos that show both outlines. Leave visible wood. If showing Murray’s food, use licensed imagery and avoid implying a joint bundle.
The cook with a knife always in hand
Some gifts live in a cupboard until company comes. A cutting board for the person who cooks every day will be out again tomorrow, with an onion or a loaf of bread on it.
The 21-inch black walnut board with a handle offers a generous work surface, and the handle makes it easy to carry. If their counter is tight, we’d go with the 15-by-9-inch rectangular spalted maple board. Think about their kitchen before you choose the size.
A knife could make this a bigger gift. Middleton Made Knives is a small knife maker; its Echo 8-inch chef knife is one option, while the 8-inch chef knife with a box elder burl handle is a more substantial purchase. If you’re unsure about the knife, a board alone is an easier choice. People can be particular about what feels good in their hand.
Image: Main image of the exact 21-inch black walnut handled board, with its handle and edge visible. Optional second panel of the 15-by-9-inch rectangular spalted maple board. For a knife image, photograph the actual knife or obtain a licensed maker photo.
A bowl for their own place at the table
A serving bowl gets passed around. A personal bowl is the one someone reaches for at lunch, then again for pasta that evening. We make a 10-inch size for that kind of use.
The 10-inch spalted maple bowl has room for a generous salad or grain bowl. If you know a household that would use one apiece, there’s also a set of four 10-inch bowls. Each will have its own grain.
Image: Actual 10-inch bowl at a place setting, with a plate or hand nearby for scale. Optional second panel with the four-bowl set. Gather images of the exact items and show their real size.
A smaller gift for someone who has a favorite bowl
If they already have one of our pieces, you may have seen it sitting out when you visit. A care product is a useful addition, provided you know which finish they own.
We offer Beeswax and Mineral Oil Wood Conditioner and a vegan Black Walnut Wood Conditioner for eligible natural-finish pieces. They don’t belong on our Driftwood, White Pearl, Ebonized Black, or Sea Glass finishes. Check our care FAQ if you’re not sure, or ask us before you buy.
Image: Photograph the current bottles of both conditioners together, with readable labels. If adding a care-step detail, use a confirmed natural-finish Spencer bowl. Gather current bottle photos and a photo identifying the bowl’s finish.
The best clue is probably in their kitchen
Look at what they already do. Maybe they cook every night and need more room to chop. Maybe the salad bowl comes out whenever friends are over. You don’t have to assemble a themed gift box around either one.
A handwritten note about dinner together might be the part they keep.
Image: No additional image needed. If the layout needs one, show a real Spencer piece being used at a table rather than a product collage.
