{"product_id":"italian-olivewood-box-cheese-grater","title":"Italian Olivewood Box Cheese Grater","description":"\u003ch4\u003eDESCRIPTION\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA stainless grater plate that rests across an open Umbrian olivewood box, so the cheese falls into the box instead of onto the counter. Grate at the table, lift the plate out, serve from the box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the form Italian households have used for grating Parmigiano and Pecorino for generations — practical rather than decorative, though olivewood makes it both. The grating plate is stainless steel with a wire handle and lifts free for washing. The box is cut and joined from Umbrian olivewood, with the dark irregular grain that makes every one different.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt sits well on a table already set with hand-painted Deruta, and it's substantial enough to leave out. Arrives in a cotton bag, ready to give.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe small imperfections such as the difference in color, shape, diameter or small bubbles that form inside, do not constitute a defect but testify that it is actually an artisanal product.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10\" long including handle x 4\" wide · Box depth 2.5\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Umbrian olivewood with stainless steel grating plate\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMade in:\u003c\/strong\u003e Umbria, Italy\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWorkshop:\u003c\/strong\u003e Family woodturning workshop in Umbria\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePattern:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural grain — each piece unique\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeritage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Umbrian olivewood — the same region as Deruta\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCare:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hand-wash only · Dry immediately · Not dishwasher, microwave, or oven safe · Oil occasionally with food-grade mineral oil\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Individual, in a cotton bag\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMixes with:\u003c\/strong\u003e All Deruta majolica patterns, Tomassini grinders, Busatti linens\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow does it work?\u003c\/strong\u003e The stainless plate sits across the top of the olivewood box. Grate across it and the cheese collects in the box below. Lift the plate out and the box becomes the serving dish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the grater come out for washing?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. The plate lifts free of the box entirely, so you can wash the steel without soaking the wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow do I care for olivewood?\u003c\/strong\u003e Hand-wash only, in warm water with mild soap, and dry immediately — never leave the wood soaking or sitting wet. Keep it out of the dishwasher, microwave, and oven. When the surface starts to look dry or chalky, rub in a little food-grade mineral oil and let it absorb overnight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat cheeses is it for?\u003c\/strong\u003e Hard aging cheeses — Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano. Soft cheeses will clog the plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow much does the box hold?\u003c\/strong\u003e The box is 2.5\" deep — enough grated cheese for a table of four to six. Grate ahead and bring it out with the pasta.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow do I clean cheese out of the grater plate?\u003c\/strong\u003e Use a dry brush before washing. Dried cheese comes off far more easily than wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it come ready to give?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. It ships in a cotton bag — no additional wrapping needed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere in Italy does the wood come from?\u003c\/strong\u003e Umbria, the same central Italian region as Deruta, where Biordi's hand-painted majolica is made. Umbria is one of Italy's principal olive-growing areas, and the wood comes from trees retired after decades of fruiting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this a good Italian wedding gift?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. It's the kind of piece a couple uses weekly for decades, and it pairs naturally with a Deruta pasta bowl or serving platter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this a good housewarming or hostess gift?\u003c\/strong\u003e Very much so — it's useful, it's Italian, it arrives gift-ready in its cotton bag, and it goes straight onto the table rather than into a cupboard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy buy Italian gifts from Biordi rather than other retailers?\u003c\/strong\u003e Biordi Art Imports has been San Francisco's source for authentic Italian ceramics and tableware since 1946. We're a San Francisco Legacy Business (#LBR-2020-21-029), the City declared May 1 \"Biordi Art Imports Day\" in 2021, and we were voted Best Overall Retailer in the SF Bay Guardian Best of the Bay reader's poll five years running. Everything we sell is sourced directly from Italian workshops we know by name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan this be customized or personalized?\u003c\/strong\u003e Not this piece. Customization and personalization are available on select hand-painted ceramics — Eugenio Ricciarelli, FIMA, Pia Formato, and Geribi accept special orders. Contact Biordi Art Imports at (415) 392-8096 or customerservice@biordi.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eArtisan Story\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmbrian olivewood\u003c\/strong\u003e — Umbria is olive country. The same hills that produce the region's oil produce the wood, because olive trees are only cut once they stop bearing fruit, often after fifty years or more. The wood that comes out of them is hard, tight-grained, and darkly figured, and Umbrian woodturners have shaped it into kitchen and table pieces for centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUmbria\u003c\/strong\u003e — Umbria is also home to Deruta, the hill town that has produced Biordi's hand-painted majolica since 1946. Wood and majolica from the same region sit naturally on the same table.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Verve Culture","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48928558841909,"sku":"6752","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1001\/9802\/files\/735ba738e1d4bd44ef93cc56a1458eb3835fb3074c839da66efac0625750a3ad.jpg?v=1789865369","url":"https:\/\/biordi.com\/products\/italian-olivewood-box-cheese-grater","provider":"Biordi Art Imports","version":"1.0","type":"link"}