Antique Cutting Board

Found in a village outside of Lyon, this antique French cutting board was cut from a single thick slab of wood, with a short squared handle rising from the top edge. It's heavier than most, the kind of board you don't move once you've set it down, made for the steady chopping work of a busy kitchen. The face is darkened from years of use, scored faintly across in every direction and softened at the edges where the wood has worn down. Sylvie sets it flat on the counter with a knife and a round of cheese, or stands it against the wall behind a bowl of fruit.