From scrap to family treasure: Ky. Cutting Boards

Jen Adams wastes not and wants not. She and her husband of 24 years, Bill, established Kentucky Cutting Boards six years ago as a way to use leftover wood from flooring projects.

“We decided last October to really give this company a chance to flourish,” Adams said. “And we’re having a lot of fun coming up with new inlay designs.”

The Adams recycle roles around the house as well. “It keeps things interesting,” Jen said. “Currently he’s doing the grocery shopping. I take out trash and recycling. The kids think it’s funny. Each of us buys different kinds of food, so we have to adapt.”

B&B: Favorite bourbon?

JA: I’m a wine girl, but Bill loves Makers.

B&B: Favorite bean?

JA: That’s a tough one – so many! But I love Cannellini beans because they are so versatile -- dips, soups and salad. Love them.

B&B: Were you born in Kentucky?

JA: Nope; I’m from Indiana, and Bill was born in New York.

B&B: Do you consider yourself to be sassy?

JA: Absolutely! Where else would our 12 year old daughter get it?

B&B: What type of cuisine influences you most?

JA: We eat very Mediterranean.

B&B: What’s your all-time favorite food?

JA: Soups of all kinds.

B&B: What’s your current favorite food?

JA: Sushi.

B&B: What food do you dislike?

JA: Brussels sprouts and those little teeny corn cobs in Chinese food!

B&B: Do you have professional culinary training?

JA: No.

B&B: Who do you cook for?

My family.

B&B: What is/was your favorite cooking job?

JA: See above.

B&B: Can you share one of your cooking secrets with us?

JA: I start most soups with “The Trinity” Onion, Carrots and Celery. Sauté those, add chicken stock and blend and you have the base of a healthy, creamy soup.

B&B: Who’s your farmer?

JA: I love to shop various Farmer’s Markets on Bardstown Road

B&B: Any food allergies?

JA: Nope.

B&B: Do you patronize local businesses? Who/what local products can you not live without?

JA: We pretty much only eat at the local restaurants (Seviche, Sapporo, Asiatique).

B&B: What’s your go-to cocktail party appetizer?

JA: I am known for a fresh, chopped salsa that I take to every party in the summer. It’s got black beans, corn, fresh cilantro and lime juice plus jalapeños and is delicious.

B&B: What’s your culinary guilty pleasure?

JA: CHEESE!!!!

B&B: If you were a food, what would you be?

JA: CHEESE!!!

B&B: Kitchen tool you can’t live without?

JA: Immersion blender (see soup comment above). My kids say I should have a show called “Souper Suppers”. We eat them all week long. The last one was a creamy soup with Salmon (and no cream). The kids licked their bowls.

A Fresh and Local Change

When Lexington resident Melody Blauser and her husband, Leland, had their daughter last spring, the health of their newborn as well as the environment were first on their minds.

“We discovered cloth diapers, which have made all the difference in the world,” Melody Blauser said. “And we really wanted to give other Central Kentuckians that opportunity.”

And so the catchy Fresh Fannies was born. Fresh Fannies Diaper Service picks up dirty cloth diapers and drops off clean cloth diapers to your home, work or daycare, so your little one “always has a fresh fanny,” according to the website.

As Melody finishes her MBA at the University of Kentucky, grows her new business and retains a fulltime job, she has certainly gained perspective and strengthened her support of local business.

I think it is important to keep things local to preserve the tradition of community,” she said. “It is a reflection of the ‘good ole’ days’ when transactions were about more than just material goods.”

Now, that's a Fresh Fannied family!

B&B: Favorite bourbon?

MB: Southern Comfort

B&B: Favorite bean?

MB: Green bean

B&B: Are you from Kentucky?

MB: Yes, born & raised in Hopkinsville, KY. I moved to Lexington for my undergraduate studies in 2001 and have been here since.

B&B: Do you consider yourself to be sassy?

MB: Yes and no. I don’t like to ruffle feathers, but I do like to make others laugh. Sometimes I will say something sassy to perk someone up.

B&B: What gets you out of bed in the morning? 

MB: My daughter, who stands in her crib and talks to get my attention.  She is 11 months old and the best decision I have ever made.

B&B: What’s your favorite smart phone app?

MB: The “key ring” that stores all of my loyalty card info for the stores I shop at. Instead of having to carry all of the cards in my wallet, I can just open the app. Nothing used to irritate me more than going to Kroger and overpaying because I didn’t have my card.

B&B: What’s one of your leadership secrets? 

MB: The best leadership advice I have gotten is to hire smart so that you can manage easy.  It has been an invaluable skill to acquire.

B&B: Who do you lean on for support (let’s face it, we can’t do this alone)? 

MB: My husband and mother are both frequent targets of my venting and the two people who I most need advice from when I have a tough situation.

B&B: When do you know it’s time for a vacation? 

MB: When I start to lose my patience over simple things. Normally, I am very patient, so when I lose that characteristic, I need to step away and recharge.

B&B: What do you look for in an employee? 

MB: I look for people who see mistakes as an opportunity to learn, who aren’t afraid to suggest change and who can ANTICIPATE what might be needed without having to be asked.

B&B: What’s a quote or saying that gets you through the tough days? MB: “Worrying is like rocking in a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”

B&B: How do you relish your successes? 

MB: I try to enjoy the little moments.  At night, I reflect on all of the things that I have to be thankful for to keep things in perspective. I once read an interesting question, “What if you woke up tomorrow and had only things that you thanked God for today?” 

B&B: Why is it important to buy from local businesses? 

MB: I think it is important to keep things local to preserve the tradition of community.  It is a reflection of the “good ol’ days” when transactions were about more than just material goods.  A friendship and communication existed between retailers and customers.

B&B: What are you afraid of?

MB: I know this seems silly, but I am terrified of popping balloons and opening biscuit cans.  Something about the anticipation of the “pop” gives me anxiety. The sound of someone twisting a balloon into an animal is enough to make me want to curl into a ball.