‘Tis the season of cooler weather, multi-generational meals, seasonal get-togethers, making memories, and of course…..holiday baking. Whether you’re masterly re-creating gramma’s butter tarts with your daughter, baking a few dozen cookies for your annual holiday cookie exchange, or kneading the dough for the homemade bread that you put in your Christmas morning casserole, the right countertop can be a great space to help you feel like the master chef that you are.
Holiday baking is a time-honored tradition in many homes, and for some, a family affair. Having the ability to utilize your countertop area in its entirety can make things just a tad easier and allow for everyone to feel a part of the process.
When choosing a counter surface, you have some options, but if you are looking for a pastry-friendly work area, Continental Granite and Cabinets suggest quartz as the choice.
Quartz is not only beautiful but versatile and durable. Quartz is a man-made surface that is removed from granite rock, crushed, and combined with resins and pigments. It is more accurately referred to as engineered stone as it is not a true solid surface. The final product is 90-95 percent quartz and 5-10 percent additives.
Quartz countertops are green and sustainable. The 90 percent of stone materials that form the base of quartz are all generally waste-by-products of other manufacturing or quarrying processes. Meaning that no natural stone was quarried solely for use in a quartz countertop. In addition, the resins that make up the additives have become more natural and less synthetic over the last few years.
A little bit of trivia about Quartz…our industry partner Cambria, one of the largest suppliers of quartz, is also a cheese producer. This family-owned business began in the 1930s as a dairy business. In 2000, they expanded their business portfolio to include quartz processing.
There are a number of benefits that working with quartz brings to the baker and culinary geniuses in the kitchen.
IT’S ALL ABOUT CHILLIN’
Very much like a natural stone countertop, quartz keeps things cool. Quartz is also one of the hardest minerals on the planet which allows you to be able to roll out your dough easily. You will want to sprinkle the countertop with flour or powdered sugar so that the dough does not stick to the counter. The coolness of the stone also ensures that the butter does not melt into the dough so that your pie crust will be crispy and flakey.
NOOKS & CRANNIES Pores are virtually non-existent, which not only creates a lovely esthetic look but makes cleanup super easy. Flour and other ingredients won’t seep into crevices and pores, ensuring that you won't have to dread the worst part of baking, clean up.
Quartz is also impenetrable to spills, which is great if you work with liquids like lemon or wine containing acid.
Unlike other countertop surfaces that require a chemical seal, quartz does not. That is one of the reasons quartz is a top choice for bakers. This allows you to create a chemical-free space for your family.
A quartz countertop is tough and heat resistant, making it durable against many issues that come up in the kitchen. We, however, don’t recommend placing a hot cookie sheet or using your counter as a cutting board. Always use a hot plate or cutting board.
Cleaning your quartz countertop is easy-peasy. You can use dish soap and water and a microfiber cloth. Stay away from any harsh cleaners to keep the surface chemical-free.
THE LOOK For many, one of the top benefits of using quartz in their home is its natural luster. It has a three-dimensional appearance, very much like a natural stone.
Quartz countertops come in a wide variety of colors. The most popular colors are neutrals in white, black, grey, beige, and brown. Quartz can also be found in just about every shade of the rainbow.
Your kitchen is the space in your home where you create memories. Where you make your family dinner, pack lunches, and prepare for all your holiday feasts. Using quartz as your counter surface allows you to do all of that and your kitchen looks beautiful at the same time.
Contact us here, for more information on quartz, natural stone, and all of your residential and commercial cabinet needs. Be sure to also check us out on social media for more inspiration! You can find us on Facebook and Instagram!
WAIT! Before you go… what are the holidays without sharing one of our own and favorite recipes!? Check it out! Praline Crack… topped with sliced almonds! We make this one every year and look forward to sharing it with our friends and family.
--- Continental Granite & Cabinets offers our clients a wide variety of custom fabrication needs, such as countertops, fireplaces, stairs, wall cladding, flooring, bars, furniture pieces, custom trim and much more. We also offer a wide range of products to make such creations such as Granite, Marble, Onyx, Travertine, Silestone, Cambria, Caesarstone, Corian Quartz, etc. Continental Granite & Cabinets is proud to be a family owned and operated business and treats its customers as if they were one of their own. We believe the relationship we form with our customers lasts much longer than the current project we are working with them. To learn more, call us today at 386.586.7059 or fill out our contact form here.
Comments