This organically contoured bowl, made as a gift, is hand crafted from Ipe, a South American hardwood known for it's durability, density, longevity and water resistant properties. This was my first time working with Ipe, which came with challenges. It's density actually makes it extremely difficult to manipulate but the trade-off is well worth it. I am proud to say this is one of the most durable bowls out there! As a personal touch, I engraved "Sahten" on the underside of the bowl which is a Lebanese phrase meaning "enjoy" or "bon appetit" in Arabic.