While surprised, I wasn鈥檛 heartbroken. It鈥檚 never been quite big enough to work on comfortably and was, I think, meant to be a little board for serving cheese or something. I couldn鈥檛 justify replacing it, though, just because it was inconvenient. Now I had my chance.

I replaced it with a beautiful big hand-crafted walnut board that鈥檚 nearly 2 feet wide by 2 feet deep. Wow, what a difference that鈥檚 made in my life already. The Italians call such a big board a 鈥渢avolo鈥� 鈥� 鈥渢able,鈥� in Italian 鈥� and that鈥檚 just what it feels like.

The most immediate difference was that I suddenly realized how rarely I had been making biscuits and pastry, because the previous board was far too small to roll out dough. As a result, any time I had wanted to make something that required rolling, I had to move the cutting board, lay a sheet of parchment paper on the counter and then chase it around as I tried to get the dough rolled. Each time was a lesson in frustration.

I鈥檝e also noticed that I no longer have to search out the missing pieces that fell off the cutting board as I worked, fishing pieces of onions or peppers or chile from behind the cutting board or even from beneath it.

You have heard the expression that 鈥渁 workman is only as good as his tools,鈥� no doubt. I鈥檓 sure that it originally referred to carpenters and bricklayers and so forth. But I think it鈥檚 true for cooks as well.

I christened my big board with a batch of Welsh cakes, the scone-like treat that bakes on a griddle. I love a Welsh cake with a hot cup of tea in the late afternoon, and maybe you will, too.

By the way, I’ll happily share my source for that walnut tavolo with you if you wish. Email me at robinbmather@gmail.com if you’d like to know where I got it.

WELSH CAKES

Makes 12 to 14 3-inch cakes

These little scone-like cakes bake like pancakes on top of the stove. Once you have the idea down, you鈥檒l see that other flavoring options, such as grated lemon or orange zest, candied fruit, or cinnamon, would be good additions. I like a split and buttered Welsh cake, topped with preserves, in the late afternoon with a cup of tea, but they are also good as post-dinner snacks with cocoa. Store them for a couple of days in a zip-top plastic bag or freeze for up to four months.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

鈪� cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2录 teaspoons baking powder

录 teaspoon salt

录 teaspoon ground mace, allspice, or nutmeg

陆 cup (1 stick) cold salted butter

鈪� cup dried cherries, blueberries, cranberries, currants or raisins

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

PREPARATION

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and mace. Cut the butter into small pieces and, using your fingers or a pastry blender, combine it with the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs, about five minutes. Stir in the dried fruit.

In a glass measuring cup, combine the egg, vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk. Stir the mixture into the flour mixture and toss with a fork to combine. Add up to 2 tablespoons additional milk to make a light dough that is no longer crumbly and holds together well.

Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and knead a few times, perhaps three to five quick licks. Roll out or pat into a thickness of about one-half inch. Cut into rounds using a 3-inch cookie cutter or a clean, empty tuna can. Re-roll the scraps and cut out additional cakes; discard scraps after the second cutting.

Lightly butter a griddle, heavy frying pan or electric skillet and heat to medium-hot. Cook the Welsh cakes for five to six minutes per side, until they are golden brown but still soft in the middle. Immediately after baking, sprinkle the cakes with sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

If you prefer, you can bake the Welsh cakes in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cakes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for seven to nine minutes per side. They won鈥檛 be as beautifully browned as griddled cakes, but they will still be very good. If you happen to have a baking stone, heat the stone in a 350-degree oven and bake the cakes directly on the stone for four to five minutes per side, until lightly browned.