A taste of exotic: Out-of-Africa pepper mills

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February 25, 2008

Plattsburgh man finds passion in pepper mills

By ROBIN CAUDELL The Press Republican Mon Feb 25, 2008, 04:58 AM EST

PLATTSBURGH -- Gary Bouvia's pepper mills are smooth to the touch, beautiful to the eye and glorious to the taste buds.

The laminated sections of turned African wood -- purple heart, paduka, zebra, blood, wenge and ebony -- are swirling abstractions.

Holding a length of purple heart, he stroked the rich, eggplant-hued wood.

"This is the true color," said Bouvia, the proprietor of Champlain Valley Woodworks. "Most people think you paint it."

SPICING UP BUSINESS

From a friend, he learned how to make the mills, which have a stainless-steel grinding mechanism. He started out with a small lathe in a workshop behind his home. In the last four years, he has made 50. He took a break while Conroy & Conroy built his custom shop, Champlain Valley Woodworks, at 134 Moffitt Rd. in Plattsburgh.

"I can pretty much make everything."

He can custom design hardwood doors, cabinets, tables, beds and moldings for home and office.

"I love doing woodworking and cooking."

As far as pepper is concerned, black peppercorns are his favorite.

"I have tried all the others."

For his new shop, he purchased a bigger lathe to do spindles for beds.

"I'm the kind of guy that likes to buy tools."

CHANGING PASSIONS

Bouvia purchases his African wood in Vermont, and he use American species such ass maple, oak and cherry.

At home, he has a trio of pepper mills.

"I made a salt mill, but they don't seem to work as well."

He said he likes the look of his pepper mills, as do his customers, who purchase them for gifts at his other business, Auto-Barn Collision Center, next door at 148 Moffitt Rd.

He opened the Auto-Barn in 1980 when his passions ran high for cars. Now, his daughter, Nicole Beauregard, manager, and Kevin Breyette, estimator, run day-to-day operations there, while he swaps sheet metal for his new passion for wood.

"I'm trying to enjoy this," Bouvia said.

rcaudell@pressrepublican.com