How to Choose a Cutting Board

I have discussed, in recent blogs, the options in countertops, sinks, faucets, and back splashes all of which are more or less permanently attached to your kitchen until your wife changes her mind or a new TREND hits. But an important part of every kitchen, that isn’t permanently attached, is the cutting board. The cutting board has become a mainstay of my kitchen, from providing the basis for chopping or food preparation, to the serving of the finished meal. They often even double as 'hot pad' for food presentation. Especially useful in my kitchen because, according to my children, I only know how to cook on HIGH and my favorite indication of doneness is BURNT. Every kitchen has at least one, and it's not unusual to have 4 or 5 of them. My selection all bear the scars of use or misuse as the case might be.Traditionally, cutting boards were mostly made of hardwoods, but over the past few years, a new generation of boards has emerged. Made of various substances, each type has its own benefits and drawbacks. There has been much discussion over the years as to which type of board is 'safer' or less likely to provide a breeding ground for bacteria. Although some are easier to clean, I feel that any board, if not used and cleaned properly, can become a vehicle for food contamination, if the bacteria has managed to survive the other hazards of my kitchen.The following will provide an overview of pros and cons of board types. What type you choose will depend of course, on personal preference. Personally, I tend to prefer both plastic and wooden boards, and have several in my kitchen.

1. Corian® Boards Made by the Dupont Company, these boards are easy to clean, and come in various shapes and sizes. They are non-porous, which makes them more resistant to bacterial growth, and they will not easily stain. Over time, these boards will suffer marks or cuts, but these, as with Corian counter tops, can be easily repaired by sanding the surface smooth again. A corian board should not be used as a trivet, as heat can damage the surface.

2. Plastic Cutting BoardsGenerally, plastic boards are the most affordable and can be found in various colors, hard or flexible, thick or thin. The flexible ones are terrific for food transfer and are easy to store. They will not last as long as thicker boards, as sharp knives will eventually cut through the thin material. Hard plastic boards are extremely durable and can also double as trivets. Plastic boards are generally considered the 'safest' as they are the easiest to clean and sanitize, and the smaller ones can be placed in the dishwasher.

3. Tempered Glass Boards Glass boards are beautiful and patterned to suit every decor. They are very durable, resistant to heat, and are the most sanitary and easy to clean. However, glass boards tend to dull knife edges. They are mostly heavier than other boards, but are great for protecting your counter from hot pots.

4. Wooden Boards boards were usually made of maple hardwoods. Today, other woods and patterns are used, and bamboo, which is actually a grass, has become very popular due to its hardness and resistance to bacteria. Bamboo is also considered the best of the “green” alternatives because bamboo is so rapidly regenerated. The best feature of wooden boards, is that they are the easiest on knife edges and even though they scar with use they can also be re-sanded to a new surface. Wooden boards can easily harbor bacteria growth both on the surface and in minute cracks, therefore they must be sanitized after each use. Made from laminated strands of the wood of choice you must always keep wooden boards completely dry to avoid the splitting of these laminations. For this reason I don’t recommend them to be placed in a dishwasher.
The most convenient board in my kitchen is one that is made to fit over one side of my double sink with a strainer built into it. This makes food prep a snap and adds additional work space to my very small kitchen. If your setting up your kitchen for the first time you may want to try some inexpensive boards of different materials, shapes and sizes. This will enable you to decide what works best for you before investing in a high quality long lasting board.
National Builder Supply carries a large line of boards by the 2 high quality names in the fixture business, Houzer and Elkay. Visit their website at http://www.nationalbuildersupply.com/Results.aspx?dsNav=N:455 to view a choice of 35 boards priced from $57.50 to $260.