505065 Tue Apr 01 17:51:31 -0700 2008 59 41 Cookware 0 3551215 I'm looking for a new cutting board and want something that will last, be easy to clean and easy on knives. Money is not an issue, I'm prepared to spend on something of good quality. I know, all of the above describes a good quality bamboo board. And I was ready to buy one, but then came accross an interesting looking brand called Epicurean CS. It looks good, sounds great and I'm almost sold. Does anyone have any experience with these? Check out the website here: http://www.epicureancs.com/ Does anyone have any other favourites? All of your opinions are appreciated! Tue Apr 01 17:51:31 -0700 2008 166161 SMOG 1 3551246 John Boos cutting boards are very highly thought of http://www.cutleryandmore.com/prodlist.asp?BrandID=21&FamilyID=132&src=Google&cam=John+Boos&sub=John+Boos+Cutting+Board&kw=boos%20cutting%20board'' I've used bamboo, which is ok. I like it better than the "soft" white plastic. You probably know to stay away from the hard almost glass like plastic. I recently found a relatively thick wooden board at ross, acacia, i think, that has the little moat ringing the board. Those moats definitely come in handy if you're cutting anything juicy. Tue Apr 01 18:03:08 -0700 2008 3551215 74192 chuckl 2 3554996 I love my new Boos board. Reversible maple. Better than any plastic I've ever used. Wed Apr 02 17:04:13 -0700 2008 3551246 91237 hollerhither 3 3583222 I've had my Boos for almost 18 years! Still amazing. It's the maple reversible block and with regular care (a little mineral oil goes a long way), it will last me another 18+! It has no cracks in the block and it's the perfect size to stow away or even bring camping! I've used it with my Wusthof knives from the beginning and haven't regretted a day. Thu Apr 10 21:33:23 -0700 2008 3554996 182530 spycygrl 3 3745406 Just love my Boos 18x24 maple board. Worth every penny. Tue Jun 03 10:47:11 -0700 2008 3554996 168446 LJBTampa 1 3551727 My favorite is my own - and edge-grain maple about 34"x18". If I had a do-over, and money was not an issue, I have the same in end-grain maple. I love the size, the easy-on-the-knife aspect of wood, and the presence of the board. I have other boards, as well, for smaller tasks, but they're incidental and semi-convenient for the most part (laziness factor...<g>...grab another board for the onions Hub will chop). For myself, just one good large cutting board suits. And wood is not difficult to clean. Truly. Cay Tue Apr 01 20:51:39 -0700 2008 3551215 49525 cayjohan 2 3555839 Yes! Though an end grain board that size is going to have to be at least two inches thick. So that's about 8 board-feet and at 4lbs a board foot, it's going to weigh over thirty pounds. Still, this would definitely be the ultimate in chopping technology. Wed Apr 02 22:22:37 -0700 2008 3551727 25310 Chuckles the Clone 3 3559705 Chuckles; Mine is 1 3/4 inches thick (edge grain) and weighs a lot. You bet I love it! And you bet I know the weight investment! Cay Thu Apr 03 20:01:19 -0700 2008 3555839 49525 cayjohan 1 3552554 I have 3 Read laminate cutting boards, they seem to be the same thing as the epicurean boards: http://read.sparkoid.com/cuttingboards.html I like them a lot, they never warp, can go in the dishwasher, and don't hurt my knives. Wed Apr 02 07:30:35 -0700 2008 3551215 29811 Buckethead 1 3554810 I do know that End grain wood cutting boards due last longer, and I'd also say get a board that is a little on the thicker side Wed Apr 02 16:09:03 -0700 2008 3551215 164647 gagnerants 1 3554927 I use a big bamboo board, but 99% of the time top it with a flexible silicone cutting mat. A few dozen of them live in the drawer directly under the cutting board. Chop an onion, toss the mat in the dishwasher. Cut up a chicken, toss the mat in the dishwasher. They're cheap and convenient, and make it really easy to avoid cross-contamination. Plus you can pick them up and funnel the ingredient into the pot / mixer / wok. Try doing that with a big bamboo board!!! Wed Apr 02 16:46:09 -0700 2008 3551215 58743 alanbarnes 2 3555394 Interesting... where do you get such a silicone mat? Wed Apr 02 19:17:37 -0700 2008 3554927 166161 SMOG 3 3555648 http://www.amazon.com/SiliconeZone-15-Inch-Non-Skid-Flexible-Cutting/dp/B00009PGUG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1207194481&sr=8-1 Wed Apr 02 20:50:36 -0700 2008 3555394 58743 alanbarnes 4 3558263 I've used those mats on the granite counter top and it still feels too hard. I've used them on top of my wood board when boning chicken and such but have never really liked the feel compared to cutting directly on the board plus the board is more stable and less likely to slip or move while cutting. I have never had a problem with a wood board and food poisoning. I just wash after working with animal proteins with soap and water. No special treatment of acid or bleach. Thu Apr 03 13:17:28 -0700 2008 3555648 89493 scubadoo97 5 3558492 I've used several types of plastic mats and agree that the thin ones feel awfully hard and tend to slip around and curl up at the edges. The ones that I use now are made of silicone that's quite a bit thicker than some others, so they feel fairly soft and lay flat. Plus they have dots of non-stick material on the back that keeps them firmly in place on the counter or the cutting board. Not to say that wood isn't just as good, but for my purposes I prefer the silicone. I can go through half a dozen mats in the course of preparing a meal; not having to stop to wash the board is convenient. And I do like the ability to pick up the mat and funnel ingredients into a bowl or pot. Thu Apr 03 14:05:15 -0700 2008 3558263 58743 alanbarnes 6 3559411 Thanks Alan. The ones pictured looked just like the plastic ones I have. I'll have to look for the silicone ones and ditch the others. Thu Apr 03 18:01:02 -0700 2008 3558492 89493 scubadoo97 1 3555034 I just go with standard issue jelly boards- no salt and lemons or anything the wood boards need, just chuck 'em in the dishwasher. Wed Apr 02 17:17:08 -0700 2008 3551215 23695 JCap 2 3555482 how do your knives like the jelly boards? Wed Apr 02 19:53:54 -0700 2008 3555034 74192 chuckl 3 3557264 They love them- it feels really smooth, and I don't detect any faster than normal dulling. I'm sure they cost less than $10, so it's an inexpensive option as well. Thu Apr 03 09:55:21 -0700 2008 3555482 23695 JCap 4 3558155 they just look like colorful versions of the white soft plastic boards, right? Thu Apr 03 12:57:35 -0700 2008 3557264 74192 chuckl 5 3558559 Woops- I was referring generically to all soft plastic boards. I have 3 white ones and a blue one, they are what I prefer to cut on. The blue one has faded a bit with dishwasher use. Thu Apr 03 14:16:57 -0700 2008 3558155 23695 JCap 6 3558712 I buy the cheapie white ones 4 at a time and just recycle 'em when they're ratty looking. Bamboo is pretty but best for flooring. I got a local garage-based cabinet guy to make a thick,round, Chinese-style board from local maple. Beauty! A different wrinkle on the "100 mile" dogma. Thu Apr 03 14:47:18 -0700 2008 3558559 16382 Kagemusha 1 3558634 Bought a "Grand Epicure Pro" cutting board about 6 months ago. Love it! It is similiar in appearance to the Epicurean CS which you mention,and I also was deciding between it and the one I eventually chose. Very thin and lightweight. Good on the knives. 11 1/2 inches x 18 inches. Just the right size. It has a maple finish, but is basically a laminate. Lies quite flat while chopping no warping . Check them out. Thu Apr 03 14:30:35 -0700 2008 3551215 17403 easily amused 2 3564604 I have 2 Epicureans and love them. They are kinder to your knives than wood, I also find i can chop faster, my knives don't tend to slip much and kind of grip the board. Dishwasher safe and they have the NSF seal of approval. Sat Apr 05 11:22:40 -0700 2008 3558634 10285 Candy 3 3567353 The only thing stopping me from getting one is that it seems to me like it's a very hard surface... which means a very loud noise when chopping and not the same feel as wood. Do these bother you? (Or do you even notice them?) Sun Apr 06 13:57:22 -0700 2008 3564604 166161 SMOG 4 3567424 I've never noticed any noise and though the surface seems harder than wood it is not. I'll be adding more to my collection and jettisoning some old plastic boards. I do have 1 wooden board. I hardly ever use it. Sun Apr 06 14:26:12 -0700 2008 3567353 10285 Candy 4 3568111 >> " it's a very hard surface... which means a very loud noise" No it doesn't. If you bang a knife against a hunk of granite it's not going to make much noise at all. Even though the granite is much harder than anything else you might be banging your knife against. Hardness is a much different thing than resonance. And resonance is unrelated to whatever the surface of your board might be. Plus for the most part when done right, "chopping" isn't that crazy stereotypical samurai hacking thing; it's a gentle rocking of the blade that would be pretty much silent even on a snare drum. Sun Apr 06 19:01:06 -0700 2008 3567353 25310 Chuckles the Clone 5 3568683 Yes, I agree 100% with your points. My comment was based mainly on the CI review of cutting boards, where they say they didn't like the board because of the loud knife sounds. Seems, though, that actual users of the boards here don't agree. But who knows what context they were testing the board under. Mon Apr 07 03:27:54 -0700 2008 3568111 166161 SMOG 6 3568812 I don't pay much attention to anything CI says, I am assuming you mean Cooks Illustrated? Their reality seems to be coming from a different planet.. Mon Apr 07 05:41:18 -0700 2008 3568683 10285 Candy 7 3568825 I agree - I rarely agree with them (though obviously others do!). Mon Apr 07 05:53:36 -0700 2008 3568812 10985 MMRuth 6 3569110 You want loud? You should hear the *THUNK!* *OWWW!* my 20-pound+ butcherblock makes when I drop it on my foot ... :) Sorry I misread your note, I haven't looked at the CI article yet. Checking out the Epicurian site, it looks like their boards are some sort of paper plus phenolic resin. The old name for that was Bakelite, the brown stuff radios were made with in the 1950s. It's also the substrate printed circuit boards are made from. Nothing wrong with that, but knowing what those things are like I'd guess the boards would have a bit of clatter to them. Mon Apr 07 07:47:47 -0700 2008 3568683 25310 Chuckles the Clone 3 3570904 I like the Epicureans (and I don't think they're that noisy). Not exactly the same feel as wood either, though. I have started mostly using a plastic board instead, though, after a knife skills instructor turned me onto the plastic ones with built in rubber feet. I mean you can put a wet towel underneath the Epicurean boards, but built in feet is much more convenient. Looks like Epicurean now has a model that has removable silicon feet on the corners, which would be great. Mon Apr 07 14:36:25 -0700 2008 3564604 59830 will47 4 3572147 A 12-pack of LRFs from Radio Shack is <$2 http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103342 Mon Apr 07 22:02:55 -0700 2008 3570904 25310 Chuckles the Clone 1 3558808 I do think the wood boards have been shown to be self cleaning as far as bacteria goes, bacteria counts go way down in minutes, of course you do need to wash the excess food crud off occaionally, I use dish soap at the sink and dry with a paper towel and ready to go again. the plastic boards do need to be disinfected. not sure about bamboo, might try one. Thu Apr 03 15:09:11 -0700 2008 3551215 23652 dijon 2 3561548 Dijon- That's interesting- I've never heard that before. Does the type of wood matter? Fri Apr 04 10:47:44 -0700 2008 3558808 23695 JCap 3 3561942 If you do a search for "bacteria wood plastic cutting board" or the like on the net you'll find a ton of info and discover there are two primary schools of thought: 1. Wood is safer. 2. Plastic is safer. Both sides bolster their arguments with scientific studies. Both sides claim that the scientific study done by the other side is flawed. This is a pretty common situation in science, actually, and what it means is were still at the "we're not quite sure" stage. What is clear is that people in general are not dropping from cutting board related illnesses and in the rare case when someone does, it's most likely a result of more general issues of hygiene. So pick what works for you and keep it reasonably clean and the chances are excellent you'll be perfectly fine. Fri Apr 04 12:16:42 -0700 2008 3561548 25310 Chuckles the Clone 4 3573984 Chuckles Thanks for the report, in that case I'll stick with my 40 year old end grain maple wood board which is more aesthetically appealing and doesn't get the deep knife cuts in it that plastic does. Unfortunately, some of the glue is giving way and a few joints are opening up, so might give bamboo a try too. Tue Apr 08 12:22:50 -0700 2008 3561942 23652 dijon 1 3559475 I have 2 beautiful hand-made hardwood cutting boards that must be 15 years old and they still look fantastic. Well, I do have to say that the side of the smaller one is a little blackened because I turned on my gas burner under it without realizing it. But beside that, they look almost new with minimal care. Thu Apr 03 18:22:09 -0700 2008 3551215 110306 NE_Elaine 1 3561725 In February Cook's Illustrated rated the Snow River Utility wood-laminate board as their number two pick behind end-grain style bamboo. The Epicurean wood-laminate got a low score in part due to a loud knife strike. Fri Apr 04 11:26:14 -0700 2008 3551215 77247 Romanmk 2 3567572 While I normally trust CI's reviews, I have no idea how they thought the Epicurean have a loud "knife strike". The Epicurean boards I have work essentially like regular wood boards (not surprising, since Epicurean boards are made of wood). Sun Apr 06 15:14:04 -0700 2008 3561725 45940 Shazam 3 3569968 I was happy to read that there is a less expensive brand of wood-laminate board out there. Mon Apr 07 11:12:21 -0700 2008 3567572 77247 Romanmk 1 3567505 i love my bamboo boards. and while the jury is still out, i find the information on wood being safer than plastic more compelling than the other side. but that's neither here nor there Sun Apr 06 14:53:31 -0700 2008 3551215 135229 thew 1 3568292 Bamboo is very hard. That means it will last a long time, but that it will dull knives a lot quicker than other boards. It's a trade-off you should be aware of. I like AlanBarnes suggestion, to use the silicone mat on top of the bamboo. Sun Apr 06 20:28:52 -0700 2008 3551215 10312 applehome 2 3588830 Bamboo does seem to be harder, especially the non-end-grain types. With these boards, you're cutting across the grain of the bamboo. I've found that this dulls my knives faster. A lot of these also come in opposing grain - the ends are capped by a different colour bamboo running in a perpendicular direction. I would NOT recommend these since, as these boards do still expand and contract, and since the grains run in different directions, the end pieces eventually separate from the rest. I DO love the fact that bamboo is a SUSTAINABLE product however, so I'd recommend the end grain bamboo boards, which works fairly well and looks good too! Sat Apr 12 22:48:49 -0700 2008 3568292 160840 can_i_try_some 3 3664663 The only thing that worries me about Bamboo (it's great stuff!) cutting boards is the same wonderful properties that make is sustainable (if farmed correctly, maple can be completely sustainable, again, if farmed correctly, but that's another topic) -- the fact that it is fast growing, like all memebers of the grass family. Becuase it's a member of this family, however, it contains rather high amounts of silica -- SiO2, or the same stuff glass, sand and quartz are made out of. I cannot imagine that is good for you knives... In regards to the epicurean boards, I hate them! I belong to the camp that cannot stand the sound of the board... I know, it's odd, but I just cannot handle it. Wed May 07 08:53:59 -0700 2008 3588830 156499 mateo21 4 3664791 I've never got a good answer to the "what holds the bamboo together?" question. People wave their hands and say "it's a sustainable resin". But what is it? Since at least half and likely more of the mass of a bamboo board is this resin, it probably needs to be taken into consideration before getting all green about it. Wed May 07 09:22:17 -0700 2008 3664663 25310 Chuckles the Clone 2 3694547 I have not found that my knives are dulling faster. With steeling after every use, they are staying sharper than with my old maple board. And the bamboo is whisper quiet. My bamboo is edge-grain, not the more expensive end-grain. Fri May 16 13:54:19 -0700 2008 3568292 11234 toodie jane 1 3585323 Safety/bacteria issues aside (it seems you can find something to support your opinion whether you prefer wood or plastic anyways), I just think wood or bamboo is more attractive - a gorgeous wood cutting board is just more aesthetically pleasing than a piece of a plastic or silicone, and you can always pick up a few of those silicone mats like Alanbarnes recommended if you want to make clean-up and such simpler (and they do make it easier to transfer your chopped food to pots). As far as brands go, here's a link to some excellent choices, including the John Boos: http://www.3luxe.com/category/Cutlery/Cutting_Boards . Be sure to post about your experience with whatever board(s) you end up getting! Fri Apr 11 13:56:19 -0700 2008 3551215 163375 jazspin 2 3590032 My take as well. The Boardsmith makes some beautiful boards and prices are excellent http://www.theboardsmith.com/ Sun Apr 13 12:43:29 -0700 2008 3585323 89493 scubadoo97 1 3585790 i use a rubber cutting board that is easy on my knives and is nsf certified this thing. http://www.atlantafixture.com/Detail.aspx?CurrentCategory=10946&CurrentPage=3&Mode=&ItemId=210412&LogoLink=Summary.aspx%3fMode%3dManufacturer%26MfgId%3d548%26MfgName%3dTEKNOR%2bFINANCIAL%2bCORPORATION&LogoImage=ProductImages%2fLib0000195%2f100x100%2fteknor+apex.jpg&LogoText=&MfgName=TEKNOR+FINANCIAL+CORPORATION i want the thick 1 inch one like the pic, but i only have the 1/2 inch thick one Fri Apr 11 15:53:56 -0700 2008 3551215 20566 frank828 1 3663638 I have never understood cutting boards without moats--it drives me nuts! Almost every night I cut up tomatoes and I cut up fruit; were do cutting-board designers imagine the juices will go? I prefer not-too-heavy ones that can go in the dw. Suggestions? Thanks. Tue May 06 21:12:58 -0700 2008 3551215 11036 Fine 2 3663799 You may want to invest in sharper knives and take the time and effort to keep them sharp, if in fact you're getting so much juice on the cutting board that you need a juice groove simply with tomatoes and fruits. Imagine the nutrients you're wasting. Carving boards generally have the grooves and even wells, but most cutting boards are flat. Even when carving, if you're getting lots of juice flowing out of your meats, you haven't let them rest enough. Grooves just get in the way when you're trying to dice or mince. Check out the cooking shows - how many plastic, grooved boards do you see professional chefs using? Look at the Read products link in Buckethead's post up above - the Polylite boards should meet your needs. Tue May 06 22:59:29 -0700 2008 3663638 10312 applehome 2 3694561 try seeding your tomatoes first, and catch the bits and juice in a bowl. Then cut your tomato meat on the board. Personally, I do a lot of sweeping of chopped/minced veg off the board, and a moat would drive me crazy. I did watch the video on the Epicurean boards, though, and they have several models with moats.They also have a carving board with gripping dots for the meat, though don't know how effective they look. Fri May 16 13:58:51 -0700 2008 3663638 11234 toodie jane 1 3745307 Hey everyone, my apologies for the extremely delayed response (recently got back from holiday!). After reading all the feedback, I finally decided to give the Epicurean CS board a try. It's a composite board, as mentioned above and in other posts here. I was really debating against wood, and my decision came down to the weight, size and ease of cleaning (dw safe, etc). I have to say, although I've only used it a few times, I'm really enjoying it. It's so easy to clean and care for, light enough to carry to the pots 'n pans with no problems. And when I'm done, I just put it in the cupboard, where it takes up no room at all. Haven't tried it in the dishwasher yet. My fear of it being loud when cutting on has disappeared... it's no louder than my last wood board. The cons are that it had a strange smell when wet, but this seemed to have gone away after a little use and some heavy washing; and that given it's weight, it slides on the counter much more easily than a heavy wood board, although I haven't had any major issues with this. So overall, I'd recommend this board. Thanks! Tue Jun 03 10:25:40 -0700 2008 3551215 166161 SMOG 1 3745636 I'm in the Boos board camp. I love it...I esp like my knife-feel on the board. Tue Jun 03 11:33:37 -0700 2008 3551215 12873 OCAnn 2 3747638 I've had a Boos reversible maple cutting board for about 8 years. It has worked fine but recently it started warping and I wanted to upgrade from an edge cut board to an end cut board. I really like the boards over at ozark west. They are the boards you see all over TFN (e.g. the dark walnut board on Giada's show). I found a guy down in texas who makes mesquite boards so he made me this: http://picasaweb.google.com/meadandale/Misc/photo#5207889166596737874 Same size as my Boos, end cut mesquite and looks beautiful. My Wusthofs love me :) Tue Jun 03 22:13:42 -0700 2008 3745636 193486 meadandale 3 3748918 Indeed, a beautiful board! And a bit pricier than the Boos...but I'm sure it's worth the money. Wed Jun 04 10:06:02 -0700 2008 3747638 12873 OCAnn 4 3750086 Considering that the Ozark West boards run almost $300 for a 16x20 board, I figured I stole mine at about $150, which included the shipping. I hadn't seen the boards at boardsmith--they look very nice as well and they are very reasonably priced. If anyone is interested, the guy who made my cutting board is here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5660695 His name is Vaughn and he'd be more than happy to work with you to custom make whatever you want in mesquite. Tell him Charles sent ya :-) BTW, I'm in no way affiliated with this guy, just a happy customer. Wed Jun 04 14:50:06 -0700 2008 3748918 193486 meadandale 1 3746131 http://www.theboardsmith.com/ Try these guys Tue Jun 03 13:30:43 -0700 2008 3551215 195110 jeffreyem 1 3789272 Just a head's up to those who may still be looking for a board, my local Big Lots had the Tru Bamboo XL Oval Cutting Board with stainless trim -- this board: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001379JCY?smid=A2TBDGJEUH5S52&tag=msnshop-kitchen-mp-20&linkCode=asn for $25 It's heavy, 2 inches deep, 21.5" x 12", nicely made, and at $25 a steal. Of course, your Big Lots may or may not have them. There is one left at the Big Lots on Coral Way and 27th Avenue in Miami as of when I left the store this evening. Tue Jun 17 18:14:32 -0700 2008 3551215 156760 karmalaw