Cutting Boards For the Kitchen..Bamboo

 A good quality cutting board is an essential for every kitchen. And as a bonus the cutting board should also be attractive as well. That’s why I go with the bamboo boards and don’t own any of the plastic types…

  Now previously there had been a belief that plastic was actually safer in terms of bacterial growth on the board after use. However, there are now several studies with conflicting results. But whatever the case, plastic is just plain ugly….and it does seem to groove more than a “hardwood” like bamboo. Now if given the choice of swallowing a small piece of bamboo vs a small chip of plastic…..you know what I’d choose. As far as bacterial growth is concerned..just wash the board after use and you can also sanitize it as well.

 Also, you want to have special cutting boards for those chores involving foods that tend to “taint” the board. For instance, you definately want a special board for cutting and dicing your hot peppers as the heat  can stay with the board and transfer over to other foods.

 As far as Bamboo is concerned, it makes for a very attractive board that’s also extremely hard and resistant to gouging (16% harder than maple). The signature move to both use the board and keep it looking awesome is to use only one side for cutting and the other for serving precut cheese or whatever.

 But just as important, is that from an environmental perspective bamboo, which is actually a grass, grows extremely fast..(peaks at about two feet per day). So we’re talking something that is renewable in very short time-frames unlike a stately maple tree that can takes much longer. Bamboo is a beautiful, functional and environmentally responsible choice for a cutting board.

Related Links:

• The Party Cheese Tray
• Chile Pepper Primer
• Info on Triclosan..An Active Ingredient In Antibacterial Soaps
• More Negative Effects of the Antibacterial Triclosan
• Target’s Product Page of Bamboo Cutting Board