Why did I have so many questions? The cutting boards that were for sale ranged from $30 to $180. They were all a little unique depending on the type of wood, thickness and structure. Some were round, rectangular or square. I had no clue where to begin and wanted to learn more.
The store manager was a "guru" of culinary tools. He began to describe the different types of boards and their benefits. He began to tell me about the Boos Block (which was his favorite). He noted that the wood used in the Boos Block was soft enough to provide care for my knives, however, he mentioned it would require a little effort to maintain the quality of the board. Given the boards porous quality, because it's wood, oiling the board to keep the surface intact was required.
NSF certified: National Sanitation Foundation
Never had I heard of "oiling" boards before, AND, I had been using a wooden cutting board for the last year and a half. In my experience, I had noticed that my cutting board at home retained colors and strong odors (onions and garlic especially). I had even started using a separate plastic board for those foods.
All together, I was sold on the Boos Block and he mentioned this was a staple in the Food Network kitchens. I knew that the maintenance would not be an issue for me since I spend most of my time in my kitchen.
I have had the board for 2 weeks now and I have loved it. I purchased the Boos Edge-Grain Maple Medium cutting board (20" x 15" and 1 1/4" thick). It is 10 lbs and provides a very stable surface for chopping anything.
My new Boos Block!
I have and will not use it for meat products (just my food safety side kicking in) but the store manager said it was safe (except fish and poultry).
There is a ritual oiling schedule:
The first week: oil once day for 7 days
The first month: oil once a week for 4 weeks
Life Time: oil once a month forever
The oil is an approved mineral oil for food surfaces ($6/bottle).
I hope this informed you of a great product for your kitchen. There is always more to a kitchen tool than meets the eye. Do not be afraid to ask questions about various products. The Williams and Sonoma staff were very helpful in pointing me in the right direction.
Happy Shopping!
Little Chef-titian
Hmm, I always oil ours with olive oil, only the extra virgin! Is it bad to use evoo in this fashion?
ReplyDeleteFor sure oiling your board is the right thing to do and yeah you have to use a natural oil or it will go rancid which therefore ends up in your food, and I am always surprised how people mis-use and mis-treat their boards, they aren't cheap and should be taken care of properly. Great read today, thanks.
ReplyDeleteYes, the mineral oil that I purchased was from Williams and Sonoma: Tree Spirit Mineral Oil (protects woodenware and is food safe). Also for cleaning the board, it is recommended to never put it in the dishwasher or submerge it under water. Use mild soap and water. Rinse and dry immediately.
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