Board Care

Boards for a lifetime

Maple Cutting Boards are Essential in any Kitchen … especially naturally beautiful ones!

Published research has settled the issue of hardwood being the safest cutting surface with its Natural Antibacterial and Antimicrobial properties and long-wearing nature.

TYPES OF BOARDS

WOOD – Hard Wood cutting boards have been the stalwarts for safe food preparation for centuries, and are easy on your knives. A smooth board with no coating dries quickly. Without moisture any bacteria is dead.

PLASTIC - Even when plastic cutting boards are washed with hot soapy water or put through a dishwasher, they continue to breed bacteria. Unlike wood, the knife cuts never completely dry, hosting bacteria such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. Plastic also dulls your knives.

BAMBOO - Bamboo is a grass. The thin pieces require tremendous amounts of petroleum, non-food-safe, epoxy. Bamboo will dull your knives and like plastic the cuts never dry, harboring bacteria. Even bleaching fails to clean plastic and bamboo boards. There are no antibacterial properties in bamboo.

GLASS – Quickly dulls your knives and you could end up with tiny glass shards in your food.

There’s one more ingredient that should be a part of every kitchen: Common Sense. Avoid cross-contamination by NEVER chopping vegetables/fruit (or anything else for that matter) on a cutting board that has just been used for raw meat, seafood, poultry, or vice versa. For a completely food safe kitchen, two cutting boards are your safest bet. A washed board that has been used for meat is not bacteria free until it is 100% dry. Therefore washing a board that’s just been used for meat, then using it to cut vegetables, is asking for a debilitating illness. Watch CBC Marketplace Feb 11, 2011 that 66% of chicken sold across Canada has Salmonella.

Hardwood Cutting Boards Cleaning and Care

Wet boards with soap & warm water and clean with cloth or brush, then rinse and towel dry. Place on edge or on a RACK with equal air space on both sides this way your boards will remain flat. Bacteria require moist surfaces and dry boards will not support bacteria. Once 100% dry your board is bacteria free.

Do not lay any wet board flat on the counter to dry or it will warp. If you warp your board wet the concave side and lay the concave face down for about 30 minutes or until you see it’s flat again. If it’s necessary to sanitize the board, rub with a bit of lemon or vinegar, then rinse off and dry. Vinegar works as a disinfectant. Never put a wooden cutting board in a dishwasher. The hot water will damage the wood. Never soak or let the board sit in water.

Every now and then you may wish to hand-sand and touch-up your board using 400 or 600 grit sandpaper available at any hardware store. Sand only when “clean & perfectly dry”. An electric sander with fine grit can also be used.

Cutting Board Finish

The best “cutting board” finish is no finish at all. An oil/wax coating will mask the natural antibacterial properties of wood making it “less food safe” in the case of bacteria contamination. Wax makes cuts in wood act like a plastic surface where the cuts hold moisture and dangerous bacteria.

Our cutting boards are sanded to a “Smooth As Glass” natural wood finish. With the correct cleaning, storing and drying procedures, they will remain bacteria free and serve you well for decades. We use food-safe, waterproof glue for our boards.

Avoid using vegetable, olive, or nut oils etc. (even organic ones). They all contain natural fats and will turn rancid over time. Also, a bees wax finish accumulates grime and bacteria. Old wax scraped off boards is no longer its golden color, but gray and dirty. If you feel you must coat your cutting or serving board, use mineral oil.

Any board used for Cheese, Charcuterie or Serving can be coated with a light food grade mineral oil found at a pharmacy.

Use caution when using serrated edge knives on your board to avoid deep cuts to the surface.

Our Unique Drying Racks will keep your boards clean, dry, flat and healthy. These can be purchased with your board(s) or at any time. The Drying Racks can also display your beautiful cutting and serving boards on your counter or island.

Bon Appetite!

Geoff & Christine Harris (902) 920-0311

Tatamagouche, NS email: christineharris35@hotmail.com

WEBSITE: https://harriswoodworks.wixsite.com/hwws

Cutting Boards … Smooth as Glass & “FOODSAFE BY NATURE”