Chopping board matters for discussion
 

In article
>,
rosie > wrote:

> On Jan 7, 4:59?pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
> > "rosie" > wrote
> >
> > >I use a plastic looking cutting board for everything. It can go into
> > >the dishwasher.
> >
> > I do too. It turned up in my kitchen (not my purchase) and once I began
> > using it, I had no use for my wood cutting boards after a while and got rid
> > of them. It is small, too, about 7X10 inches. I love not having to find a
> > place to store my large wood cutting boards, and not worrying about them
> > retaining bacteria.
>
> Agreed, plus my wood board is really heavy. I do not need to deal with
> that.
>
> Rosie

Wood tends not to retain bacteria. Plastic does.

That's part of the beauty of wood.
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

Omelet wrote on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:19:41 -0600:

>> On Jan 7, 4:59?pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
> >> "rosie" > wrote
> >>
> > >> I use a plastic looking cutting board for everything. It
> > >> can go into the dishwasher.
> >>
> >> I do too. It turned up in my kitchen (not my purchase) and
> >> once I began using it, I had no use for my wood cutting
> >> boards after a while and got rid of them. It is small, too,
> >> about 7X10 inches. I love not having to find a place to
> >> store my large wood cutting boards, and not worrying about
> >> them retaining bacteria.
>>
>> Agreed, plus my wood board is really heavy. I do not need to
>> deal with that.
>>
>> Rosie

> Wood tends not to retain bacteria. Plastic does.

> That's part of the beauty of wood.

Evidence please?
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

In article >,
"James Silverton" > wrote:

> Omelet wrote on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:19:41 -0600:
>
> >> On Jan 7, 4:59?pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
> > >> "rosie" > wrote
> > >>
> > > >> I use a plastic looking cutting board for everything. It
> > > >> can go into the dishwasher.
> > >>
> > >> I do too. It turned up in my kitchen (not my purchase) and
> > >> once I began using it, I had no use for my wood cutting
> > >> boards after a while and got rid of them. It is small, too,
> > >> about 7X10 inches. I love not having to find a place to
> > >> store my large wood cutting boards, and not worrying about
> > >> them retaining bacteria.
> >>
> >> Agreed, plus my wood board is really heavy. I do not need to
> >> deal with that.
> >>
> >> Rosie
>
> > Wood tends not to retain bacteria. Plastic does.
>
> > That's part of the beauty of wood.
>
> Evidence please?

I'd have to google, just something I read somewhere.
I'm too tired to do it right now. Been up for hours and have to work
tonight.

Maybe this weekend if the thread is still running.

Sorry.
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

James Silverton > wrote:
> Omelet wrote on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:19:41 -0600:

> > Wood tends not to retain bacteria. Plastic does.
> > That's part of the beauty of wood.

> Evidence please?

Here you go . . .

Ak N, Cliver D, Kaspari C (1994). "Cutting Boards of Plastic and Wood Contaminated Experimentally with Bacteria". Journal of Food Protection 57 (1): 16-22.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

In article >,
"James Silverton" > wrote:

> Omelet wrote on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:19:41 -0600:
>
> >> On Jan 7, 4:59?pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
> > >> "rosie" > wrote
> > >>
> > > >> I use a plastic looking cutting board for everything. It
> > > >> can go into the dishwasher.
> > >>
> > >> I do too. It turned up in my kitchen (not my purchase) and
> > >> once I began using it, I had no use for my wood cutting
> > >> boards after a while and got rid of them. It is small, too,
> > >> about 7X10 inches. I love not having to find a place to
> > >> store my large wood cutting boards, and not worrying about
> > >> them retaining bacteria.
> >>
> >> Agreed, plus my wood board is really heavy. I do not need to
> >> deal with that.
> >>
> >> Rosie
>
> > Wood tends not to retain bacteria. Plastic does.
>
> > That's part of the beauty of wood.
>
> Evidence please?

Ok, here is one website:

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/woodvsplascu.html

But with the google searches I did, I found evidence for both sides.

For me, I've found that wood dries faster then plastic and wetness
encourages bacterial growth. I suppose in the hot environment of a
dishwasher, plastic would fare better.

But I don't use a dishwasher. I scrub by hand with a good scrubbie and
hot soapy water.

I've only managed to FP myself twice in my life, and neither incident
had anything to do with the cutting board. ;-)

One was a bad Raw egg (I like raw eggs) and the other had to do with
incorrect cooling procedure for stock pot cooked soup.

There is a reason I like pressure cookers...
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

On Jan 8, 1:18*pm, Omelet > wrote:

> My kitchen is clean when I'm done cooking, except for the immediate
> necessary serving pots and dishes.
>
> I clean between steps to kill cooking time. ;-)
>
> And I don't own a dishwasher. *I think they make people lazy.
>
> YMMV of course...

Well, good for you. I don't place a high value on a clean kitchen,
but
I do place a high value on my time. Practically anything is better
than standing at the kitchen sink. It leaves me more time for
reading,
or spending time with my husband, or--well, really the sky's the
limit.
Dishwashing is one of those pointless tasks best left to a machine.
I don't wash my clothing by hand, either.

When I get to the end of my life, I am unlikely to say, "Gosh, I
really
wish I had spent more time washing the dishes."

Cindy Hamilton

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

On Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:16:59 -0600, Omelet wrote:

> In article >,
> Goomba > wrote:
>
>> blake murphy wrote:
>>
>>>> I personally so no advantage to wood, other than appearance. I will admit
>>>> to having beautiful wood carving boards and cheese boards, but they're not
>>>> used on a routine basis.
>>>
>>> i think they just feel better. somehow 'warmer.'
>>>
>>> your pal,
>>> blake
>>
>> I think they feel better too.
>> They are quieter too when cutting/chopping/slicing/whatever
>> They are natural products, simple tools and wear a certain cache of
>> classic-ness. For generations they've been just fine and I appreciate that.
>
> I don't understand the "dishwasher" proof thing for plastic.
> I clean off my cutting board as soon as I'm done using it and put it
> away. Just takes a few seconds.
>
> Same for my knives...
>

exactly. cleaning the knives or the board takes so little time that i
don't see the advantage to putting them in the dishwasher.

and probably i don't keep my knives so razor-sharp that the plastic would
dull them more appreciably. it's just the idea of the thing.

your pal,
blake

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

Cindy Hamilton wrote:

>> And I don't own a dishwasher. I think they make people lazy.
>> YMMV of course...
>
> Well, good for you. I don't place a high value on a clean kitchen,
> but
> I do place a high value on my time. Practically anything is better
> than standing at the kitchen sink. It leaves me more time for
> reading,
> or spending time with my husband, or--well, really the sky's the
> limit.
> Dishwashing is one of those pointless tasks best left to a machine.
> I don't wash my clothing by hand, either.
>
> When I get to the end of my life, I am unlikely to say, "Gosh, I
> really
> wish I had spent more time washing the dishes."
>
> Cindy Hamilton

I hear ya. I value a clean, attractive kitchen to work in. I help keep
it clean and pleasant as I work by putting dirty dishes into the
dishwasher to wait until I run the machine. I don't have to work around
them or look at them while I go about my business. It makes everything
more pleasant, IMO. I'm hardly lazy, lol. I'm smart enough to know how
to work efficiently.

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

On Thu, 8 Jan 2009 06:15:37 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton wrote:

> On Jan 7, 7:16*pm, Omelet > wrote:
>> In article >,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *Goomba > wrote:
>>> blake murphy wrote:
>>
>>> >> I personally so no advantage to wood, other than appearance. *I will admit
>>> >> to having beautiful wood carving boards and cheese boards, but they're not
>>> >> used on a routine basis.
>>
>>> > i think they just feel better. *somehow 'warmer.'
>>
>>> > your pal,
>>> > blake
>>
>>> I think they feel better too.
>>> They are quieter too when cutting/chopping/slicing/whatever
>>> They are natural products, simple tools and wear a certain cache of
>>> classic-ness. For generations they've been just fine and I appreciate that.
>>
>> I don't understand the "dishwasher" proof thing for plastic.
>> I clean off my cutting board as soon as I'm done using it and put it
>> away. Just takes a few seconds.
>>
>
> 1. I can't be bothered to clean up a wooden cutting board while I'm
> cooking.
> Half the time all of the dishes sit in the sink and on the
> counter overnight
> until I motivate myself to put them in the dishwasher.
> 2. The husband can't even be bothered to rinse a knife he's just
> used.
> 3. I can use any of my cutting boards for any type of food, although
> I generally
> cut the meat last so that I can use but one board for the meal.
>
> Basically, we live like a couple of bachelors.
>
> Cindy Hamilton

well, i am a bachelor, so i live like one, too. but depending on the food,
it's either cut meat first, then wash the board, or vegetables first, then
meat, then wash. i might have to deal with some dishes in the sink to
accommodate washing the board.

your pal,
blake

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

On Wed, 7 Jan 2009 07:50:09 -0800 (PST), Sheldon wrote:

> Dumb Mick murphy wrote:
>> HalfWitPits09 wrote:
>>> Sheldon wrote:
>>>> HalfWitPits09 wrote:
>>
>>>>> Plastic chopping boards versus good old fashioned wood.
>>
>>>> You chop firewood in your kitchen? � Therre's no such kitchen
>>>> acootiement as a "chopping" board... don't you mean carving/cutting
>>>> board?
>>
>>> Not sure about that.
>>> I Chop Parsley & mint �albeit with a cleaver used as a lever
>>> Chop onions and garlic
>>> Chop more finely mince when making larb Gai
>>> Chop chicken and pork VERY fine � for certain spring rolls
>>
>>> that is all done on a board .
>>
>>> On the bigger stuff �yes then it is to a chopping block when breaking
>>> down sides of �sheep �beef �etc
>>> chopping block is half a tree stump � :)
>>
>> pay no attention to the semi-literate sheldon. �his grasp of the english
>> language is
>
> English is capitalized, DUMB MICK!

no, really? i'd never heard that before.

compared to your many and various manglings of the language, my sins are
slight. i do admire your mastery of CAPITALIZATION, though.

blake

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

On Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:34:06 -0600, Omelet wrote:

> In article >,
> ChattyCathy > wrote:
>
>> Pits09 wrote:
>>
>>> My vote goes to wood
>>
>> Mine too.
>
> Cathy, this might make a good survey. :-)
>
> Two answers only.
>
> Plastic or wood.
>
> Perhaps a third, MCNL. <g>

kryptonite?

your pal,
kent

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

On Thu, 8 Jan 2009 06:57:55 -0800 (PST), Sheldon wrote:

> "Dale P" wrote:
>>
>> I have used plastic boards for years. �I have worn out a number of them. �I
>> like the moderate sized ones, I can grab one, do my work and place it into
>> the dishwasher. �I do not worry about the meat, onion and garlic smell, or
>> any other contamination as the dishwasher takes care of it. �I do have one
>> very large, very old wooden board for the cooked turkey, roast,
>
> I retired all my wooden boards from food prep use, now they are used
> only for serving/presentation, they make nice trivets too. I use
> plastic exclusively, they're inexpensive enough to have many, require
> no care, are kind to cutlery, and go right in the dishwasher. I have
> a few large plastic boards but they can be cumbersome, heavy, and
> difficult to grasp, for most prep work I prefer the 9" X 12" size with
> hand holes. Plastic boards can be decorative too, there are colors
> and styles to match any decor.

what colors and styles do your cats prefer?

blake

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

On Thu 08 Jan 2009 01:36:55p, Cindy Hamilton told us...

> On Jan 8, 1:18*pm, Omelet > wrote:
>
>> My kitchen is clean when I'm done cooking, except for the immediate
>> necessary serving pots and dishes.
>>
>> I clean between steps to kill cooking time. ;-)
>>
>> And I don't own a dishwasher. *I think they make people lazy.
>>
>> YMMV of course...
>
> Well, good for you. I don't place a high value on a clean kitchen,
> but
> I do place a high value on my time. Practically anything is better
> than standing at the kitchen sink. It leaves me more time for
> reading,
> or spending time with my husband, or--well, really the sky's the
> limit.
> Dishwashing is one of those pointless tasks best left to a machine.
> I don't wash my clothing by hand, either.
>
> When I get to the end of my life, I am unlikely to say, "Gosh, I
> really
> wish I had spent more time washing the dishes."
>
> Cindy Hamilton

Cindy, I think we basically agree. I do value a spotlessly clean and
organized house, but I find if I do a bit a a time it will stay that way.
I definitely will use any convenience appliance to minimize or eliminate
effort put into tasks where at all possible. This includes dishwasher,
automatic laundry, high-powered steam cleaner (the best are from Italy),
and Roomba vacuum cleaners, just to mention the major ones. I do value my
time, both personal and with David, over anything else, including work. I
do a good job at work, although I work at home on Fridays, and I'm at least
as organized and efficient at work as I am at home.It seems to me that it
just makes life more simple and pleasant.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
************************************************** **********************
Date: Thursday, 01(I)/08(VIII)/09(MMIX)
************************************************** **********************
Countdown till Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
1wks 3dys 6hrs 48mins
************************************************** **********************
'I think so, Brain, but isn't Regis Philbin already married?' - Pinky
************************************************** **********************

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

On Thu 08 Jan 2009 02:30:30p, blake murphy told us...

> On Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:16:59 -0600, Omelet wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> Goomba > wrote:
>>
>>> blake murphy wrote:
>>>
>>>>> I personally so no advantage to wood, other than appearance. I will
>>>>> admit to having beautiful wood carving boards and cheese boards, but
>>>>> they're not used on a routine basis.
>>>>
>>>> i think they just feel better. somehow 'warmer.'
>>>>
>>>> your pal,
>>>> blake
>>>
>>> I think they feel better too.
>>> They are quieter too when cutting/chopping/slicing/whatever
>>> They are natural products, simple tools and wear a certain cache of
>>> classic-ness. For generations they've been just fine and I appreciate
>>> that.
>>
>> I don't understand the "dishwasher" proof thing for plastic.
>> I clean off my cutting board as soon as I'm done using it and put it
>> away. Just takes a few seconds.
>>
>> Same for my knives...
>>
>
> exactly. cleaning the knives or the board takes so little time that i
> don't see the advantage to putting them in the dishwasher.
>
> and probably i don't keep my knives so razor-sharp that the plastic
> would dull them more appreciably. it's just the idea of the thing.
>
> your pal,
> blake
>
>
>

The advantage to me, is being able to disregard any cleaning of cutting
boards and I have half a dozen of various types and sizes of non-wood
materials; e.g., vinyl, silicone, etc. They go immediately from the work
area to the dishwasher, and I always run the "sani-cycle". My knives,
OTOH, I hand wash and dry immediately after use and go back in the block.

All of my cutting boards are a minimum 1/2" thick and have a surface that's
equal to or better than wood as far as the impact on the knives.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
************************************************** **********************
Date: Thursday, 01(I)/08(VIII)/09(MMIX)
************************************************** **********************
Countdown till Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
1wks 3dys 6hrs 43mins
************************************************** **********************
Real punk rockers don't smile.
************************************************** **********************

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

In article
>,
Cindy Hamilton > wrote:

> On Jan 8, 1:18*pm, Omelet > wrote:
>
> > My kitchen is clean when I'm done cooking, except for the immediate
> > necessary serving pots and dishes.
> >
> > I clean between steps to kill cooking time. ;-)
> >
> > And I don't own a dishwasher. *I think they make people lazy.
> >
> > YMMV of course...
>
> Well, good for you. I don't place a high value on a clean kitchen,
> but
> I do place a high value on my time. Practically anything is better
> than standing at the kitchen sink. It leaves me more time for
> reading,
> or spending time with my husband, or--well, really the sky's the
> limit.
> Dishwashing is one of those pointless tasks best left to a machine.
> I don't wash my clothing by hand, either.
>
> When I get to the end of my life, I am unlikely to say, "Gosh, I
> really
> wish I had spent more time washing the dishes."
>
> Cindy Hamilton

Whatever works for you. :-)

For me, it kills time during the cooking process when I'm in the kitchen
anyway...
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

blake murphy wrote:

> On Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:34:06 -0600, Omelet wrote:
>
>> Cathy, this might make a good survey. :-)
>>
>> Two answers only.
>>
>> Plastic or wood.
>>
>> Perhaps a third, MCNL. <g>

Your wish is my command. <g> I'll put it up shortly.

BTW, we had a very similar one in 2006 sometime, but IMHO, this is one
of those topics that often comes up here on r.f.c. anyway - as the
subscribers come and go - so I think a 're-run' can't do much harm...
>
> kryptonite?
>
> your pal,
> kent

<Cathy wipes the soda pop off her keyboard and monitor>

Definitely gonna put that in as an option methinks!
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

Check out Sani-Tuff boards, rubber, easily cleaned, can be cut like wood and
sanded easily. It is also dishwasher safe though I don't recommend it do to
warping. I have one that is smaller than my 16"x22" Cherry wood board that I
cut raw protien on only while everything else gets cut on the wooden board.

--

Joe Cilinceon

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

Omelet wrote:
>> �Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> > > And I don't own a dishwasher. �I think they make people lazy.

Dishwashers do not make people lazy, people who are lazy are lazy all
on their own... lazy people would be lazy whether they had a
dishwasher of not, I've met plenty of people who own dishwashers but
are too lazy to run or empty them.

> > I don't wash my clothing by hand, either.

Also not a valid agument (you're talking apples and oranges), doing
laundry by hand is a whole lot more laborious and time consuming than
washing dishes by hand... there are plenty of laundromats for folks
who for various reasons don't/can't own a washer/drier... but I know
of no one who hauls their soiled dishes to the local dishwash-o-mat.
I never met anyone whose living conditions prevented them having a
washer and drier who didn't wish they could have them.,. and many do
have dishwashers but trading it for a clothes washer and drier would
be a no brainer. It's a whole lot easier to live without a
dishwasher.

Neither of you make a good defense for your position.

The only real argument for using dishwashers is that they definitely
save some energy and water but mostly they provide better temporary
storage for soiled dishes than the kitchen sink... whether they save
time and labor is debatable based on lifestyle... I think for single
folks dishwashers save but save very little... the more people in a
household the more the savings increase.

I've lived most of my life without using a dish washer. In fact I
bought a brand new dishwasher for my last house when I moved in
because there was an empty space, and lived there 18 years without
ever turning it on, not even once, in fact to this day I don't know it
it actually ran. But here I decided to use a dishwasher. I admit
there is a learning curve going from hand washing to dishwasher, and I
still wash many things by hand, but I would never go back... I derive
immense pleasure everytime I pop my stove grates and drip pans into
the dishwasher, sure beats hand washing.

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

In article >,
ChattyCathy > wrote:

> blake murphy wrote:
>
> > On Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:34:06 -0600, Omelet wrote:
> >
> >> Cathy, this might make a good survey. :-)
> >>
> >> Two answers only.
> >>
> >> Plastic or wood.
> >>
> >> Perhaps a third, MCNL. <g>
>
> Your wish is my command. <g> I'll put it up shortly.

I liked your selections better. ;-)
I'd forgotten about glass ones. IMHO they'd be way to hard on the knife
blades and I'd be afraid of getting glass slivers in my food.

>
> BTW, we had a very similar one in 2006 sometime, but IMHO, this is one
> of those topics that often comes up here on r.f.c. anyway - as the
> subscribers come and go - so I think a 're-run' can't do much harm...

Indeed!

> >
> > kryptonite?
> >
> > your pal,
> > kent
>
> <Cathy wipes the soda pop off her keyboard and monitor>
>
> Definitely gonna put that in as an option methinks!

Made ME smile! <lol>
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama

Chopping board matters for discussion
 

In article
>,
Sheldon > wrote:

> I derive
> immense pleasure everytime I pop my stove grates and drip pans into
> the dishwasher, sure beats hand washing.

Ok, for those two items, I can see the value. <g>
Right now, those get soaked in a large pan of soapy water OUTDOORS
(because the sinks are too small to soak them properly) then hosed off
with a power nozzle after scrubbing.

I don't use those items that often...
--
Peace! Om

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." -- Dalai Lama