A butcher’s block is much more than just a slat of wood. It is a decorative and sometimes valuable object that can tell people who you are.
For one thing they come in all kinds of different types of wood. Some of the nicest ones are made of large Vermont Maple or Walnut.
If you want a really nice cutting board be prepared to spend some cash. Remember that you are not looking for just any old plastic cutting board from Ikea. Some of the cheaper cutting boards that are made of wood are barely worth the investment because they harbor so many bacteria in their seams and cracks.
Here are six things you should look for when investing in a high-end quality cutting board –
1. Make sure you like the way it looks. If you don’t like beige colored woods then don’t get a cutting board that is made of beech or birch or some other type of light colored wood. If you don’t like dark woods then stay away from walnut or mahogany cutting boards. Each type of wood has a character and it should be friendly to your tastes as it will be yours for a very long time.
2. Make sure it matches your kitchen. It is a good idea to try and match the wood of your cutting board with the wood or wood veneer in your kitchen. If there is no wood in your kitchen make sure the color of the wood matches the paint job in your kitchen. If you are planning to redecorate again and again then go for the butcher’s block that is the plainest looking.
3. Look for a board that has been treated with mineral oil before it leaves the shop. This will keep it sealed, moisturized and resilient to scratches with sharp knives and butcher blades.
4. Make sure the board is made out of solid wood and not somehow glued together from two pieces of wood. Not only can wood cutting boards boast seams that trap bacteria but they can split when they get wet. The kinds of industrial glues that are used to put together wood like this are also not very healthy for humans. Furthermore one hard whack with a knife at the wrong angle could cause the board to split and cause the board to split.
5. Look for an unvarnished cutting board. Cutting boards with varnish can leach poisons into your food.
6. Look for a high quality butcher’s block or cutting board that has rubber feet. This prevents your countertops and table tops from being marred. Without these feet you can leave dents or marks due to the blunt force of chopping motions applied to the block.
As you can see there is a lot more to consider when decorating with a butcher’s block then you probably originally contemplated!