Cutting Board

The best wooden boards are heavy and thick, to act as good shock absorbers, and ideally made from one piece of densely grained wood (strips of wood glued together can eventually come apart); wooden surfaces are better for cutting and chopping because they will not blunt the knife. However, disadvantages of wood are many: it is porous and so absorbs moisture which can cause warping and cracking, and it can retain stains, odours and bacteria. It is important to wash wooden boards well, scrubbing in the direction of the grain. Rinse and dry well. Polyethylene cutting boards, available in many sizes, are more hygienic than wood because they can be thoroughly cleaned, even in a dishwasher, and are soft enough to avoid blunting a knife.