Cheese boards and cutting boards are both essential tools in the kitchen. At first glance, they may look quite similar - they're both flat wooden boards after all. But when it comes to purpose and functionality, these two boards are quite different.
A cheese board is designed specifically for serving and presenting cheeses, charcuterie meats, fruits and other snacks. The focus is on providing an aesthetically pleasing spread to enjoy with friends and family.
A cutting board, on the other hand, serves a more utilitarian function - providing a durable and hygienic surface for chopping, slicing and preparing foods in the kitchen.
Cheese Boards for Stylish Serving
Cheese boards go by many names - charcuterie boards, grazing platters, antipasto boards - but the common thread is that they provide a platform to artistically present an assortment of foods.
More than just a serving piece, a thoughtfully designed cheese board becomes a focal point and conversation starter at parties. Friends and family will gather around to enjoy the variety of flavors and appreciate your efforts in putting together such an impressive spread.
Key Takeaway: The primary purpose of a cheese board is serving and presentation.
Why Choose a Cheese Board?
There are several advantages that elevate cheese boards above regular platters or trays when it comes to serving up foods:
- Visual Appeal: Cheese boards allow you to display foods in an aesthetically pleasing way, whether you arrange wheels and wedges of artisanal cheeses, fold cured meats into floral shapes, or sprinkle nuts and fruits around the board.
- Special Design Elements: Many boards designed specifically for serving charcuterie have grooves for cheese knives, small bowls or trays for nuts and spreads, and raised edges to keep items neatly on the board.
- Variety: A large spread on a spacious board means you can serve up a wide selection of flavors and textures to suit any palate.
Key Factors for Picking Cheese Boards
Keep the following criteria in mind when selecting your next cheese serving board:
Material
Popular options like acacia wood boards or white marble charcuterie boards set an elegant backdrop for your cheeses and meats to really stand out.
Shape and Size
The shape and dimensions should suit your purpose, whether an intimate gathering calls for a small round board or a large dinner party demands an expansive rectangular plank for a bountiful spread.
Design Elements
Pay attention to special features like juice grooves, indentations for crackers and nuts, or built-in bowls that not only serve functional purposes but also add visual interest.
Durability
Even though cheese boards don't endure the same wear and tear as cutting boards, pick sturdy materials that can handle occasional nicks and scratches without losing structural integrity or aesthetic appeal.
The Cutting Board: A Kitchen Workhorse
While a cheese board plays a starring role at parties, cutting boards perform essential - if unsung - duties day in and day out in home kitchens.
As platforms for slicing, dicing, mincing, pounding, and otherwise prepping ingredients that eventually become mouthwatering meals, cutting boards work hard behind the scenes.
Durable materials and smart design allow a quality cutting board to confidently withstand repeated use - saving your countertops from knife marks in the process!
Let's look closer at why cutting boards are such a kitchen necessity:
Key Takeaway: Cutting boards are designed for food preparation tasks like chopping and slicing.
Why You Need a Cutting Board
- Protects countertops: No one wants sliced grooves and carved divots marking up their pristine granite or marble counters. Cutting boards shield surfaces from damage.
- Prevents contamination: Using separate boards for produce, bread, raw meat and fish limits the transfer of bacteria and allergens from one food type to another.
- Saves knife edges: Hard cutting surfaces dull fine blades; soft wood boards are gentle on knife edges so they stay sharp longer.
- Easy to clean: Cutting boards conveniently contain the mess created during food prep and are easy to sanitize after use.
- Portability: Lightweight boards allow you to chop and slice anywhere - pop them on the counter when it's time for dinner or bring them outside for BBQ prep.
Shopping Considerations for Cutting Boards
To find the best cutting board for your kitchen, keep the following criteria in mind:
Material
Common options include wood boards (maple is highly durable), plastic, silicone, glass, and bamboo. Consider knife friendliness, ease of cleaning, and appearance.
Size
What are your typical prep needs - space for one onion or cornucopia of veggies? Larger boards offer ample room for tasking, smaller sizes conveniently tuck away.
Special Features
Some boards sport handy extras like juice grooves to catch runoff liquids, tapered edges to easily funnel food into pots, or racks underneath to neatly store knives.
Maintenance
Select boards made of materials that hold up well against daily wear and tear. Understand how to properly care for and clean the board to enjoy it long term.
| Material | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | Gentle on knife edges; naturally antibacterial | Can warp if improperly cared for; stains over time |
| Plastic | Affordable; dishwasher safe | Prone to knife scars; can harbor bacteria |
| Bamboo | Harder than most woods; naturally antimicrobial | Knives can cause splintering |
| Glass | Easy to thoroughly clean and sanitize | Extremely hard on knife edges |
With the right cutting board selected based on your cooking habits and preferences, you're equipped with an essential sidekick for all your food preparation needs.
Key Takeaway: Durability, knife/surface protection, hygiene and ease of cleaning are key factors that set quality cutting boards apart.
Key Differences: Cheese Board vs Cutting Board
Now that we've covered the distinct purposes and ideal features of cheese boards and cutting boards separately, let's directly compare them:
Usage and Function
Cheese boards excel at artful presentation; their top priorities are aesthetics and providing a welcoming spread of appetizer-style foods.
Cutting boards focus on utility in food preparation; they must be durable, knife-friendly, and easily cleaned.
Materials and Design
Cheese boards showcase visual appeal through quality wood types and stone materials as well as incorporation of trays, bowls and raised edges.
Durable, inexpensive and easily maintained materials like plastic, wood or bamboo suit everyday cutting board needs.
Maintenance
Cheese boards only need occasional gentle cleaning by hand with warm water. Regular treatment with food-safe oil preserves wood boards.
Staying on top of daily cleaning plus regular sanitizing is a must for cutting boards to limit bacteria.
FAQs
Can you use a cutting board as a cheese board?
While it's better to use the appropriate boards for their intended purposes, there's no reason a clean cutting board can't pull backup duty for displaying cheeses and charcuterie in a pinch. Just be sure to thoroughly clean and sanitize it first!
What's the best way to clean a wooden cutting board?
Use hot water, mild dish soap, and a brush to gently but thoroughly clean wood boards after each use. Rinse and dry completely upside down to prevent water pooling and warping. Apply mineral oil every few weeks to condition and protect the surface.
Where is the best place to store cutting boards?
Keep cutting boards in a dry, ventilated area like a cabinet or mounted vertically with hooks. Allow both sides an chance to dry out to prevent warping and bacterial growth.
How do you properly slice cheese for a charcuterie board?
Serve cheese at room temperature for fullest flavor. Use different knives for soft and hard cheeses to keep flavors distinct. Cut firm cheeses into cubes or wedges, and soft cheeses into discs or spoon onto the board. Offer crackers and bread to accompany.
What 3 ingredients make the perfect charcuterie board?
- An array of cheeses: fresh, aged, hard, soft, blue
- Cured meats: salami, prosciutto, sausages
- Fresh fruits: grapes, figs, berries
Then complete the board with olives, nuts, jams, crackers and herbs.
Conclusion
With a solid grasp of what sets cheese boards and cutting boards apart, deciding which style suits your needs is straightforward.
Are you hosting a sophisticated soirée? A visually striking cheese board is sure to wow your guests.
Will you be chopping pounds of produce to fuel family meals? A sturdy cutting board is a kitchen necessity.