ProTeak Line

We said we were going to do it and they have arrived! The ProTeak line of teak chopping blocks and cutting boards have been feverishly loaded to our website. Well, maybe not feverishly but we moved very quickly!

In just reviewing the pictures of the products THEY ARE AMAZING! We seperated them into each of the product lines and thus here's a few links to get started:

Entire ProTeak Line

ProTeak Chopping Blocks

ProTeak Cutting Boards

We're loving the new line and don't forget to download ProTeak's Renewable Forest Policy.

The Chop Master

Pro Teak Cutting Board Line

I'm so excited and can't wait to have our new line of Teak cutting boards and chopping blocks ready to view.

Here's a quick look at what they will look like and check back to our website for chopping blocks and cutting boards in our new cool teak line!

The Chop Master

Chopping Blocks

Chopping blocks are a perfect kitchen item to have around and they just are gorgeous! I must admit that even in my kitchen there's not much that I do that would call for the toughness my chopping block provides. In a word - I just wanted one, plain and simple. It's similar to when I had a 4 x 4 pickup truck - I really didn't need one but it's what I wanted! Take a look at this cherry version and you'll be hooked too. Plus this one just provides plenty of work space for chopping my garlic for my steamed spinach dish!

Peruse our chopping block collection and pick one out for yourself.

Enjoy!

The Chop Master

Bamboo Countertops

Bamboo countertops and I love them! They just have that little something extra that you're looking for to set your kitchen on fire, a little something to give it a little edge.

Yes it's a departure from the norm but worthy of deeper look. The Totally Bamboo line has a trade marked Multilam Core that adds the strength and at the same time a rich beauty. Take a quick look at our bamboo countertops for parquet, vertical grain, face grain, light or dark - okay in a nutshell we have what you need.

Cheers!

The Chop Master

Ceramic Knives

First....this is not your Mother's knife so put away the steel blades and old what of doing things!

While a ceramic knife is not the end all it does have it's place in your kitchen. And here's why: it's harder than your steel blade - here's a picture to show where your ceramic knife sits compared to others.
















As a result of it's hardness a ceramic blade will maintain it's sharp edge much longer than your traditional blade. Still not convinced? Let me guess: you do some serious chopping and think a ceramic blade will be too brittle. Well, you're right. But really, just how often do you chop versus cut? Exactly. When the situation calls for it pull out your steel blade and chop away but for those veggies and boneless meats keep your ceramic blade close by.

Take a look at our complete collection of Kyocera ceramic knives and start with a paring knife to try out this incredible technology. And you will be back.....


The Chop Master

Why Bamboo?

Bamboo has it's place in not only your kitchen but mine as well. What drives the desire usually to purchase a bamboo board is that it sounds 'eco friendly'. And it is as bamboo is actually a grass that is grows very rapidly and thus can be harvested in 3 to 5 years.

But let's not stop there but just because it's a grass doesn't mean the production of the product is eco friendly though. We chose Totally Bamboo because from the harvest methods to the production the environment is key. Formaldehyde free glue is a start. Not only that Totally Bamboo boards come in only two colors - a natural blond color and a darker tan color. No dyes are stains are used but in actuality the darker color is derived from caramelizing the natural sugars.

So 16% stronger than maple and 1/3 the weight of oak a bamboo cutting board just might be the right fit for you. View our collection of bamboo cutting boards and chopping blocks to see the wide variety available. Don't forget the bamboo kitchen utensils too!

The Chop Master

Salt and Pepper Mill Cleaning

Always a fine question: How do I clean and/or maintain my Vic Firth salt or pepper mill? And of course we're all interested in having our mill around for days to come and thus here's an online video from Vic Firth direct on what to do.

Pepper Mill Cleaning Instructions

And when you're ready view our pepper mill collection.....

Enjoy!

The Chop Master

Oil or Varnique Finish

So just a quick note to mention that it's important to take a close look at the default finishes we offer on our kitchen island tops. In all of our descriptions I make sure we note what the default top finish is - either a 'varnique' or an 'oil or bees wax' finish.

Here's your quick guide: 'varnique' is a sealed finish that is FDA approved and basically is very much like a laquer finish but designed for food preparation. An oil finish is just meant to treat the wood surface to maintain the moisture content and preserve durability.

So which one do you want? If your kitchen island or table is going to be a working surface for baking and such, go for the oil. Otherwise varnique is your best bet.

Here's a look of what the two look like:

Varnique finish

Oil finish

The Chop Master

Kitchen Islands and Trends

Thought I'd share some information with you all as to the trends that I've been seeing in the kitchen island arena.

It's been great to see a minimalist approach to things and inquiry about the source of hardwoods that we use. The answer to that is renewal hardwoods grown right here in North America of course. Also I would have thought that the higher end islands would see a trend downwards but just the opposite has happend. This I believe is due to the reasoning that it makes more sense to buy a substantial, well made island than basically throwing monies away on products that will not weather the test of time.

Here' are my best sellers:

John Boos Kitchen Island Bar

John Boos Country Island Work Table

John Boos Classic Country Work Table

John Boos Cherry Grazzi Table


The Chop Master

Cutting Boards versus Chopping Blocks

Must admit, I hear about this question all the time and it's a great one at that! Here's the very quick version of the difference between the two:

The ultimate difference is how each is constructed. Thus if you're cutting on the 'end grain' or 'ends' of the strips of wood, then you have a chopping block. If you're cutting on the 'edge' or more commonly the 'face' of the wood strips, then you have a cutting board.

So which one is right for you? All depends on what you're going to do. Have some serious chopping for meat's and things? Then go with a chopping block - it will stand up to the punishment. And if it's just a light board to cut those veggies on then go straight for the cutting boards.

Here's some options to view online -

Chopping Blocks

Cutting Boards

The Chop Master