apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Happy Wednesday to all! What's on my mind for cooking/preparing?
Rhubarb (pie, cake,muffin or crumble? chutney?)
Portable food
Something that uses up fresh herbs - any ideas? (the herbs are doing well, even the parsley planted from seed are coming up nicely)

I'm re-posting my Cutting Board Question from the earlier open thread...I put it in there too late I guess.

We're moving to a new place and I want to replace our old, icky, warped cutting boards...does anyone have a cutting board setup that works really well?

I want to find boards that are
1. not too big - we had a big old IKEA one that put a lip over the countertop, it was difficult to keep clean and warped a ton. But not too small either .

2. durable. I don't want to buy lousy ones again and have to replace them in a year when they warp.

3. preferably affordable.

so... please let me know if you have any brands to recommend, or a way of cutting that works well in a pretty small kitchen. Thanks!

boos block.

http://www.johnboos.com/

I don't have one myself but I've used them and feel comfortable saying that they will last a lifetime. Just make sure to follow any recommended maintenance instructions. Even the Ikea boards will last a long time if oiled a few times throughout the year.

The key to the boos blocks is the way they are constructed, extremely durable. It makes your knifework very comfortable. They will be expensive but worth it. Like the difference between professional knives and non-professional knives.

I used a hardwood cutting board for awhile, and wasn't happy with it after a year or so. It got very chopped up and gross. A few months ago I switched to bamboo, and have been very happy. The surface is very resilient, without being too hard on the knives. It's easy to clean and polish, and environmentally friendly too!

I second cptmoll. I've been using a bamboo cutting board that I bought at Bed, Bath&Beyond for around 30 bucks (it's fairly large) and it's been holding up very well. A cheaper alternative to a butcher's block.

I'll be making my grandma's peach pie and some Door County cherry bearclaws- and perhaps chilaquiles to help clean out the fridge!

Hi bsc,

My hubby and I went on a shopping spree at a local restaurant supply store when we first got married. We bought "everyday" dishes, baking hardware, whisks, you name it.

The best purchase we made, though, was high-density poly cutting boards. They've lasted for quite a while. And, although I probably won't haul them out when people come over for dinner (as I would with a Boos block), they're dishwasher safe and they won't dull your knives. Oh, yeah, and if you're germ-conscious, most restaurant supply stores will stock a variety of color-coded cutting boards, e.g. green for veggies or red for meats.

We also bought two flexible cutting boards that have made pouring ingredients a heck of a lot easier.

Best of luck with your boards!

Nadarine, care to share your recipes?? It all sounds like stuff I'd like!

I'm not sure how it happened, but I've somehow gotten this far in my life without ever trying beets. Never! I hear about how wonderful they are all the time, but somehow the beets and I have never connected.

I'd like to remedy this situation, pronto! What are your favorite beet recipes?!

EmmaC -
Just steam them for a while until the beets are really tender, and eat them like that - they're sweet and flavorful enough on their own. Steam beat greens for a much shorter amount of time, or put them in a frying pan with a little butter and water and cover with a lid - tastes a lot like spinach. Some people like beets/beetgreens with a little vinager or lemon juice...And ofcourse, there are pickled beets...

EmmaC - roasted beets are fantastic, brings out all the lovely flavors. wrap in al.foil, throw them in the oven 'until done' and enjoy!! (35-40 mins maybe)

Does anyone know where I can find a traditional English style picnic hamper, replete with china, linens, etc. here in Chicago? I am too short on time to order one online, but something kind of like this: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/d341/index.cfm?cm%5Fsrc=PRODVIEW&showsku=7060999

i am making flank steak with a garlic cilantro marinade, ice cold orange/blueberry, candied ginger and spinach salad and skinny cow ice cream bars for dessert