I'm-just-fine, I rush to your aesthetic defense! Tile countertops
remind me of visits to kitchens in northern California, where tile had
been used a lot for the last century or so. It looks washable (like a
bathroom wall does), informal, and cheerful.

Clean-up is accomplished by putting a bit of bleach in the cleaning
water; that takes care of the germs.

In my own New England kitchen I added a countertop between stove and
main countertops (which are of maple - I'm sure I can hear the uproar
of the sanitarians already) by setting extra ceramic floor tiles onto
3/4" plywood, using clear silicone caulk/glue, and leaving no grouting
space between them. I used painted lath for the front trim, nailing
it tø the plywood edge. This area doesn't have to handle bare food
items, only hot pans and tea mugs, so the sterilizing of the surface
isn't an issue. It always makes me remember fondly my trips to the
Bay Area and the Napa valley. Go with tile.

C.C.