Hi.

We have an island in our kitchen and need to get a new countertop.
We're looking for a type of surface on which we can do things like
rolling and kneading dough, cutting cookies and things like that.
Basically we'd like it to be a good surface for someone who likes to
bake.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Ken

Ken wrote:
Hi.

We have an island in our kitchen and need to get a new countertop.
We're looking for a type of surface on which we can do things like
rolling and kneading dough, cutting cookies and things like that.
Basically we'd like it to be a good surface for someone who likes to
bake.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Ken

Marble is supposed to be the first choice for pastry, but I've never had
the luxury. I'm an experienced cook, have tried everything. I have
used wood cutting boards and cloth pastry cloths for rolling stuff out,
and it works fine. Marble would be pretty cool - and you can build in a
warmer for when you have yeast dough to raise?

In article ,
(Ken) wrote:

- Hi.
-
- We have an island in our kitchen and need to get a new countertop.
- We're looking for a type of surface on which we can do things like
- rolling and kneading dough, cutting cookies and things like that.
- Basically we'd like it to be a good surface for someone who likes to
- bake.
-
- Any suggestions?
-
- Thanks!
-
- Ken


Butcher block?
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://home.earthlink.net/~sme617

Suzie-Q wrote:

In article ,
(Ken) wrote:

- Hi.
-
- We have an island in our kitchen and need to get a new countertop.
- We're looking for a type of surface on which we can do things like
- rolling and kneading dough, cutting cookies and things like that.
- Basically we'd like it to be a good surface for someone who likes to
- bake.
-
- Any suggestions?
-
- Thanks!
-
- Ken


Butcher block?
Hi,
If man made marble is Ok, it won't cost that much. Or Granite?
Tony

Tony Hwang wrote:

Suzie-Q wrote:

In article ,
(Ken) wrote:

- Hi.
- - We have an island in our kitchen and need to get a new
countertop. - We're looking for a type of surface on which we can do
things like
- rolling and kneading dough, cutting cookies and things like that.
- Basically we'd like it to be a good surface for someone who likes to
- bake.
- - Any suggestions?
- - Thanks!
- - Ken


Butcher block?

Hi,
If man made marble is Ok, it won't cost that much. Or Granite?
Tony

According to SWMBO in this order: Marble (if its well supported - it can
crack), granite, concrete or corian. Anything else and you might as well
use a marble board - do not use wood as the surface oils will be picked
up by your doughs.

--
Grandpa Koca - SAHD for 6 - Keeper of the Perpetual Kindergarten
To send me email, see: http://homepage.mac.com/papakoca/
A computer without Windows is like a chocolate cake without
mustard.

Ken wrote:

Hi.

We have an island in our kitchen and need to get a new
countertop. We're looking for a type of surface on which we can
do things like rolling and kneading dough, cutting cookies and
things like that. Basically we'd like it to be a good surface
for someone who likes to bake.

Any suggestions?

Stainless Steel. You would never want to cut directly on it
(dull your knives) but you can work directly on it with flour
and rolling pins and cookie cutters. Plus it's non-porus, unlike
butcher block which develops low spots and stains over years of
cutting directly on it. SS cleans up easy, there's no doubt
about bacteria lurking in those surface cuts, and it ages well.

Or as others have suggested, you can get the same results with
marble, which is probably going to cost considerably more.

--
Baisez-les s'ils ne peuvent pas prendre une plaisanterie
--------------------------------------------------------
Tom Pendergast e-mail is for sissies, say it on line

We have an island in our kitchen and need to get a new countertop.
We're looking for a type of surface on which we can do things like
rolling and kneading dough, cutting cookies and things like that.
Basically we'd like it to be a good surface for someone who likes to
bake.
We use a 30x30 piece of footed polished marble, sitting on a formica
countertop - marble is the the ideal, cool, dough-working surface. Be sure
it is firmly seated on the plywood or wood under the marble, to lessen
chance of cracking. Always use portable cutting board when using knives on
marble, or, if the island is big enough, have marble and wood areas. Marble
has some porosity, may stain, and etches easily if vinegar or other acid is
dropped on it.

"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Ken) wrote:

- Hi.
-
- We have an island in our kitchen and need to get a new countertop.
- We're looking for a type of surface on which we can do things like
- rolling and kneading dough, cutting cookies and things like that.
- Basically we'd like it to be a good surface for someone who likes to
- bake.
-
- Any suggestions?
-
- Thanks!
-
- Ken


Butcher block?

butcher block isnt the best. i dont know the science behind it but i dont
like working with dough on mine. sometimes it sticks, sometimes it seems to
suck oil from the board, i just dont like it.

randy

Stainless Steel. You would never want to cut directly on it
[...]
Or as others have suggested, you can get the same results with
marble, which is probably going to cost considerably more.

Problem with SS is thermal mass. can't keep it chilled like you can marble

Perhaps SS over concrete. lots of thermal mass and all the good stuff
you mentioned.

--
be safe.
flip
Ich habe keine Ahnung was das bedeutet, oder vielleicht doch?
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Philip Lewis wrote:

Stainless Steel. You would never want to cut directly on it
[...]
Or as others have suggested, you can get the same results
with marble, which is probably going to cost considerably
more.

Problem with SS is thermal mass. can't keep it chilled like you
can marble

Ahhh, this would be where the fact that I don't do much baking
comes into play. I take it that heat is important here. I do
about 75% veg prep and 25% meat cutting. so it's not really an
issue.

Perhaps SS over concrete. lots of thermal mass and all the good
stuff you mentioned.

Or over a base cabinet that's a refrigeration unit!? :-)

--
Baisez-les s'ils ne peuvent pas prendre une plaisanterie
--------------------------------------------------------
Tom Pendergast e-mail is for sissies, say it on line

"I-zheet M'drurz" writes:
can't keep it [Stainless] chilled like you can marble
I don't do much baking [...] I take it that heat is important here.
lots of pastry doughs require that the lipids (butter/lard) stay in a
semi-solid state. liquid Oil+flour yields a nice crumb, while solid
butter/lard with flour yields a nice flakyness.

Altan Brown likes to have a little of each in his pie dough.


Or over a base cabinet that's a refrigeration unit!? :-)
I was originally going to suggest SS over fridge coils... but that was
on the silly side..
I actually don't know if the SS clad concrete exists... just thinking
of what would make a good surface.

And of course, if you do lots of food prep, you need a wood insert to
keep your blades from being quickly dulled.

Multiple tasks, multiple surfaces.
Goes right along with "use the right tool for the job".
cheers!

--
be safe.
flip
Ich habe keine Ahnung was das bedeutet, oder vielleicht doch?
Remove origin of the word spam from address to reply (leave "+")