Any avid cookers and bakers out there? I really need some new muffin pans and cutting boards. My husband is creeped out by wooden cutting boards - says they hold in bacteria. And what about those silicone pans; are they worth it? Suggestions sought. Thanks!
I agree about the wood cutting boards - I prefer plastic or glass and believe they are more sanitary and easier to clean. I do not like silicone at all - they were not truly nonstick and never seemed clean but rather sticky even after washing. I like metal (nonstick) baking pans for muffins and ceramic or glass for loaf/casserole pans.
Calpholon bakeware is the best. Pricey, but then again you will never need to replace them. In cooking/baking, it pays to spend more initially. When I got married I didn't know this and spent years replacing muffin tins, etc. The good stuff you can pass down to your children.
The silicone molds are horrible. Ask any professional chef/pastry chef.
Wooden cutting boards have been proven to be MORE sanitary than plastic. It is a myth that they hold more germs. The thing is plastic is just as porous as wood but does not get thoroughly cleaned in those porous grooves the way wood can. Have hubby read this:
http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/docliver/Resear...
Well, I sell Pampered Chef and I absolutely love our Cutting Boards - they don't slip on the counter and can go in the Dishwasher. They also have bamboo ones. I also work at a kitchen store and you will get 100 opinions on whether wood holds bacteria, etc. We were always told it will NOT hold bacteria and should be treated like you'd treat another cutting board - wash it well. Period. You may contact me if you're interested in the cutting boards. I personally do not like Silicone and I bake a LOT. But that's just me - I use my Silpat for cookies all the time but for some reason the bakeware is not my friend. That being said I haven't used the Pampered Chef ones, I don't own them yet.
I have silicone muffin pans and the only real difference to me is that they are easier to clean, so they look nicer.
I do have a silicone mat for cookies-so they don't burn, and that works great.
I love my silicone muffin pan! I think it's a KitchenAid. Get a sturdy plastic board and spray it with bleach or another disinfectant (like the 7th generation) for 10 minutes before you wash it. That should knock out most of the bacteria you're concerned about. I'd recommend against glass cutting boards - they'll make your knives dull super-fast.
i have a silicone from pampered chef its awesome n goes in dishwasher
I took a knife class recently and they recommended two cutting boards...one for veggies and one for meats. They said for meats the plastic cutting boards were recommended, because they were easier to clean and bleach.They are a little hard on your knives, so wood was recommended for veggies. They also highly recommended some cutting boards that are made of the same composite materials used to make skateboards for veggies. I found some online called Epicurean cutting surfaces. They mentioned that glass was actually the best for cleaning, but it was absolutely horrible for your knives and could ruin them if you aren't careful.
I really love my Pampered Chef stoneware/bakeware. i dont use anything else now. My mom is an avid baker and hates the silicone pans...you still have to put them on a baking sheet! Cutting boards are nice also but you can find those even at Ross
I have both kinds of cutting boards. I read something on the safety and it said wood gets cleaner if you are just handwashing but plastic in the dishwasher gets cleaner than any handwashed item. I use plastic only for uncooked meat and put it in the dishwasher. I don't think the risk is that big a deal for fruit or veggies or bread so I use both kinds of cutting boards.
I have some silicone pans from a yard sale. They are nice in some ways but I would not pay a lot of money for a silicone muffin pan since you use papers in it anyway. Also it is kind of floppy and can be hard to handle. It might be good for a smaller pan like a loaf pan. I'd go look at them in person to decide.
wooden cutting boards DO hold in bacteria, but i dont cook meat, so i have 3 really nice wooden cutting boards. the glass ones look nice, and there are those cutting mats that are very easy to store.
and i love silicone bakeware, its easy to clean and pretty, but beware, its hotter than it looks
