We all have cutting boards of various sizes and materials … and sometimes we have and stick with one favorite … that large professional wood board is a favorite: looks like a mini-butcher’s block and weighs a ton! - as is that white polypropylene model that taught us that cutting boards could go into the dishwasher. But a few years ago, we started becoming accustomed to the convenience of those 4-color sets of cutting “mats” … they combined light weight, space-saving and easy cleanup, and those colors were supposed to remind you to use one color for one food group and another for another, to avoid cross-contamination ...and we found ourselves using them all the time: just grab one, use it, funnel the chopped ingredients into your bowl or pan, and throw it into the sink or dishwasher.
But the problem has been that, after a relatively short while when we’ve ignored the manufacturers’ “handwash only” admonition and put them in the dishwasher (after all, isn’t that the point of having “plastic” mats, so that you can sanitize them in the dishwasher?), they curled up and didn’t store flat anymore, and you couldn’t keep them flat on the countertop to do the chopping and slicing for which they were intended. So you tossed out that set (or some of it) and got another … and then it happened again, and again. OK, they’re cheap and replaceable and … but it’s still aggravating. Well, no longer! As confirmed fans of flexible cutting mats, we were always looking for a better example … and we’ve found it!
