>The best boards are made so the endgrain is oriented up, towards the knife -- rather than the "side grain" or "long grain."<
Depends on the intended use.
End-grain is the primary choice for chopping (as with a cleaver) because it creates a self-sealing surface. That's why butcher blocks are constructed that way.
Most cutting boards, as such, are edge-grain rather than end grain. This provides a hard, warp-free board that is easy to clean while still being easy on knives.
While you certainly can use an end-grain board as a cutting board, it's a very expensive way to go, with no real benefit. |