Basics of kitchen w/ non-kasherable countertop

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Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen

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amother

Sun, Dec 15 2019, 9:40 pm

We're a semi-recent BTs and we've only lived in a place with a granite (kasherable) kitchen countertop since we've been kosher. We're moving soon, and looking at apartments. Some places in the area we're looking have kasherable countertops, but others do not (tile/ceramic). We'd be renting and can't just replace the countertop ourselves.

1) How important would it be to you to find a place with a kasherable countertop (granite, stone, etc.)?

2) Forgetting about Pesach, how much of a hassle do you think it is to cook in a kitchen w/ a non-kosher countertop? Not really looking for a halacha primer, but what common/typical things does one normally do in a kitchen with a kosher countertop that she would no longer be able to do in a kitchen with a non-kosher countertop?

Hashem_Yaazor

Sun, Dec 15 2019, 9:52 pm

I've never had a kasherable countertop and it's not something I ever looked into. It makes not one difference to me. I just put a hot plate to rest food on, and I likely would no matter what (my counters are probably kosher because the kitchen was installed by a kosher keeping family but it's laminate and I'm not sure it could withstand the heat....in the past I had formica, etc)

We just cover it on Pesach, and use cutting boards to cut food and trivets for hot food the rest of the time. No big deal at all.

More important to me is if the stove/oven is kasherable and the sink situation.

Good luck!!

BetsyTacy

Sun, Dec 15 2019, 9:57 pm

I agree with hashem yaazor. The only thing I don't do on my countertops is roll out out cookie dough/knead challah dough. I don't knead by hand and for rolled out cookies (hamentashen) I use one of those baking mats.

Otherwise, I use trivets for anything hot. A stainless steel sink and a self-cleaning oven are much more important.

shanie5

Mon, Dec 16 2019, 3:43 pm

I cover mine with contact paper. Usually replace it pesach time. I can have a new look each year!

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Dec 16 2019, 8:37 pm

BetsyTacy wrote:

I also use a mat or wax paper for dough rolling, but truth of the matter is when dealing with cold food and no pressure (like cutting with a knife), a clean cold [treif] counter is totally fine to come into contact with. So if something spills on it (e.g. some chocolate chips), I have no problem eating them (uh, I mean, putting them in my cookie dough).

BetsyTacy

Mon, Dec 16 2019, 8:40 pm

I also do the same (pick up chocolate chips yum...) on my theoretically kashered formica countertop. But there is something about mamish smashing dough into it that lchatchila, I avoid, although of course bdieved it would still be kosher.
I say theoretically, because although it was cleaned thoroughly and boiling water poured, the seams and age make it hard to equate it with the kashrus of my dishes,not to mention that not all hold that formica can be kashered.

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