Cast iron, mason jars, wooden cutting boards…if you’re anything like me, these things make your eyes light up. If you see a picture of a kitchen with iron implements hanging out with a shelf full of home canned goodies…you’re likely to spy a cutting board somewhere, because it just goes along with the farmhouse territory.
I’ve already covered how I care for cast iron…
Now it’s time to talk about cutting boards and how I have kept mine nice and shiny!
Here’s my method:
After you’ve used your wooden cutting board, wash it first with hot soapy water.
Allow it to air dry while the other dishes are washed. (I don’t have a dishwasher, so by the time the dishes are all done, the board is dry!)
Once the board is dry, apply mineral oil to the wood. I just drizzle it first, then use a paper towel to rub it all over. Sides included.
I coat it pretty well, then let it sit on the counter to allow the wood to soak up all the oil. In a few hours, it will be dry.
Now it’s time to use again!
Pretty simple, right?
I’ll admit, I sometimes struggle to keep my board oiled properly. Sometimes I’ll get lazy and just wash it, and leave it to dry until the next time I use it. (Which sometimes, I’ll use it twice a day.)
I have skimped on oiling it, and nothing bad has happened yet. So I think it’s ok.
But if you have a lovely cutting board, it’s a very wise decision to care for it properly.
If I’m flipping through a cookbook with pretty photos of food and farmhouse kitchens, my eyes always find the pretty wooden cutting boards. It’s one of those things. I just love them.
For years, I used plastic cutting boards. (Gasp!)
I also found a very cheap bamboo board at T.J. Maxx that lasted maybe 6 months. It cracked and warped and I had to throw it out. So I went back to plastic…until I read that bacteria like to hang out in plastic more than wood! Who wants that?
Around this time, my brother, Ben, was trying his hand at woodworking, and cranked out a very pretty cutting board for our mother. So I kind of hinted around that I needed one, too!
He gave me a very heavy duty, butcher block wooden cutting board for Mother’s Day!
This was probably three years ago, and I haven’t needed another board since.
I cut veggies, knead bread, and make sandwiches on it. It’s my ever-present companion for trimming up herbs and slicing up fruit…and I could go on!
Who like me loves a good cutting board? It’s rare to find one that I just loved. But my brother Ben really did a great job when he made mine! I know my mother and sister-in-law would say the same things about their boards.
Readers, if you need a good cutting board, I know a guy.
Please contact me if you are interested in a custom, handmade walnut or oak butcher block cutting board. They are beautiful additions to any kitchen. Mother’s Day is coming up, and this would be the perfect, thoughtful gift for a mother or wife! (Of course, cutting boards can be used by anyone, guy or girl!)
Just a few notes on the custom cutting boards:
Ben can make them any thickness or length you want. But the width is a standard 12.5”.
If you place an order, he can have them made in less than a week.
Depending on the size, the cost would vary. (Contact me for more details on price.)
They are sturdy and heavy duty--perfect for the busy day-to-day work we do in the kitchen.
Trust me, you need one!
After reading about the cutting boards, I had to oil mine. It’s been a while. It’s as pretty as ever and I use mine several times a day. I like the bigger size 21x12. It gives me plenty of room.