QUESTION I just received my Michigan Maple Cutting Block & my wonder if it should be conditioned/oiled before use or after several months of use. When should I first condition/oil the board?
Scott Brown
ANSWER Emmets Elixir is an excellent conditioner that would be good to apply before first use and as needed thereafter. Think of the process as applying hand lotion to dry skin. Wash the new board with detergent as you would handwash a dish. Rinse and dry quickly. When dry, add a small amount of Elixir with your fingertips and massage gently into all sides of the board. Allow the board to sit a couple or more hours (or overnight) to absorb the liquid, and then remove the excess with a paper towel. The board is now ready for use. Wash/wipe it after every use and redo the Elixir process when the board begins to look dried out or shows knife-cut marks, which depends on how often it is used and washed rather than any particular time interval. Emmets Elixir will protect the cutting board from liquids that can soak into the wood, dry it out, and cause it to warp. It also keeps the board looking like new.