My Watermelon Tastes Like Garlic!

The other day, I was cutting up some beautiful watermelon that I purchased from the store. It was juicy, round, and that perfect pink that you only find in the good ones. Of course, I was cutting the fruit atop my "cutting station" that I rigged up on my island:

I went to take a much anticipated bite and immediately spit it out. My watermelon tasted like garlic! It was seriously one of the most nasty things, not to mention disappointing. I knew it was time for the old blocks to get a deep clean. If your food is taking on uncharacteristic flavors, it might be time for you to give your cutting boards a clean as well. It is super easy to remove odors and stains, and all you need are a few supplies that most of you probably have lying around:

Step 1. Gently wash your boards with a mild soap to remove any residue or surface stains. 

Step 2. Dry your boards, being sure to remove as much water as possible to prevent warping. (Tip: you should not wash your wooden cutting boards after each use. simply wipe them down and wait to do a full wash when deep cleaning.)

Step 3. Cut your lemon in half and fold your paper towel in quarters. Be sure to use a strong paper towel.

Step 4. Place your lemon half onto the folded paper towel, face down.

Step 5. Fold up the corners of the paper towel over the lemon to form a pouch. This will keep the seeds and pulp from spreading all over your cutting board.

Step 6. Face-down, rub the lemon across the cutting board, squeezing gently to release the lemon juice. Do not rub too furiously, or the paper towel will rip, and lemon gunk will scatter across your board. 

Step 7. With the lemon juice on the surface, place the board outside in direct sunlight. (Don't worry if you do not have direct sunlight, we don't because we live in an apartment and our outdoor space consists of a mini-patio. Indirect sunlight will work fine.) Leave the board in the sun for at least 3 hours, or until the odor and stains are removed. The lemon juice helps with the bleaching process, and gives the board a fresh smell.

Step 8. When your cutting board is done sunbathing, bring it back inside. (Fun fact: the sun is a natural bleacher and removes stains, odor, and bacteria better than anything else! Oh, and, it's free!)

Step 9. This is a bonus step. If you regularly use your cutting boards, or if you have invested in quality ones, it is worth taking this extra step to moisturize them. Grab some mineral oil and a paper towel. Mineral oil is wonderful because it penetrates deep into the wood, and helps to prevent dryness, splitting, and cracking. You do not have to use this exact brand, but whichever you choose, be sure that the oil is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, otherwise your surface may become rancid. Never use olive or vegetable oils. 

Step 10. Squirt a few drops of oil onto the board, and spread it out evenly over the surface. Rub with your towel to ensure the oil sinks deep into the wood.

See the difference?! You are all done, my friend. A clean surface awaits anything that requires cutting and slicing...including my new head of watermelon!