CLEANING THE WOODEN BOARD

1. Use a sponge soaked in hot water that is sudsy with liquid dish detergent to wipe down the wooden board immediately after use. If you exposed the board to raw meat of any kind, mix liquid dish detergent and one teaspoon of bleach or hydrogen peroxide per quart of water together in a bucket in order to disinfect the wood.

2. Sprinkle salt on any stains. Let it sit for one minute, then rub the salt with a lemon wedge to help remove the stain.

3. Remove deeper or large stains with a scouring pad soaked in an abrasive antibacterial soap.

4. Rinse off the wooden board well after you are done cleaning. Make sure not to let the board sit in water for very long.

5. Dry the board with a clean towel and lean it against the drying rack or wall to dry.

CARING FOR THE WOODEN BOARD

1. Use fine grit sandpaper to get rid of severe stains on the wooden board. Rub the sandpaper along the grain of the wood until the stain is gone.

2. Polish the wood with a food-safe mineral oil after every couple of washings. This will help protect and preserve the wood board, increasing its longevity. You can use oils such as almond, olive, walnut and beeswax.

3. Prevent warping by using both sides equally. Typically, warping occurs because only one side is used, so moisture builds up and makes the wood fibres swell.

4. Use baking soda to remove strong odours on the wooden board, such as garlic, large amounts of seafood, onion, chillies or other similar foods. 

HOW TO USE CHEESE KNIFE

1.Select a cheese knife that is appropriate for your cheese. Use a soft cheese knife with holes for slicing semi-soft or soft cheeses; the holes will help the cheese from sticking to the blade. Use a standard spatula-style cheese-slicing knife--also called a cheese plane--for slicing hard cheeses.

2.Place the cheese onto the cutting board.

3.Push the cheese knife straight down through the cheese to use a standard cheese knife. These cheese knives are suitable for slicing thick or thin slices of firm or soft cheeses. The tip of the knife typically is crafted into a fork shape. Insert the tip of the cheese knife into the slice of cheese to move it to the serving platter.

4.Grasp the cheese plane with your dominant hand and position the blade of the tool on top of the cheese block. With firm pressure, slide the tool downward, at a 45-degree angle, to slice the cheese. The plane has a slot in the center, which is where the blade is. The cheese slices will come through this slot when you pull it along the block of cheese. Cheese connoisseurs who prefer their cheeses sliced quite thinly will find this tool and technique perfectly suited.

Tips and warnings

Remember that cheese tends to harden as air touches it. If you slice too much cheese too far ahead of serving it, your cheese will begin to dry out. It avoid dried-out slices, place your cheese out on a cutting board, cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap and make the cheese knife available for guests to slice their own cheese

HOW TO USE A CHEESE BOARD

1.Place pieces of several different cheeses on the cheese board. Ideally, you should include at least one soft cheese (such as brie), one firmer cheese (such as cheddar or Monterey jack) and one other cheese. Options for your third cheese include a bleu cheese, goat cheese or fruit-coated cheese. Arrange these on your cheese board in any way you find aesthetically pleasing. Try to choose diverse cheeses; for example, choose a cow's milk cheese, a goat's milk cheese and a sheep's milk cheese.

2.Put a selection of accompaniments on your cheese board for your guests to enjoy with their cheese. These accompaniments can include just the basics such as slices of bread, crackers and fresh fruit (grapes and apples go especially well with many cheeses). If you want to include more, consider adding nuts, olives and fresh or cured vegetables

3.Place the cheese knife in a convenient and easily accessible location on the cheese board, then present the cheese board to your guests.

Tips and warnings

While you may use your cheese board as a cutting board in a pinch, avoid using it to cut garlic, onions or other strongly flavored items. The wood of the board can absorb these strong flavors and leave your cheeses tasting like garlic.