We've talked a lot recently about how much we love cooking and serving with wooden utensils. Silicone and stainless steel have their uses and particular beauty, too. But there's a tactile pleasure in using a wooden spoon that's all it's own.
Wooden utensils do have one downside: they quickly lose their attractive glossy finish, are prone to cracking, and are generally a little fussy to take care of. Here are a few simple steps to help you avoid replacing them every few months.
Always hand wash wood utensils with soap and warm water. Unfortunately, the harsh detergent and heat in the dishwasher will wreck the wood in just a few cycles.
Dry wooden spoons with a towel instead of letting them air dry. Residual moisture from washing will get absorbed into the wood, causing the wood to swell and crack over time.
And then once a month or so, rub in a little mineral oil with a soft cloth. This will restore the warm polished look and keep the wood in good condition.
Mineral oil is a food safe product that won't go rancid the way olive oil or other cooking oils would. It gets absorbed quickly, leaving wooden handles smooth but not greasy.
Since you're only using a teaspoon or so at a time, one bottle of mineral oil will last a long time. It's readily available at kitchen stores and online, and only costs about $2 - $6 a bottle. We've been using the Tree Spirit brand for several years with good results.
Yes, these extra steps can be a bit of a pain. But we think it's worth it to keep our favorite spoons and utensils around a little longer.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Baby oil is the same as mineral oil, other than the scent. From personal experience, the scent goes away quickly and doesn't mess with the food flavors.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
i have a beloved wooden spoon i got from a friend, but otherwise i can't seem to find wooden utensils in stores that i like. they all seem really unfinished and scratchy. any suggestions as to where i can get another great spoon?
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view cassiopia's profile
wow. i've used wooden spoons all my life, and have never thrown them out, only lost a few in moves, etc. I guess i don't miss the "gloss" of a new spoon, but like the old-fashioned broken in look of a good used wooden spoon, one that's been stained by pots of tomato sauce and borscht. Never had a single issue with cracking either, but then i've never put one in a dishwasher.
view mh330's profile
We put ours in the dishwasher willy-nilly and they've been just fine for years and years. They're not the prettiest, but I prefer 'em that way.
view Katie in Berkeley's profile
I wipe down all my kitchen wood (bowls, utensils, cutting boards, etc) with Block Oil: http://greenboatstuff.com/blbrallnablo.html
A few drops on a cloth goes a loooong way, and it's non-greasy and does really well on bamboo.
view Kathryn Hill's profile
When I was little I was taught to clean wooden utensils by hand and was taught to clean dough off rolling pins and spoons (and pulp off citrus reamers) by making a paste. In one hand I put a teaspoon or two of salt, add a drop of dishwashing liquid, and then add a little water. It takes dough right off without soaking (bad for wood)
view Sarahj's profile
The only problem wooden spoon that I have had was a recent purchase. It turned out not to be made from a single piece of wood and one side of the bowl came off. (I still use it, it's just funny shaped now. It actually works well for the initial stirring of bread dough.) I have another one of the same type that now gets carefully hand washed. All my older ones go in the dishwasher regularly.
I've seen good (well shaped, solid, single piece) wooden utensils at craft fairs from wood workers.
view RebeccaCT's profile