Many Professional Chefs Recommend Using Wooden Spoons
Published On: 11-20-2011 03:54pm
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Why use
wooden spoons? Why not use a metal
spoon? Or a silicone spoon or spatula?
Even if you
haven't wondered about wooden spoons before, I have done the wondering for you,
and I think I've come up with some answers.
I think that
good wooden spoons are some of the most important utensils to have in the
kitchen. Why? Partly because I've read
it, partly because I've seen a lot of my chef friends use them, but mostly
because I like how they feel in my hand.
Here are a
few reasons why a wooden spoon is an important kitchen utensil.
- First of all, let's talk about
the feel of a wooden spoon. There's nothing like stirring a sauce or
sautéing veggies with a wooden spoon in your hand. Especially one that
you've owned for a long time. The handles are generally gently rounded and
just feel good to hold.
This is especially important when you have to stir a dish a lot. If a spoon feels comfortable in your hand, you'll feel comfortable using it. And if you feel comfortable using it, you'll use it more often. So when you're making a dish that requires a lot of stirring, your hand will feel comfortable and you will become a better cook.
- Wooden spoons are especially
useful when stirring on a non-stick surface. Metal spoons can scratch
nonstick coatings, while smooth wooden spoons will not harm non-stick
surfaces. Even when stirring in a regular pot, metal spoons can leave
scratches, and they make a scraping noise that can become bothersome over time.
Again, wooden spoons to the rescue. They won't scratch your copper,
aluminum or stainless steel pots and are nice and quiet to use.
C.
A
spoon with hard edges can damage delicate ingredients. Wooden spoons, with
their smooth and gentle curves are much less likely to bruise, crush or tear
your ingredients as you stir.
- Another
reason that wooden spoons are superior to metal spoons is that wooden
spoons aren't conductive. That means that, if you leave your spoon in a
hot sauce for a long time, the wooden handle will still stay cool. (Be
care though, I have a bunch of wooden spoons that have funny curves in
them from leaving them in a hot pot.)
- When stirring acidic
ingredients, like tomato sauce, some metal spoons can react with the acids
in foods and leave a metallic taste or even change the color of the food
you are cooking. Wood is non-reactive. Score another point for the wooden
spoon.
Here’s the story on my
line of wooden cooking utensils:
One day I was cooking with the
motley assortment of wooden spoons and spatulas that I had accumulated over the
years one day and it struck me that too many of them were getting a bit long in
the tooth. Several had been passed on
from my Mother, many years ago. Scorched
and cracked, warped and worn, it was time for a makeover!
So I laid them all out and started
analyzing what I liked about each one. I
decided that there are two parts to every cooking tool, the “working end” and
the handle.
I started the design by choosing my favorite
handle design, one that just feels right.
Not too thin, not too fat. Not round, but not flat either. Like Goldie Locks, the one I chose as my
favorite is “just right”!
Next was the “business end”. Just like the woodworker, the cook needs many
tools, each specially suited to a particular task. Straight, curved, angled or slotted. So many
options! Over the past few years I have
refined and added more designs to my line of cooking utensils. I have several more designs that I would
like to add to the line, time permitting (keeping up with current demand is the
limiting factor), and I’m always willing to work with customers to make a
special spoon or spatula that’s just right for them. If you have a need for a special
spoon or spatula, plese contact me!
The three sizes of spoons I have in
my line are the newest additions.
Available in four types of wood, individually or in money saving sets.
