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Wooden spoons

(55 Posts)
Auntieflo Fri 07-Oct-16 09:31:26

Yesterday, a friend emailed me a recipe, ( I live a really exciting life) and got onto the subject of wooden spoons and how long they last. She had read that they should be discarded after a couple of years. They shouldn't be machine washed often, it causes them to crack and split. I always wash mine by hand. We have both had our spoons for many years, and not come to harm. I think I also heard/ read, somewhere, that wooden chopping boards were the more hygenic choice. Think butchers blocks! They were used and scrubbed and served a long life. Do you still use wooden spoons, or is it just old fogies like me and my friend? ?

rosesarered Fri 07-Oct-16 09:37:42

I have a couple, only use them for baking purposes, otherwise use synthetic material ones for stirring cooking serving etc.Only hand wash wooden spoons and wooden bread board.

Wobblybits Fri 07-Oct-16 09:41:01

Our wooden spoons go in the dish washer and have survived some years without cracking.

I do find a big wooden spoon very good for stirring grin

Alima Fri 07-Oct-16 09:46:40

We wash ours by hand, don't have a dish washer. Thing is, DH has a thing about sawing part of the handles off as he thinks they are too long. Anyone else come across this phenomena?

tanith Fri 07-Oct-16 09:47:49

I use both wooden and synthetic ones they all go in the dishwasher and they are years old. I do hand scrub and rinse my bread board but use synthetic (different colours) for meat and veg chopping.

BBbevan Fri 07-Oct-16 09:56:45

I have several wooden spoons which go in the dishwasher. Some did a long stint in the bathroom, when GDs came to stay. They did 'cooking' with plastic pots, cups and the bubbles.

Charleygirl Fri 07-Oct-16 10:05:36

I have two wooden spoons which belonged to my mother and she died in 1979 so they have been around for years. I pop them in the dishwasher and they are fine. I also use synthetic ones which go in the dishwasher.

SueDonim Fri 07-Oct-16 10:18:29

I have ancient wooden spoons that have survived umpteen dishwasher cycles. They're not expensive to replace, in any case. Even my fancy local cookware shop sells them for under £1 each.

annodomini Fri 07-Oct-16 10:20:29

I inherited all my wooden spoons from my mother, by way of my father who died six years after her. One small spoon is worn on one side showing how she stirred sauces, gravies and so on. I will have to explain to my GD that this particular spoon is an heirloom. That will have to be my right-handed GD. If Mum had been left handed, the spoon would have been worn on the other side.

Greyduster Fri 07-Oct-16 10:55:09

My wooden utensils (including a rolling pin) all go in the dishwasher and have not suffered for it. Among others, I have one which I have had since the mid 1970s, and a wooden spatula that my daughter made at school in a woodworking class (she is now 45). I have one with a gruffalo on it which belongs to my grandson who still uses it when he helps in the kitchen but I'm not allowed to tell anyone! grin

Wobblybits Fri 07-Oct-16 11:16:07

A good point about things like bread boards, unless you are 100% certain that they are one single piece of wood, don't get them too wet or you may end up with some sticks.

tanith Fri 07-Oct-16 13:01:33

Wobblybits my grandson made my daughter a beautiful bread board out of left over teak work top it was so lovely and she made the mistake of putting it in the dishwasher you can imagine his dismay when it came out as sticks..grin

Lillie Fri 07-Oct-16 13:10:13

I buy a set of three wooden spoons every fortnight or so. They always end up in the garden chewed by the dog. (He manages to take them out of the sink or dishwasher and they disappear). As SueD says, luckily they are cheap to replace.

M0nica Fri 07-Oct-16 23:59:02

I have had my wooden spoons for years and they go in the dishwasher regularly. More by accident than design, most of my cooking utensils are wood or metal, only my spatula is plastic.

I use wooden spatulas for stirring anything being simmered or fried, these do not last long, when they start looking sad I just burn them in the stove and buy new ones

Chopping boards, all wood, just get held under a running hot tap and scrubbed.

thatbags Sat 08-Oct-16 06:54:36

It's just some germ freak having an outburst, auntieflo. Or possibly the idea of a maker or seller of wooden spoons who wants to sell more. Carry on as you always have and ignore the nonsense.

cornergran Sat 08-Oct-16 07:47:12

Never occurs to me to put wooden spoons in the dishwasher, wonder we survive really.

Wobblybits Sat 08-Oct-16 08:37:14

Everything we have is dishwasher proof, if it isn't it doesn't last long smile

Venus Sat 08-Oct-16 09:15:11

Wrap wooden items in silver foil before placing them in the dish washer. They will survive a lot longer.

tiredoldwoman Sat 08-Oct-16 09:15:30

I like wooden spoons , they're great for chasing kids with . My girls tell me that I used to chase them and try to whack them with a spoon when they were bad . I can't remember it at all !

ctussaud Sat 08-Oct-16 09:18:53

a friend told me about Spoon Butter for wooden spoon/boards care. I haven't tried it yet, but it could be fun to use while watching a film or something.

Spoon Butter

I've found, roughly speaking, that a ratio of one part beeswax to three parts extra virgin coconut oil makes a nice, spreadable spoon butter.

3.5 ounces / 100 grams extra virgin coconut oil
~1 ounce / 35 grams beeswax, cut into small chunks

To make the spoon butter: Place the coconut oil in a mason jar and top with the beeswax. Fill a thick-bottomed saucepan with an inch or so of water, and set over gentle (low-medium) heat. Set the beeswax jar in the water. The water should come up the sides a bit. Allow the water to come barely to a simmer, and allow the mixture to melt, stirring occasionally, until all the beeswax is fluid. Turn off the heat, and allow to set. The oil is hot, so I allow it to cool and set in the pan, instead of moving it at this point. When cool, cover and keep in a dark place until ready to use.

To treat cutting boards, wooden spoons, etc: Start by making sure your wood surface is scrubbed very clean and is completely dry. Use your hands (or a cloth) to slather a generous amount of the spoon butter across the wood, working across the entire surface. Let sit over night. You can then use a smooth cloth to buff off all residual oil at this point. You should have a nice, satiny surface, not at all greasy.

Prep time: 3 min - Cook time: 10 min

Auntieflo Sat 08-Oct-16 09:22:12

Venus, why would you wrap your wooden spoons in foil before putting them in the dishwasher? How would they get cleaned?

Wobblybits Sat 08-Oct-16 09:32:37

I wondered that confused

Rosina Sat 08-Oct-16 09:36:07

I have also read that wood is a far more hygienic material to use for spoons and chopping boards as it is 'naturally self cleaning' where bacteria are concerned . (Don't know how - just quoting the article) We have moved away from using anything plastic in the kitchen having read so many horror stories about plasticisers (sp?) that transfer from utensils and bowls into food. 'Now use stainless steel saucepans and Pyrex in the oven as these seem as easy to clean as so called non stick that rapidly become 'stick' in no time at all and then can't be scrubbed with a wire scourer. I still have my Mother's breadboard (she was married in 1936) and use it regularly.

annodomini Sat 08-Oct-16 09:58:02

It has never occurred to me not to put wooden spoons in the dishwasher and they are none the worse. I have a large pastry board that I bought in Nairobi fifty years ago. It just gets a good scrub and will live to see another fifty years. As will the bread board, bought at the same time.

moxeyns Sat 08-Oct-16 10:16:23

Annodomini I love that heirloom!