Care and Maintenance of Wooden Spoons

an earlier stage of the spoons

A wooden spoon well-cared for will last a lifetime. And if not, as we joke amongst los Cuchareros, we can always use it for firewood from whence it came. The spoon is finished with a hand polish of bee’s wax that brings out the natural color of the wood and confers a slight resistance to water. Within the first several uses, this wax finish will be gone. In order to maintain the finish, spoons may be re-waxed or oiled with any light food oil.

Cooking spoons and stirrers, given their use in hot foods, and yes, even spicy foods, gradually become dull and worn. The repeated boiling raises the grain and discolors the wood. This can be minimized with repeated oiling although hot water rapidly removes that finish. One of the original spoons has been used for over three years. The bowl of the spoon appears dull and grey but with a light sanding and re-oiling it can be restored it to much of its original luster.

Special Considerations based on the Wood:

• Very hard woods are well suited for use as cooking utensils. They withstand the effects of boiling water, repeated heating, and immersion. These woods are:

  Jobillo Cericote Manchiche

Our experience is that these very hard and often dense woods (some sink in water) work in all utensils.
The moderately hard woods or those with fine grains work as cooking utensils but are more easily discolored with extended use. These woods include Coffee, Gravilea, among others.