The kitchen is one of the invisible threads that connect us to antiquity. In it, a utensil that we still use today was already present in Bronze Age Egyptian culture: a wooden spoon. Anyone who has used one knows their advantages: they do not damage or scratch pots and pans, they do not melt like some plastic utensils, and they are extremely durable. To this we can add another advantage: they can be much more sustainable than their counterparts made from other materials.
Beyond the utensils themselves or the cutting boards (another essential), wood finds its union with gastronomy also in tableware. Thinking, for example, of pulpo á feira on a porcelain plate is almost painful. But beyond tradition, wooden tableware is also making its way among renowned chefs.
Wood and gastronomy: the flavour and know-how
“It plays an important role”, say the wood crafts company Sangiovanni Lorenzo, responsible, among other things, for the design of tableware for haute cuisine restaurants. “The variety of woods suitable for such use, accompanied by good design and craftsmanship, provide warmth, elegance and visually frame these authentic sensory experiences“, they say. Furthermore, they add, it is a renewable and recyclable material.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
There will also be those who read these lines and are surprised: can places as inspected as restaurants, where a very high standard of cleanliness and hygiene is essential, use wooden utensils in their daily life? The question arises from one of the arguments used to promote the use of other materials: it is said that, due to its porosity, wood can be a breeding ground for bacteria. This, however, is not the case.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
“From the mid-20th century, the plastics industry attacked wood, arguing that it was unhygienic and difficult to maintain”, says Sangiovanni Lorenzo. However, science does not say that this is a problem from a food safety perspective. “Research and experiments carried out in Europe and the United States that tested different materials for chopping and handling food show that the opposite occurs: it is precisely the pores of the wood that make it safer and more hygienic, as they trap bacteria inside, slowing their reproduction and eliminating them”, they argue. It is necessary to maintain some basic hygiene measures, which are essential in any kitchen, and to allow wooden utensils to dry completely before storing them, but you should not replace cutting boards, spoons or plates with others made of different materials.
In terms of sustainability, safety and warmth, no one beats wood, with all five senses.
