January 21, 2024 - 7:39am
stiff wooden spoons?
I like to use wooden spoons for mixing. My favorite spoons are old ones with 1/2 inch handles. All the new ones I can find are cheapo ones that have thinner handles, and they tend to flex. I don't like those as much. But I can't find a source for those stiff-handle wooden spoons. Anyone know where to get them? (I'll admit that I posted this same question six or seven years ago and got a lot of info, none of which answered my question - trying again.)
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Try craft fairs and antique shops.
That's a "forever" activity. In principle, one could hire a craftsperson to make one, but that will be enormously pricey.
But this will save a huge amount of time and nerves
Search on E-bay. There's always someone selling vintage stuff there, and I'd guess you'll find old wooden spoons there as well. Good luck. Jim
I've looked on e-bay. No one gives the OD of wooden spoon handles. They also don't tell you what the spoons are made of, because they likely don't know. Don't want to have to chase all that info down.
May be try bamboo composite spoons? Those are usually very stiff.
That's a good thought. I'll try one. Lots available online, but the dimensions are sketchy.
and the thicker handles will pop up. :)
That's interesting, but a lot of those have big flat handles. I was hoping for a round handle, which makes it more manipulatable.
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/williams-sonoma-fsc-wood-spoon-14/?catalogId=79&sku=2394931&cm_ven=PLA&cm_cat=MSN&cm_pla=Cooks%27%20Tools%20%3E%20Slotted%20Spoons%20%26%20Spoon%20Sets&adlclid=6313e9cddb9d1249ea8d8c63a34c3fe6&cm_ite=2394931_458012898&msclkid=6313e9cddb9d1249ea8d8c63a34c3fe6
or
https://www.wayfair.com/kitchen-tabletop/pdp/kitchen-supply-wholesale-wood-heavy-mixing-spoon-french-beech-heavy-mixing-1-single-kswh1145.html?piid=91136997
Or
https://www.wayfair.com/kitchen-tabletop/pdp/shaco-6-piece-wood-kitchen-utensil-qaco1056.html
or
https://hollandbowlmill.com/product/12-maple-flat-spoon-bees-oil-finish/
or
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Heavyweight-Beech-Wood-Mixing-Spoon-14-Inch/140273418?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=2328&adid=22222222222060575338_6534875414_pla&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10395723225&wl4=pla-1105742839605&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=140273418_10000002423&wl14=beechwood%20mixing%20spoon&veh=sem&msclkid=1949bb8ab77716f78d8cde24cc1d6e5c&gclid=1949bb8ab77716f78d8cde24cc1d6e5c&gclsrc=3p.ds
or
https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/prep-gadgets-accessories/beechwood-solid-spoon/12d?productId=11015688&country=US¤cy=USD&cid=cse%7CPLA%7CBing%7CTCSP_X_US_EN_Kitchen_PLA_X_370539264_1263339668240387_pla-4582558335052431_EN%7C&utm_source=bing&utm_campaign=pla&adpos=&scid=scplp10086093&sc_intid=10086093&&adlclid=c68e69c80c5d1b0979690c667737692b&msclkid=c68e69c80c5d1b0979690c667737692b&gclid=c68e69c80c5d1b0979690c667737692b&gclsrc=3p.ds
Or
https://www.kitchensupplywholesale.com/products/woodenmixingspoonfrenchbeech?variant=33050652942
Thanks. I actually just found the one from Williams Sonoma. Looks promising, as do the ones from Walmart, KItchen Supply, and Wayfair. (Not interested in a flat spoon.) Hard to be sure about the handle diameter on these, but measuring off the web image on the Williams Sonoma web page, it seems to be around half an inch. Prices are all pretty consistent. Beechwood is good stuff. I will visit a local Williams Sonoma store, and see if I can get my hands on one before purchase, and ideally avoid shipping charge.
I should say that I visited two restaurant supply stores today, and was disappointed. Their wooden spoons had thin handles, and felt like they were made of softwood. Crummy. Do restaurants really use that kind of trash?
I have one that I’ve used for more than 40 years now as my primary bread mixing tool. If it breaks someday, I will be a very unhappy camper.
Paul
Yes, I believe my spoons that I have now are beechwood. Curiously, fresh cut beech is notoriously non-durable. It evidently soaks up water like a sponge and is prone to rot. Not recommended for outdoor use. One wonders how it does so well as a kitchen tool. I believe there are processes that mitigate that somewhat, though, maybe steaming?
I'm not vouching for this because I don't know the facts, but FWIW:
From https://dontglutenmyware.com/blogs/blog-6/why-do-we-use-beech-wood-for-our-utensils
Here's a hard maple cooking spoon that seems to be excellent - and it has a 1/2-in handle:
https://www.earlywooddesigns.com/collections/wood-cooking-utensils/products/cooking-spoon
Well, you look up in any woodworking site and you'll see EXACTLY the opposite of this for fresh-cut beechwood. The words that are used over and over are "non-durable". It is mentioned briefly that some process makes beechwood more durable. No question that, in the end, it works beautifully for kitchen equipment. I just don't know why. So I suspect the folks that wrote this are missing something important about the processing.
Um, $39 for a SPOON?
If you continue reading those woodworking sites, you'll see that the "non-durable" appellation only applies to outdoor uses because it is more susceptible to decay than some other woods, such as cedar.
Beechwood is tough stuff. It's strength, workability, and resistance to abrasion make it a go-to choice for applications such as furniture and tool handles (not to mention wooden spoons). It is also flexible enough that it can be steamed and bent without breaking.
Like all woods, beechwood is kiln-dried prior to use to improve its dimensional stability.
Paul
When you stir a liquid with a beechwood spoon, what's happening to it is exactly what would happen to it outdoors in the rain. No, there is some treatment that renders beechwood more resistant to decay. Not sure what it is.
My spoon has endured thousands of wet and dry cycles without any treatment whatsoever. When it was new, it was bare unoiled wood.
What's different about the outdoor environment is that there are thousands of species of fungi, insects, and other organisms that are tuned to colonize and consume wood. And, once wet outdoors, some portion of the wood tends to stay moist, making it more hospitable to those organisms. Those entities don't tend to exist in our kitchens; certainly not in appreciable quantities. Nor do we allow our tools to stay wet. Once used, they are washed and dried, then stored in a clean, dry place.
There's no secret sauce that the manufacturers apply. The difference lies in the environmental conditions and in how the wood is used.
Paul
I'm not saying YOU treated your spoon. I'm saying the manufacturer probably did. Unless you made your own spoon out of fresh beechwood? Did you? Lots of info out there about treatments for beechwood in the interest of maximizing durability.
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/15/3318
https://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-221X2015000400008
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222992581_Investigations_of_the_reasons_for_fungal_durability_of_heat-treated_beech_wood
and I'm not going any further down it.
You have an opinion. You want to hold on to that opinion. That's your prerogative, even though I disagree with you.
Paul
I just asked you a question, and you didn't answer it. I also gave some references. My opinion is simply that I don't know how beechwood is rendered kitchen-proof. You seem to think it is naturally. That might be the case, but it would be nice to get some real answers. There seems to be some contradictory information around. But yes, people who don't ask questions are welcome to plead rabbit holes which, formally, are nonsensical situations, which this is not.
Even if the seller on E-bay doesn't tell you how thick the handle on the spoon is, you can ask. If you find a listing you think might be a spoon you'd like, simply contact the seller and ask how thick the handle is. I frequently ask question when shopping for items on E-bay. Jim
Walmart has free shipping, so I'm ordering one of theirs for ten bucks. Will let you know.
OK, I got my spoon from Walmart. Looks PERFECT. Just what I was looking for. Handle diameter is 5/8" (thicker than I was anticipating) and the weight does suggest a good hardwood like beechwood, which is what is advertised. The bowl is 2.3" wide and 3.3" long. The spoon has the text "FRANCE" embossed the handle. This appears to be exactly the spoon that Wayfair sells for a bit more. I'm not a Walmart flack, but this seems like a good deal. $11 with no shipping charge. The Williams-Sonoma spoon looks a bit different, with a tapered handle and is a LOT more pricey. Now that I look harder, you can get what appears to be the same thing from Amazon for $9. According to Amazon, which says a lot more about it than the others, these are made in France, and they suggest occasional treatment with mineral oil. Perhaps that's because, as I said earlier, raw beechwood is not particularly weather-proof. I should add that the trick is to Google search for "French beechwood wooden spoons", NOT "wooden spoons". The latter will just point you to junk. I'm done.
Yeah, it's actually a big problem. I've been having trouble finding the perfect spoon for a while now