Wooden utensils have a long history. Before spoons and dishes were poured out of metal and plastic, our ancestors carved kitchen utensils from bars of fruit and forest trees: linden, birch, oak, cherry, plum, juniper.
Modern people, tired of "artificial life", began to return to the traditions and customs of the Russian people. Crockery and kitchen utensils from natural materials is gaining popularity, because holding a warm, “living” tree in your hands is much more pleasant than cold metal.
In order for such dishes to serve a long life, they must be processed. This is especially true of carved spoons, which are used more often than other products. And here it is important to know how to process a wooden spoon for food so that it remains intact and your health does not suffer.
In our article, we will talk about recipes for processing wooden spoons with hot oil and how to prepare waxing mastic.
How to choose the right oil for processing and impregnation
There is no single correct answer to the question of how to soak a wooden spoon. Various craftsmen, by trial and error, derive individual recipes, and advise this or that oil. The main rule is that the oil must be edible.
Advantages of oiling kitchen utensils:
- Edible oil does not cause any harm to the body;
- It has good waterproofing properties, closing even the most microscopic cracks in wood;
- Does appearance products more attractive.
by the most simple option can become refined sunflower oil, which is sold in any grocery store. If you are a beginner and just trying yourself in this business - this option will be optimal. One of the most popular oils for processing wooden spoons is linseed. Even in the old days, all wooden utensils were impregnated with it. It is better to buy bleached flax oil, which is sold in art stores.
When the question arises of how to cover a wooden spoon so that it acquires a beautiful shade, the masters advise sea buckthorn or pumpkin. But in general, any food oil will do for impregnation of wooden spoons: olive, hemp, sesame, coconut, walnut and others.
How to cover and how to oil a wooden spoon for food
Impregnation - there are two basic way(often this process is called how to paint a wooden spoon, although it is not actually painted):
- Using only oil
- Using a composition of oil and beeswax (mastic)
In the first method, it is soaked in a bowl of oil, and set to bask in a water bath. It is better to keep the temperature within 80 degrees Celsius without letting the oil boil. Periodically turn the product over so that there are no “dry” places left, and the oiling goes on evenly. The first signs that the process has begun are air bubbles that appear on the surface of the wood. As soon as the air stops escaping, you can turn off the fire and let it cool naturally.
We take out the spoon, wrap it several times in a paper towel. When excess oil remains on the napkin, dry the product in the sun for 3-4 days. After that, you can safely use it. If necessary, the procedure repeat several times. Flaxseed oil is an excellent antiseptic. The wood impregnated with it will no longer crack, and will not be covered with mold or fungus.
Some craftsmen, in order to give the tree a pleasant smell, make tinctures from oil and medicinal herbs and roots. As such plants, you can use mint, dandelion, burdock, cinquefoil roots or elecampane. The plant is crushed, poured into glassware, pour oil and insist for about two weeks, shaking daily. Then filter and store in a dark cool place. Tannins, which are contained in the roots of plants, endow the oil with increased protective properties, which wooden surfaces only for the benefit.
In the second method, melted beeswax is added to the oil. Depending on the initial proportions, either soft or hard mastic is obtained. soft rocks it is better to process wood with hard mastic, and hard rocks with softer ones.
How to varnish wooden spoons
If you plan to constantly use a wooden spoon for its intended purpose, then it is better to refrain from coating it with varnish. Over time, even the most expensive and high-quality varnish can crack due to temperature changes, and moisture in the wood leads to its decay. Oil treatment is considered the ideal way to preserve and protect wooden utensils from environmental influences.
There is such a problem that after washing the spoon loses its luster and swells.
It is very important what the spoon is carved from: not every wood is suitable for making from it. wooden utensils. For such products, it is best to take wood that is relatively resistant to the action of water, especially hot water, and to heat in general.
Spoons can be cut from linden, aspen, alder, birch or maple. Linden is more often taken, since its wood is quite soft and easy to cut.
We, however, like oak spoons the most - they last the longest, from experience. Lime spoons (although not from spoons - professionals, but from the store - apparently without processing) have already been tried a couple of times - they begin to mold. But probably if you take it from spoons, this will not happen. We also had juniper spoons, smoother than oak ones, but they last less. 
The finished spoon should be polished. In order to make it waterproof, the spoon is impregnated with linseed oil. Then the product is dried for 2-3 hours at a temperature not exceeding 100-120 ° C. The dried spoons are allowed to cool, and then again covered with oil and dried again. Impregnation with oil and drying must be repeated several times: it is enough to process small spoons like this 2-3 times, and large ones are subjected to the same operation 5-6 times. After that, the spoon is no longer afraid of anything. :-)
The final finishing of the spoons is that they are covered with drying oil (lining oil should, of course, be only natural - from linseed oil). Then the products are dried again - for several hours at a temperature of 100-120 0 C, until completely dry (touch the product with your finger, if the finger does not stick, the spoon has dried up). The spoon processed in this way will acquire a pleasant yellowish-brown hue, and hot water she is not afraid.
In the old days there were special rules for using a spoon. After each scooping of food from a common bowl, the spoon was licked on both sides and lowered back onto the table; only after chewing the food, they again took the spoon from the table and scooped it out of the bowl. The one who did not let go of the spoon was considered gluttonous.
Meat was eaten only when there was no other food left in the bowl, and only after the owner instructed to hit the table with a spoon.
If someone behaved at the table not as it should be - laughed, talked, then he was punished by hitting his forehead with a spoon. 
were respected various signs associated with spoons. It was impossible to put the spoon so that it rested with the handle on the table, and the other end on the plate, because the spoon, like a bridge, could penetrate into the bowl devilry. It was not allowed to knock spoons on the table, because from this “the evil one rejoices” and “the sinister creatures come to dinner” (creatures personifying poverty and misfortune). It was considered a sin to remove spoons from the table in a prayer, on the eve of the fasts laid down by the church, so the spoons remained on the table until the morning. You can’t put an extra spoon on the table, otherwise there will be an extra mouth or evil spirits will sit at the table. As a gift, it was necessary to bring a spoon for housewarming, along with a loaf of bread, salt and money.
For a long time, wooden products have been very popular in all areas of human activity. Cooking is no exception. all sorts of cutting boards, trays, plates from hard rock trees are valued for their environmental friendliness, practicality and, of course, beauty. AT modern world the trend to buy kitchen utensils from natural materials is gaining momentum. If you decide to purchasewooden utensils for home or restaurant, you need to know the basic rules for processing such items.
How to remove odor from a wooden cutting board
It's no secret that wood can absorb food odors such as onions, fish or spices. A few simple tricks will help eliminate them:
- Wipe wooden product a slice of lemon or a gauze napkin moistened with lemon juice.
- Sprinkle the dishes with coarse-grained salt, leaving it in this state for a while. The salt will absorb any unpleasant odors, after which it can be removed with a damp kitchen towel.
- Treat a cutting board or plate with vinegar, then rinse with water and wipe dry.
Antimicrobial treatment of wooden boards
In our store you canbuy a massive oak cutting board, wooden salad bowls and trays, plates and breakfast tables that can decorate any kitchen. However, in any case, this dish will not go unnoticed by pathogenic microorganisms. Although they live on surfaces only until the product is completely dry, it is still necessary to carry out preventive measures to combat “pests”.
You can use the following methods:
- Warm surface treatment ethyl alcohol or vodka.
- Rubbing wooden utensils with infusion of cloves.
- Rubbing the object with soda.
- Treatment of boards, trays and plates with lemon juice.
After following one or more recommendations, the dishes must be rinsed running water and wipe with a dry towel.
Wood also tends to darken over time. To prevent this, oak cutting boards, wooden trays should be periodically rinsed with a decoction of onion peel adding lemon juice to it. To get rid of berry stains, it is enough to wipe a bowl or salad bowl with hydrogen peroxide. It will also help restore the product to its original color.
Would you like to use in the kitchen environmentally friendly wooden utensils that do not emit harmful substances but worried about the difficulty of caring for her? Don't worry! It is enough to follow a few simple rules and your purchase will delight with its beauty for a long time to come.
Gaining popularity. It happens in more because it is environmentally friendly and has many advantages: it does not break, it gives food a unique taste, it keeps it warm for a long time, etc. This type dishes are also called cooperage.
wood for dishes
Many are interested in what kind of wood wooden utensils are made of. It should be noted that different types are suitable:
- for the manufacture of glasses, mugs, glasses, it is better to use ash, hornbeam, oak and linden;
- for barrels, linden and oak will be relevant;
- linden and aspen are suitable for spoons, and only the first type of wood for plates.
The most resistant to temperature effects are maple, cedar, bamboo, mountain ash and linden. However, in addition to technical and operational properties, it is necessary to take into account medicinal characteristics wood. For example, oak has a beneficial effect on teeth, rowan provides good blood circulation, and alder has soothing properties. It should be noted that daily contact with such cooperage utensils will give a positive result.
Coating and product processing
The weak point of wood is insufficient resistance to chemical and thermal influences. For this reason, wooden utensils must be treated and coated with protective materials.
Food wooden utensils are processed different ways. The simplest of them is wetting in hot oil (it can be linseed, vegetable). Another method is the combined use of oil and wax.
What is covered with wooden dishes? To do this, use a special food varnish, which protects the painted surface from the effects of substances present in food products.
This varnish has a number of properties:
- water resistance;
- durability;
- heat resistance;
- coating strength;
- resistance to infection by fungi and mold;
- cracking protection;
- fast drying and no specific odor;
- resistant to impact detergents and direct sunlight.
Thanks to this coating the dishes last longer, because the varnish protects them from the negative effects of the external environment.
Painting of cooper's utensils
The question of painting wooden utensils is ambiguous. As a rule, wood itself has a beautiful color, therefore, in order to preserve its natural appearance, transparent coatings are used for processing, which include the above food varnish.
Care of wooden products
If your home has cooperage products, then you should adhere to certain rules storage and operation of wooden utensils:
- It cannot be washed in dishwasher because there is a risk of damaging the surface.
- Due to the susceptibility of wood to moisture, it is advisable to store dishes in dry places to prevent mold. Also be sure to dry and wipe the product after use.
- For elimination unpleasant odors and can be wiped with an alcohol solution for disinfection purposes.
- As time passes, cooper's dishes darken. In order to restore its previous color, it is recommended to wipe the surface with hydrogen peroxide.
By adhering to these simple rules, you will extend the life of wooden utensils.
The simplest thing you can apply is sunflower oil, stain and varnish fall off immediately. For many, the question arises of warming or not warming, but still warming, although not up to high temperatures, due to oil burnout (bad burnt smell).
Soak a wooden spoon, keeping it in the aisles for twenty minutes, then dry it, then after each use and washing the dishes, it should be wiped with a napkin soaked in natural oil.
You can choose your own oil according to tastes and preferences, for example, sea buckthorn oil or some other. But you need to know that after sea buckthorn oil, although the dishes take on an amber appearance, the oil quickly discolors and the spoon takes on its former appearance.
I once covered a spoon twice and sent it to a friend from Moscow. But when he sent me a photo, I was very surprised the spoon went stained, and in some places there was no oil at all.
Linseed oil good remedy to cover wooden utensils. In the early days, all wooden kitchen utensils were impregnated only with this.
It is better to use artistic bleached, you can buy it at any store artistic paints. Application:
- Do water bath, (take a pot of water and place a smaller container of oil in it, and lower the object into the oil);
- After the bath, wipe the accessory clean, gradually cooling;
Dry in the sun and here's why
They do this to accelerate polymerization (ultraviolet contributes to this process). Wood treated in this way is more resistant to moisture and mechanical stress.
In a similar way, you can soak with sea buckthorn and any other, everything depends on performance characteristics kitchen utensils.
And now why is it necessary - oil impregnation
The main goal of increasing the service life, the second is the exclusion of unpleasant odors due to the absorption of the wood surface of everything that gets into the dishes. The oil prevents the object from spilling and blocks the formation of odors.
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