Wooden spoons are old school. They’re what our grandmothers and our grandmother’s grandmothers used. And they’re still around today because, well, they just work. There are all kinds of fancy spoons on the market these days — slotted plastic spoons, silicone spoons, spoons that scrape, and spoons that sift. But I always come back to my wooden spoons. They’re simple and they get the job done.
Wooden spoons have been around for thousands of years. Some of the world’s oldest known utensils, wooden spoons have been found in cultures around the world. Today you can buy all kinds of wooden spoons, from simple utility spoons to hand-carved artisanal decorative spoons to ceremonial spoons sold to tourists.
Wooden spoons don’t conduct heat and don’t melt, so you can rest them on the sides of hot pans without fear of ruining the spoon or burning your fingers when you pick it up again. Wooden spoons won’t scratch your teflon pan, but will scrape up fond off the bottom of your dutch oven just as well, if not better, than any other utensil on the market. You can buy wooden spoons with long handles or short handles, large heads or small heads. I use wooden spoons to mix batter, stir cookie dough, scramble eggs, and stir fry rice. Two wooden spoons make great salad tongs and also work well to toss pasta with sauce.
The wooden spoon is a quintessential kitchen tool that you should have in your utensil drawer. Plus, they’re eco-friendly! So go buy one (or two, or three, or a pack) now; you won’t regret it.
