Cooking With Wooden Spoons: A Must-Have Kitchen Tool In Latin Cuisine

There's much to love about exquisite, multicultural Latin American food. While each country and region features distinctive flavors, Latin cuisine as a whole is rich in history, lifestyle rituals, and traditions that stretch beyond food. Cooking utensils—notably, the ever-ubiquitous wooden spoons—have also played an important role in shaping Latin American fare, in the same way they have touched many food cultures worldwide.

Some of the most durable, beautiful hardwoods (think olive, maple, and even treelike bamboo) come from temperate forests and are generally characterized by their uniquely attractive grain or striation. In Costa Rica, for example, caoba, nogal, teca, cocobolo, and palisandro are thought of as some of the most highly revered hardwoods because of their aesthetic, strong, and sustainable qualities. 

Beyond their rich history, wooden spoons are a versatile tool that can last a lifetime. Here are four reasons they've been a reliable cooking staple to this day:

Wooden utensils don't transfer heat, which means they're an insulated tool that won't melt, alter your food's temperature, or burn your hand while you're cooking.

Sturdy, long-lasting tools are essential to any kitchen. Whether you're flipping, whisking, stirring, or scraping—wooden spoons can get the job done, without bending or breaking.

The wide range of grains, textures, designs, and overall artistry of wooden utensils add a classic (and sometimes nostalgic) touch of sheer belleza to any cooking endeavor.

Despite their tough structure, wooden utensils are naturally soft tools that won't harm or scrape your cookware's finish and surface.

In other words, never (really, never) put your wooden utensils in the dishwasher or let them soak in water for long periods if you want to prolong your tool's longevity.

As my Latin-Jewish mamá would say: "Wooden spoons remind me of my mom making fig cajeta —or thickened caramel—but they also take me to the smell of my land and the forest. They teach me to treat my pots with affection and to respect the colors and textures of my food."