Bamboo Cooking Utensils
Sometimes called the poor man's lumber, bamboo is a highly renewable resource that is used in creating a wide variety of products. You can get bamboo flooring, mats, frames, towels, clothing, furniture and kitchen utensils, just to name a few. In natural conditions, bamboo can grow upwards of two feet daily. The plant's extensive roots continually send up fresh shoots so it never needs replanting, which makes bamboo products environmentally friendly. Does this Spark an idea?
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Benefits
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Bamboo is lighter than oak but harder than maple. This makes bamboo cooking utensils lightweight and manageable, and provides them with tremendous longevity when treated properly. Bamboo doesn't break easily, it won't hurt your non-stick pots and pans, and it won't absorb odors like some other utensil materials do.
Being Green
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Besides the fact that bamboo renews itself quickly, there are other environmental advantages to bamboo cooking utensils. For one, you're not depleting hardwood forests by using bamboo. Additionally, a lot of bamboo is grown organically. That means a certified organic cutting board or spoon, for example, was grown and made without pesticides, fertilizers, or artificial colors. Finally, come the end of its useful life, a bamboo utensil is biodegradable.
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Cleaning Bamboo Items
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Cleaning bamboo utensils isn't difficult. Wash them using mild soap then rinse them thoroughly under hot water. Dry them in the dish drainer where the silverware goes. If you notice your utensils seem dry, treat them to a light massage with olive oil. Avoid putting bamboo items in the dishwasher.
Cost
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The cost of buying bamboo utensils measures up nicely against wooden counterparts. In some cases you can even save money. If you want to switch to using bamboo, the most cost-effective approach is buying sets. Alternatively, as one of your wooden utensils wears out, replace just that item with bamboo until you eventually have the set you desire.
Spoons and Chopsticks
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Among the most popular bamboo utensils, spoons and chopsticks make a great addition to any kitchen. Bamboo spoons come in a variety of sizes and shapes, making them functional for everything from tossing a salad and stirring soup to serving a meal. Slotted spoons work wonderfully with woks.
Chopsticks have been around for thousands of years, used in the same way as forks, in the Far East. They come in various lengths and two basic styles. Japanese bamboo chopsticks have pointed tips, while Chinese ones have blunt tips. For daily use, bamboo is a favored material. For those wanting to use correct etiquette, always hold your chopsticks in the right hand. It takes a little time to master eating with chopsticks, but it's great fun to offer them when serving guests Oriental cuisine.
Steamers
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Another popular bamboo utensil is a steamer. With many consumers looking for healthy cooking options, the popularity of steamers has grown greatly since the latter part of 20th century. Traditional bamboo steamers retain the flavors and nutrients in foods that other types of cooking sometimes eliminate. While the original design for bamboo steamers was to be used with woks, they work perfectly well in nearly any pan of water, since they come in many sizes.
It's easy to use bamboo steamers. Just fill a pan with water until it reaches just below the slotted area in the bottom of the steamer. Put your food inside, boil the water, and then sit back until the food is cooked. For a twist, add herbs, wine, juice, or even edible flowers to the water. These enhance the aroma and flavor of the completed dish. Note that if you're using a tiered steamer, the items at the bottom cook the fastest. That means putting hardier things like potatoes or carrots in the bottom of your bamboo steamer and more delicate, fast-cooking items on top.
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References
- Photo Credit bamboo image by Bube from Fotolia.com
