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If you watch cooking shows, you'll notice most chefs tear the lettuce instead of cutting it with a metal knife. That's because the lettuce will react to the metal and turn brown faster. That's also the reason you're not supposed to serve salad in a metal bowl, so probably that's why the wooden ones were used.
For what it's worth, I've cut many a salad with a metal knife and not had a problem. I've also eaten them in a chilled metal bowl, mainly because with me around, no salad is going to turn brown faster than I can eat it, especially when it's swimming for its life with the amount of dressing I put on.
So take it for what it's worth.
You are right - that's a myth. Tearing lettuce does not damage less cells than cutting the leaves with a knife.
I hand tear lettuce only because for me it looks nicer than uniformly cut lettuce.
No, I was having stainless steel in mind when I posted that. Read up some articles online; they say stainless steel is not good for keeping acidic food, including tomato or tomato sauce.
I'm not even going there. You can live your life based on what "they" tell you, or you can live your life based on what you know. Knowledge - it's a powerful thing.
........ The dressing liquid would stay inside the wood.........
OP, wood needs to be oiled occasionally, and wood that is used in contact with food is often oiled with vegetable oil. Your salad dressing actually helps to keep the wooden salad bowl in good condition.
I occasionally cruise through the thrift stores looking for monkey pod wood bowls. People ruin them and then send them to the thrift store. I'm guessing that most of the damage is caused by putting the wood into the dish washer. A careful sanding and a new oil finish and they are like new again.
You actually cure wooden bowls, just like you must cure cast iron. Then you must take care of it properly and it maintains its finish and will last forever, looking beautiful its entire life.
From my professional experience, most health departments really frown on wooden salad bowls (as well as wooden utensils and wooden handled utensils.)
I have a great stock of such utensils in my kitchen that I brought home 30 years ago after a health department inspection. i could NOT see throwing them away.
I've had a beautiful bamboo salad bowl for years. Still in very good condition. No odors. My MIL's is teak, and it's at least fifty years old, probably more, because she inherited it from her mother. She uses it all the time.
Last edited by randomparent; 01-26-2016 at 07:34 AM..
I haven't seen a wooden salad bowl in years. Probably since they're a pain to clean and maintain compared to ceramic. I would think they're wooden because they give a nice organic earthy vibe. So aesthetics.
For our wedding 42 years ago, we were given a set of large wooden salad bowl, wooden fork/spoon set, and 6 small individual serving bowls. We have used them frequently while raising our family, and still use them. They are just as good-looking now as they were 42 years ago. My wife knows how to care for them; common sense always told us never to soak them, just as we wouldn't soak cast iron.
Look up "treenware" - 40 years ago, it was considered a staple wedding gift that would last for years.
For our wedding 42 years ago, we were given a set of large wooden salad bowl, wooden fork/spoon set, and 6 small individual serving bowls. We have used them frequently while raising our family, and still use them. They are just as good-looking now as they were 42 years ago. My wife knows how to care for them; common sense always told us never to soak them, just as we wouldn't soak cast iron.
Look up "treenware" - 40 years ago, it was considered a staple wedding gift that would last for years.
My parents received something similar when they were married - back in the late 1950s. All the pieces of the set are still in beautiful condition because we knew how to care for them. That's something that will be passed down - from my mom to me, then from me to my son and HIS wife. I don't know if it's "treenware" per se, but the concept is the same - large wooden serving bowl, wooden fork and spoon, and I believe 8 small serving bowls.
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