If you love to cook or soak up the aroma when others are cooking, then you want great utensils that enhance cooking but are also easy to clean.  Welcome to olive wood kitchenware.

Maybe you wondering what this are?  Well, for the sake of simple clarity, these are woods cultivated from the olive tree.

Olive wood kitchenware are unique for so many reasons and last longer than your regular plastic, metal, and other wooden wares. Its distinctive colour, wood pattern, shape, and odour are some very unique characteristics of olive wood kitchenware. An olive wood collection is made from a single piece of wood, which is cured for ages.

Are you thinking of opting for olive wood kitchenware?

They are expensive as olives themselves, but worth every single dime invested into them!

Where does the olive wood come from and its characteristics?

The olive wood comes from the olive tree Olea species. Trees in this family are the Olea Europaea and Olea Capenis distributed in Europe, Eastern African, and the Mediterranean. The trees have a twisted physique (probably why they have unique patterns) and can grow from 25 to 50 feet. Although the average lifespan of an olive tree is about 600 years, it grows up to thousands of years. Despite the dispute about where the oldest olive tree is located, one fact is that the oldest living fruits bearing olive tree in the world is over 2,000 years. It is located in Crete, Greece, but there are others in other regions claiming to be the oldest. However, the tree in Crete is one that you can go see. 

 Olive trees have been grown for over 5,000 years in these regions for food and the medicinal properties the oils provide. 

Well, until recently, when furniture experts and the woodworking communities saw and appreciated the qualities of the wood. Its pattern, grain design, and more plus its hardness is used in many areas like kitchenware, household items, jewelry, and even flooring. Other uses of olive wood are for making high-end furniture, veneers, knife handles, carving, artwork frames, and small utensils.

Characteristics of olive wood

Olive wood has proven to be the best wood in the market today. 

At first glance, one is marvelled by the appearance, richness, colors, and wavy patterns. The texture and overall finesse of the wood is the attractive feature of this wood. In addition to these properties,

"Numerous times I have been standing in-front of a Scanwood display and people are blown away that is is a naturally occurring pattern on the wood. Reflecting the 'rings' of the trees growth.  100% unique to each piece" 

- Scott Larsen, Director Le Bono Collection

  It is a dense wood that is highly resistant to odours and stains, making them excellent cooking and kitchenware. They are also very classy and add a touch of something old, something new to every type of kitchen from modern to rural.

Hardness and texture

The wood is dense, making it heavy with a fine grain texture. The grain texture varies from straight; wild to interlock that is uninformed or not, creating unique patterns on the surface.

This quality of olive wood lends itself perfectly to being a high use, everyday item in the kitchen!   

Even top restaurants in Singapore, such as now closed Restaurant Andre - by celebrity chief Andre, used Scanwood for serving in a commercial setting.  Attesting to not only the level of sophistication of the wood type, but also the usability in a 'high use' situation.

Resistant to rot/dryness

How you maintain the wood will determine if it will rot. However, this wood does not dry out like other wooden kitchenware with time or use. Furthermore, its dense, oily nature of olives is also applicable to the wood. Professional woodworkers will treat the wood to avoid it buckling or wrapping in the future.

Durability

This property makes it the best wood for making kitchenware and other indoor items. However, like all wood, it is susceptible to insect attacks, especially borers. 

With proper maintenance, it should remain intact for years to come.

How to maintain Olive wood Kitchenware?

Kitchenware made from olive wood is usually very strong and highly resistant to external attacks. To keep them in great, working conditions; it needs appropriate maintenance.  We have prepared a deep dive article on how to care for your Olive Wood Kitchenware - just follow this button below.   

To summarise the care instructions - here is what you need to look out for:

• Washing and drying - follow our suggested technique for washing and storing your Olive Wood items
• Oiling - Yes kind of like a car, but with a different type of oil
• Sanitising - Wood is still porous and once a year or two, it may make sense to give it a 'deep clean;' or sanitisation via the method we suggest
  
• Neutralising - similar to the reason we sanitise olive wood kitchenware, sometimes when we are cooking with 'heavy' ingredients, there may be a lingering smell.   Trust our process to ensure your beautiful Olive Wood continues to smell amazing!
  

BONUS TIP - not in our full article:

• Polishing your wood - It is suggested that from time to time you use either olive oil and/ or beeswax solution to wipe the surface of your olive board.  When opting for the beeswax, remember to choose food-friendly products that are turpentine-free. The olive oil prevents dryness and the wax creates a protective seal on the surface.

We hope you enjoyed this article and enjoy using your Olive Wood as much as we do.   

Le Bono Collection still carries a range of Scanwood products - many of which are made out of Itallian Olive Wood, FSC sources.  

To view our collection follow the tab below, or we will be creating more articles on amazing Olive Wood Utensils, including, Spatulas, Wooden Spoons, Serving Tongs, Rice Scoops and Chopping Boards soon - so stay posted for those.