Mediterranean cooking relies on a short list of gestures: chopping vegetables and herbs, stirring a sauce for a long time, crushing garlic and spices, tossing a salad, serving pasta straight from the pan. Each of these has a matching tool in olive wood, the wood of the tree that gives the region its oil.
A board for the prep
Most Mediterranean dishes start on a board: onions, tomatoes, peppers, a bunch of parsley. Olive wood is dense and hard with a tight grain, which makes it a stable, durable surface for daily cutting. Every board is unique in its grain and shape, so choose by size and handle rather than by looks alone. The cutting, chopping and serving boards range from compact paddles to wide rectangular boards that go straight to the table.
Spoons and spatulas for long cooking
Ragù, ratatouille, risotto and chickpea stews all ask for a spoon that stays in the pot for a long time. Olive wood does not conduct heat like metal, so the handle stays comfortable, and it does not scratch non-stick pans. A pointed spoon reaches the corners of a pan; a flat spatula turns vegetables and scrapes the bottom without damaging it. If you are starting from scratch, the cooking gift set brings together a utensil holder, three spatulas and an oval serving board.
A mortar for herbs, garlic and spices
Pesto, aioli, chermoula or a simple mix of garlic, salt and herbs: a mortar lets you control the texture in a way a blender cannot. The olive wood mortar and pestle is carved by hand, and its dense wood stands up well to regular use.
Salad and pasta, served at the table
A large salad needs two hands and two tools. The olive wood duo salad servers toss the salad and carry it from the bowl to the plate. For pasta, a toothed pasta server holds spaghetti and tagliatelle so they can be served straight from the pan, and a ladle is all you need for soups and sauces.
Caring for your tools
Wash by hand with warm water, dry right away and oil occasionally with a food-safe oil. Olive wood is not dishwasher safe, and it should not be left soaking in the sink, even after a long-simmered sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use olive wood spoons in a hot pan?
Yes. Olive wood does not conduct heat like metal and does not scratch non-stick coatings, which makes it well suited to stirring on the stove.
Where are the tools made?
Each piece is designed in Switzerland and carved or turned by hand in Tunisia, from old olive trees that were going to become charcoal. No tree is felled for the products.