This post has been eight years in the making.
Eight years ago, Maxence and I visited friends in London. On the night we arrived, Zoe made lasagna and a big green salad, which she tossed using two beautiful wooden implements shaped like four-clawed bear paws.
I stared, transfixed. “Where do you get those?” I asked, imagining a London shop where I could hunt them down. “Oh, the bear claws? I got them as a gift back in the US,” she said. My hopes deflated, but the weekend in London was delightful and I put the bear claws out of my mind.
Fast forward eight years: I was spending time in Canada, in Stratford, Ontario. On my first day walking through the city centre, my eyes landed on a stack of the long-desired utensils in the window of a local arts-and-crafts shop.
I could not believe my luck. I rushed inside and bought a set immediately.
Bear claws are made by a small company in British Columbia, where they are handcrafted from beautiful birch and finished with walnut oil. They have been produced that way for decades, and the craftsmanship really shows.
After using my bear claws at home, I’m very pleased: they are comfortable to handle and give a reassuring, precise grip because your hands are close to the food without actually touching it. They feel like the next-best thing to using your hands for dressing a salad, but without the messy sensation that some people dislike.
Besides tossing salads, the manufacturer recommends using bear claws for stirring and serving rice and bean dishes, lifting long pasta from the pot, draining cooked vegetables, and transferring roasts from a pan. Their design makes them versatile for a range of kitchen tasks where a firm, controlled grip is useful.
Like other wooden utensils, bear claws should not go in the dishwasher. Clean them by brushing with warm, soapy water, then dry promptly. Periodically rub them with olive or walnut oil to preserve the wood and keep the finish looking warm and healthy.
Have you ever come across bear claws and used them? If so, what did you think?
Note: The maker also offers other wooden utensils and similar handcrafted pieces for those who appreciate simple, well-made kitchen tools.