Text 7350, 80 rader
Skriven 2006-11-06 19:07:34 av Barbara McNay (1:382/48)
     Kommentar till en text av Glen Jamieson
Ärende: BAMBOO UTENSILS 61105
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 >  -=> Quoting Barbara Mcnay to Glen Jamieson <=-

 >> The bamboo is a type of grass, and the stems are
 >> tubular, which limits
 >> the shape and size of whatever is carved out of it.
 >> The highly
 >> polished surfaces would be the original outside of the
 >> bamboo.

 >  BM> The chopsticks look lacquered, too, though not as high a gloss as some
 >  BM> surfaces.

 > They probably are lacquered or treated with some sort
 > of plastic
 > finish.  I like to roughen the end 2 cm or so, as then
 > they grip
 > slippery noodles better.

Aha!  Mine are like knitting needles, not the blunt cylindrical type.  No
matter.  I have yet to master the art of holding food with them.  I can get the
chopsticks to do what I want, as long as I'm not trying to hold a piece of food
with them!

 >>  BM> difference.  Also, the spoons I've seen here are fairly shallow, not

 >> Yes, they are normally rather shallow, as the wall
 >> thickness of the
 >> bamboo stems used for making spatulas and spoons is
 >> usually not more
 >> than 10 mm (3/8 inch).

 >  BM> Do you know what the diameter of these stems is?  They must be fairly
 >  BM> large to make those spatulas.

 > From looking at my spatulas, I would estimate the
 > original bamboo
 > stems to be 20 to 30 cm (8 - 12 inches) diameter.
 > This size of bamboo
 > is quite common in tropical countries, and is used for
 > scaffolding
 > when constructing buildings many storeys high.

That's impressive.  I figure the bamboo plant itself must be over ten meters
high to grow a stem that large.

 >> You may find that the tip of the spatula darkens when
 >> you use it in
 >> very hot oil, but unlike pine wood, it will still
 >> retain its strength.

 >  BM> ISTR you saying that even if burned, it still works well.  How are
 >  BM> bamboo utensils in liquids?  Do they soften, split, warp, absorb
 >  BM> moisture, fray, or do other annoying things that wooden spoons do if
 >  BM> left too long in water?  Are they dishwasher safe?

 > I haven't tried them in the rather aggressive
 > detergents used for
 > dishwashers, but I have used my favourite bamboo
 > spatula almost every
 > day for several years, and it is still in good
 > condition - no cracks,
 > fraying, softening - just a darkening of the end and a
 > little wear.
 > The dark part seems to remain as hard as the rest.

 > I remember reading an account by a traveller in
 > Thailand, who met an
 > old man, living in a bamboo hut, sitting on a bamboo
 > stool, using his
 > bamboo spoon to stir a bamboo pot, over a fire of
 > dried bamboo.   The
 > old man's food?  You've guessed it.  Bamboo shoots!

The bamboo pot sounds interesting.  I wonder how they're made?  How big?  And
how durable, that they could be used over a fire without being scorched through
into uselessness.  And didn't you also say that bamboo doesn't swell when wet
or shrink when dried?

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 * Origin: T E X A S ! (1:382/48)