December 14, 2012 - 11:21pm
New bannetons from ebay - do I clean???
Just picked up some banneton's from ebay for around $13.00/piece!
I would like to clean them before using. I'm thinking of using only water, and then throwing them in a 150 - 200 degree oven to dry.
My other thought is just to flour the inside, and if there is bacteria/germs, at 450+ degrees, anything harmful should be killed anyway.
Thoughts? Should I use soap & water?
Thanks!
-Joel
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http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/28305/cleaning-cane-bannetons
Up to you if you want to wash them, I would go for a just a light rinse using a sprayer and then pat them as dry as you can with a towel, hang in the sunshine or place on a rack where all sides are open to air to dry. Putting them in a hot oven is not the best thing for them. The dough goes into the hot oven after being in the banneton (don't bake in them.)
If you bought second hand underwear, would you wash and sterilize or just start wearing it?
In saying that, YES, clean it! In this case, you are not wearing your bread, you are eating it. So even more reason to be cautious.
Good luck!
John
Of course you're right.
I was worried about mold and ruining the wicker baskets, but then I thought, "other people wash their baskets and they're fine!".
As for bacteria from not washing the wicker baskets, I really didn't care as the oven temp at 450-degrees+ will kill anything.
Now I have one basket washed (and drying), and the other basket has a loaf rising!
Thanks!
-JRG
Of course you're right.
I was worried about mold and ruining the wicker baskets, but then I thought, "other people wash their baskets and they're fine!".
As for bacteria from not washing the wicker baskets, I really didn't care as the oven temp at 450-degrees+ will kill anything.
Now I have one basket washed (and drying), and the other basket has a loaf rising!
Thanks!
-JRG
Who buys used underwear in America? There is a demand here in Japan! Underwear and Bannetons, is there a relationship here????
I personally have never bought or worn second hand underwear, however, I did have a neighbour growing up that bought them for her children. I guess not everyone is fortunate enough to afford all things new. Sad but true.
My point was not to sound rediculous, just to make a point that putting something in your mouth from an unwashed source is worse than what the average person would consider disgusting and unclean.
:)
John
I do not, nor would I personaly advise getting natural fibers too wet, for too long.
To clean mine I simply use a stiff kitchen brush to remove any extra flour, with the ocational scraping if the mold starts to thicken.
If you are concerned about too much mold, direct sunlight will kill it.
that you typed "Just picked up some banneton's from ebay for around $13.00/piece!" instead of;
Just picked up some banneton's off of ebay for around $13.00/piece!
Godd luck with them, I lightly wash even the new ones before using them for the frst time. However, I wear new underwear right out of the package.
Why do Americans say "off of" when a simple "off" does the trick? A.
One of the reason repeated washing of rattan, wicker and bamboo basket is discouraged, is their tendency, once wet and not fully dried to foster the growth of mold and mildew. Most bacteria and germs would be destroyed at baking temperatures. What the average person would consider disgusting and unclean, would depend upon that persons cultural viewpoint. Spit roasting a leg of lamb over a fire fueled by dried cow dung, would not be my cup of tea, but in a country where trees are sparse, thats just good eatings.
When I bought mine I did rinse them lightly, no soap, and put them into a 200° oven for about an hour.
Now, when they begin to get too covered in flour, I rinse them and use as stiff brush to clean off as much of the old flour as I can and then I do oven time again to dry and kill anything that might not be good on 'em.... (I probably do this 2x a year.) Probably over kill but it makes me feel good :-)
Daily maintenance involves tapping the basket lightly to rid it of excess flour that doesn't adhere to the dough. I also go over them with a brush to remove any of the wet flour caught in the spaces between the canes.
Problems here arise in late summer when kitchen moths arrive. They love to lay eggs in stored baskets so I always check for hatching worms before use. :-O
On a side note: I would check out where the baskets were made. When I first bought brotforms I didn't have a clue about them so went for ones with the lowest price. I got what I paid for. The staples used to hold the canes in place protruded right through the canes so that the ends were in contact with the wet doughs. The staples used also rusted pretty quickly. The only ones I will use now are made either in Germany or Slovakia.
Janet
I brush mine out with a large softer baby bottle type brush. It seems to have the right type of consistency and doesn't damage the baskets.