Wrapping in beeswax paper cuts down on plastic waste, keeps food fresh
Retail trends come and go, but one that’s here to stay is sustainability.
When it comes to kitchen products, there’s composting to make the most of your food scraps, silicone straws to keep plastic out of landfills and reusable food wraps to replace plastic wrap and bags. The latter is changing the way eco-friendly cooks store their favorite foods, from bread and cheese to fruits and vegetables.
Bee’s Wrap is one such company. Featuring a variety of sizes and prints, each wrap is made using organic cotton that’s covered in beeswax, organic jojoba oil and tree resin (from $6, beeswrap.com). The warmth of your hands warms the Bee’s Wrap around a piece of food or over a bowl or casserole dish. And when it cools (after a few seconds), it holds its seal.
When you care for it properly, Bee’s Wrap can last for about a year with regular use. You’ll know it has hit its lifespan when it gets too thin and won’t stick to itself — at which point you can compost it because it’s biodegradable.
To maintain proper care, just hand-wash with cool water and a mild dish soap and air dry. The most important thing to remember it to keep it away from heat, like microwaves, dishwashers, ovens and even too-hot leftovers (wait for your food to cool completely first).
If you want to be green in the kitchen, a beeswax paper is an easy start. It’s great for wrapping sandwiches, baked goods, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. It’s not recommended for raw meat or seafood, and it’s best to steer clear of anything with too much liquid.
There are so many ways to use Bee’s Wrap, but it’s especially useful for taking cookies on the go. This rocky road variety pays homage to the famous ice cream flavor, and the recipe is from “Milk Jar Cookies Bakebook” by Courtney Cowan (Rizzoli, 2020, $32.50).
3⁄4 cup slivered almonds
Mini marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, shortening, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium-low speed until mixed with just small chunks of butter remaining, approximately 30 seconds.
Every time you mix the ingredients, scrape down the sides of a bowl with a spatula to be sure all the ingredients are included in the mix.
Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated and no flour is visible, about 30 seconds. Add the other half of the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated, all the butter chunks are gone and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, approximately 40 seconds.
Stir in the chocolate chips and almonds. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough a heaping 1⁄4 cup at a time and place two mini marshmallows in the middle of each scoop, making sure they are fully encased in the dough. well. Bake until the marshmallows on the top are a light golden brown and you notice hairline cracks forming on the sides, 12 to 14 minutes, spinning each pan 180 degrees halfway through.