Why does nobody talk about using a wooden spoon to stop pasta from boiling over

I was so fed up with my pot foaming up every single time I made spaghetti. I mean, it doesn't matter if I use a huge pot or barely any water, it always wants to climb over the edge. I tried putting a little oil in the water, but that just made the sauce slide off the noodles later. Then my neighbor, this older guy named Dave, saw me fighting with my stove last Tuesday and just handed me a wooden spoon. He said lay it across the top of the pot and it will stop the foam. I thought he was messing with me, but I tried it and it actually worked. The bubbles hit the wooden spoon and just pop, no mess at all. Has anyone else found a weird kitchen trick that made you feel like you wasted years dealing with something dumb?

3 comments

3 Comments

jessica1301mo ago

The real trick is dry wood absorbing moisture, not just stopping foam.

murphy.aaron1mo ago

That thing about dry wood absorbing moisture is interesting because I wonder how much of it is actually absorption versus just the rough surface breaking the surface tension. I've seen people argue both ways on it. Have you ever tested it with a super dry wooden spoon versus one that's been sitting in water for a while to see if there's a difference in how fast the foam goes down?

nathan9011mo ago

That wooden spoon trick is legit. My grandma used to do that and I thought she was just being old school until I tried it myself. The way the bubbles just vanish when they hit the dry wood is wild. I also started keeping a spray bottle of cold water next to the stove. A quick spritz at the foam and it dies down instantly. Way faster than blowing on it or stirring like a maniac.