Charlotte Pemberton
Why Keep Cloth and Wax in the Kitchen Drawer
There is something quietly satisfying about a stack of beeswax wraps sitting in the drawer where the cling film used to live. They smell faintly of honey, they warm to the touch, and they do a proper job of covering a bowl of leftover soup or wrapping up a cheese sandwich for the walk to the village. Made from cotton soaked in a blend of beeswax, they mould to the rim of a bowl with the heat of your hands and hold their shape as they cool.
They are not a modern invention. Before plastic film arrived in British kitchens, cooks covered dishes with oiled cloth, greased paper or a plain tea towel tucked under the plate. What has changed is how easy it is to make them at home. Half an afternoon at the kitchen table will give you a set for the whole household, and the offcuts from your fabric stash do very nicely indeed.
Choosing Your Fabric and Wax
Start with 100% cotton, and choose a tight weave. Quilting cotton, old pillowcases, cotton sheeting and shirt fabric all work well. Avoid anything with a synthetic content, a loose weave, or a heavy print, as polyester will not take the wax evenly and loose drapes let air through. A medium-weight cotton holds up best through repeated wiping and folding.
Wash and dry the fabric first to shrink it and remove any factory dressing, then iron it flat. Cut your squares with pinking shears if you have them, as this reduces fraying. Sizes that earn their keep:
- 20 cm squares for a mug, a jar of jam or half a lemon.
- 25 to 30 cm squares for sandwiches, a small bowl or a block of cheese.
- 35 cm and upwards for mixing bowls, a proving bowl of dough, or a dish headed for the fridge.
For the wax, use cosmetic or food-grade beeswax pellets or a block you grate yourself. A little jojoba oil or sweet almond oil makes the wraps more pliable, and a pinch of pine resin adds grip, though plain beeswax is perfectly good for a first attempt.
What You Will Need
- Cotton squares, trimmed and ironed
- Beeswax pellets, roughly 15 g per 25 cm square
- A tablespoon of jojoba or almond oil for every 100 g of wax
- A baking tray lined with greaseproof paper
- A pastry brush kept for wax only, or a clean flat paintbrush
- An old towel or more greaseproof paper for the cooling rack
- An iron and a second sheet of greaseproof paper, if you prefer the iron method
Making the Wraps, Step by Step
Heat the oven to about 80°C to 90°C — warm enough to melt wax, nowhere near hot enough to scorch the cloth. Lay a cotton square flat on the lined tray and scatter a small handful of wax pellets over it. Slide the tray into the oven for three or four minutes, watching closely, until the wax has melted to clear pools.
Pull the tray out and immediately brush the wax outwards from the centre with long, even strokes. The aim is an even film with no dry patches and no thick clumps at the edges. If you spot a bare patch, sprinkle on a few more pellets and return the tray to the oven for another minute.
Lift the square by two corners and hang it over a rack or a line strung across the kitchen. It will be warm but not scalding. Within a minute or two the wax sets to a soft, slightly tacky finish. Repeat until you have used all your squares, then peel the greaseproof paper away from the tray and put the wax crumbs to one side for re-melting.
If you would rather not use the oven, lay the square between two sheets of greaseproof paper, sprinkle the wax on top, and press with a medium-hot iron using slow, sweeping passes. The wax melts through the cloth and the paper peels away cleanly.
Getting the Finish Right
A good wrap is supple, not stiff, and holds a fold without cracking. If yours feels brittle, you have used too much wax or too little oil — lay it back on the tray with a few drops of oil and remelt. If it feels greasy and leaves a smear on the bowl, you have overdone the wax; sandwich it between clean paper and iron out the excess.
Patchy, streaky wraps usually mean the tray was too cool and the wax began setting before you finished brushing. Work quickly, and keep the tray warm between squares by leaving it in the switched-off oven.
Using, Washing and Re-Waxing
Use the warmth of your hands to press a wrap over a bowl or fold it around a sandwich, then let it cool for a moment so it holds. They are excellent for cheese, cut vegetables, bread, half an onion and a bowl of risen dough.
Keep them away from raw meat and fish, and never put them in the dishwasher, the microwave or a pan of hot water. Wash in cool water with a little mild washing-up liquid, rinse, and hang to dry over the tap or on a line. Hot water strips the wax and shortens their life.
After a year or so of steady use, the wax thins and the wraps lose their grip. Simply lay them back on the tray with a fresh sprinkle of pellets and remelt them. Handled this way, a set of wraps will serve you for years, and the drawer will smell of honey every time you open it.
