ACORN BASKET
Acorn Cooking Basket and Associated Items
The large basket was used for making a thick acorn soup. Acorns were pounded using a stone pestle like the one pictured. The resulting flour was then leeched to remove the bitter tanic acid, and added to water until the soup was the consistency of mush. Hot stones were then stirred in to cook the mixture. The wooden paddle, usually made from yew, was used to keep the stones from burning the soup or the basket.
The paddle was designed for comfortable use, but also reflected the personality of the carver. Each paddle had its own design and style, depending on who fashioned it.