Pastry / basting brushes

Le Creuset® Revolution Silicone Brush

Some manufacturers sell one kind while some sell two distinct items and only few are honest enough to name it pasty / basting brush. I can imagine you need longer handle for basting to stay away from hot oven while redistributing juices or applying flavoured oils or herbs. And shorter handle comes handy when applying glazing to the pastry. But at the end (pun intended) it's the same brush and you can use it for either task.


Cooks used brushes for centuries. Made of feathered bird wings (I wonder how those were prepared to avoid spoiling), bird feathers, natural bristles. Now there is nylon and silicone. For some reason I dislike nylon so no more will be said on nylon brushes.

You can't buy feather brushes other than in arts and crafts store (not to be used in the kitchen) and in speciality stores. Feathers are imported from overseas.

See natural boar bristle brush at Williams-Sonoma.

$13 @ Williams-Sonoma

And now there is silicone.  Featuring silicone brushes from Sur La Table.  Amazing art of describing a product - premium silicone is dishwasher safe, hand wash the wood handle. 


Silicone brushes come in any colour you may desire and are cute.
Silicone brushes don't hold liquid as well as natural ones but cleaning is easier and they won't shed bristles into your food - that's guaranteed.
Silicone brush is supposed to tolerate heat. It will also melt ungracefully if you put it in direct contact with hot metal surface. So don't. 

For some reason I dislike bristles in baked goods. A single bristle in my plate can turn my stomach upside down.
I don't know what's worse - nylon bristles or natural bristles.
The featured boar brush is advertised as the one that is holding it's bristles well. But who knows. Switched to silicone brushes because of bristle phobia.