SOAPSTONE cm.25X40 WITH WOODEN BASE AND STOVE

SOAPSTONE
Soapstone, thanks to its malleability and resistance, has been worked since time immemorial. It seems it was already used in the Bronze Age, not as soapstone but to make matrices for the fusion of metal. Later it was used to obtain food containers, called "olle", from which the adjective "ollare".

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STONE
- produced in a stone called STEATITE
- composed of 40/50% talc (therefore it is a natural non-stick) and 40/50% magnesite (it makes the stone resistant and compact);
- outstanding temperature retention properties;
- immune to the action of alkaline acids, therefore it cooks food preserving their natural aroma, not altering it;
- being a natural non-stick it does not allow the oil and/or the various substances contained in the food to be absorbed by the stone itself;
- withstands very high temperatures (up to 800°C);

INITIAL TREATMENT
1) place the stone in the oven and bring the temperature to 150° C for 30 minutes (this serves to dehydrate the stone by dilating its pores, favoring the treatment described in point 2)
2) remove the stone from the oven with a suitable glove, place it on a washable support (example: the burner grate of a common kitchen stove), wait a few minutes for the stone to cool down and oil the stone abundantly on both sides . We recommend the use of a refined seed oil (sunflower, soy, peanut, corn) that has a smoke point over 200°C. We strongly advise against extra virgin olive oil which has a low smoke point;
3) put the stone back in the oven bringing the temperature to 200°C and leave it in the oven for 1 hour. Leave the stone to "rest" in the oven until it reaches room temperature again. Now the stone is ready, and can be washed like a common pot, with detergent and using a non-abrasive sponge.

NB: the initial treatment has the purpose of hardening the stone making it durable over time and it is therefore advisable to repeat this treatment periodically.

WARNINGS
- avoid any type of thermal shock to the stone which could cause it to break. Example: do not put the hot stone in contact with cold and/or wet surfaces, much less immerse it in water; do not put the stone at room temperature, in an oven already at high temperatures (over 200° C).
- never put the stone in direct contact with the flame: always use a flame arrester;
- any small veins or "micro" cracks that could form after the first uses do not compromise its use