Olive wood from Europe is recognized as the premium wood to fashion gourmet wood cooking utensils. Research from the University of Wisconsin, has proved through tests, that wood is more hygienic than any kind of molded plastic. Wooden products are safer than plastic kitchen items because bacteria like salmonella cannot survive for more than three minutes on a wood surface, yet it will remain viable on or in a plastic equivalent.

Kitchen utensils and kitchenware are made from European olive wood because of its high grade of durability. Olive wood carpentry and craftsmanship has been handed down from generation to generation, from family to family, in the Provence area of France. The Provence locale is picturesque and compelling to visit. Hilltop towns overlook the Mediterranean Sea, and bask in the warm temperate climate. Gourmet cooking from this area is famous for incorporating the organic herbs and spices grown here. Special dried herb mixes are featured in gourmet Herbes de Provence. Gourmet chefs and cooks from around the world utilize French Herbes de Provence for its pure flavor in their finest recipes. This region has become known for its gourmet cuisine, rich history, and olive wood artisans. It has become a natural for gourmet gift products to be made from olive wood, here.

The olive wood selected for their products is of the finest aged quality and is extremely robust. Each olive wood piece is processed naturally to bring out the unique grain pattern inherent to olive wood. The olive wood raw material is hand selected and skillfully crafted by wood carving professionals. Because of the nature of olive wood, over 75% of the rough material may be turned to waste, to manufacture a fine grade kitchen utensil or olive wood gourmet gift item.

Numerous shops from Paris to Nice will include olive wood gift items of extraordinary quality. Tourists find exceptional bargains that are individually made and exquisite.

One such item is an olive wood herb mill or herb grinder, which is used to grind dried herbs and salts. Each mill is hand made, and at completion, solely unique. No two pieces of olive wood material are the same, thus the wood grain and veining pattern are never similar from piece to piece. Like pepper grinding mills, an olivewood herb grinder offers the fresh ground taste and aroma of fresh herbs to any gourmet dish.

An olive wood herb mill has made many cooks happy as a thoughtful kitchen gourmet gift.

James Zeller writes for gift related websites and blogs. Here is a selection of unique gifts that he found, and a creative collection of culinary gourmet gifts.