If you're Mexican, you probably had one of these in the kitchen when you were growing up.
Escobetas de raiz are an almost totally ignored kitchen item that just is. No one talks about them or gets excited about them but they are one of my very favorite zero waste kitchen items.
Escobetas de raiz are sturdy scrubbers made from the roots of the zacaton variety of grass. They are traditionally used to scrub molcajetes and cast iron skillets, but you can use them to wash any kind of dish. The fibers are tough but not abrasive, making them an excellent choice for any kind of scrubbing you do at home.
It's the sturdy, water resistant roots that make up the fibers of this biodegradable but very resilient scrubber. It is probably what ancient ancestors used for cleaning their pots and dishes. This scrubber is not just a kitchen tool. It's a link to our heritage, even beyond our colonized past.
I've bought many zero waste scrubbers in my day, but honestly my heart pulls me back to this little scrubber over and over again because it is not trendy or expensive or overly produced. It reminds me of my grandmother's kitchen and all of the warmth and love that lived there.
When I glance on my escobeta, standing cheerfully at my sink I am instantly taken back to Grandmalina's kitchen with it's sizzling pans, sunlight filtering through plants in the window, the smells of arroz and cooking onions, and the ever constant flow of dishes being washed and put away. I love that I can have those moments every time I look at my sink.
Here at Paloma Danger I have leveled up the basic escobeta de raiz by adding beautiful Peruvian wool yarn to the handle. To me this feels like the perfect blend of my Americanized self and my literal roots in Mexico. To me this humble dish scrubber is a reminder that as we assimilate we might overlook the parts of ourselves that are still rooted in our culture and ancient traditions.
You can get your own Escobeta de Raiz right here in the Paloma Danger shop. Get one for your hermana, your primas, your comadres - anyone you know who wants to be more eco-friendly and shares your love of cultura.
