Near the shore of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, a small cooperative of “spoonmakers” (Los Cuchareros) call the town of San Lucas Toliman their home. Each utensil begins life in the humid forest surrounding the Lake Atitlan where the artisans collect wood. Cuchareros take special care to preserve their surroundings, using only certified wood sources beyond that which they collect themselves—each piece is carefully finished with beeswax and mineral oil and will vary in grain pattern.