I'm going to be turning some kitchen utensils for Christmas presents and
was
wondering what makes good and durable wood for this. I've thought of
pecan
or walnut but was also wanting a few other types.

Beech or sugar maple.

The original posting is no longer on the server, so I'll reply here. Besides
these two woods one very important 'treen' wood is American Sycamore. This
wood is a favorite for wooden spoons. Sycamore can withstand repeated
immersion in water, even boiling water, without checking when it dries. Dan