Usefullness of bowls, dishs, etc

[Burt Alcantara]

I'm able to turn objects that don't go in the barbeque box. For years I've avoided using wood because of rancidity issues. Now that I'm turning and have viewed "From the Tree to the Table" a number of times, I'm still not sure about eating from wood surfaces.

Most of our foods are on the saucy, soupy, wet side. My concern is both rancidity and leakage. Same for salads. We eat large salads as a main course about 5 days a week.

All of our eating containers are high fired clay based including some I made over 20 years ago.

I'd like to hear your experiences with eating on wood.

Thanks,
Burt

[Bernie Weishapl]

Burt I have some walnut plates that have been soaked in walnut oil. I have the same video you have of Mike Mahoney. We have eaten off these plates now for a while now. Have had no problems. Also have a couple of salad bowls out of mahogany finished with General Finishes Seal-A-Cell and Arm-R-Seal. Holding up just fine. My grandmother had a set of maple plates and bowls they ate off of for at least 30 yrs. that I know of before her and my granddad died. Her daughter has them now. Here is a picture of the Mahogany bowls we use for salad a couple times a week. Just my $1.298.

[Glenn Hodges]

When I started turning I went the cheap route and bought my walnut oil at a local store. One of my bowls turned rancid and man that was a stinking mess. If I was to ever go back to using walnut oil I would get it from Mike. I use tung oil and nothing on my bowls which will be eaten from.

[Reed Gray]

I have one bowl that I have taken to all the shows that I do for the last 6 years. I have eaten every thing from ice cream to tofu, to bar-b-q, and have had no problems with it. To keep it that way, there are a few things that you need to do. One is to wash it out after using it. Don't let food sit in it over night. Soap and water is fine, though most of the time I just rinse it out well. You can also use table salt and a wedge of lemon or lime. If it starts to feel gummy inside, then it is time to wash it. As far as going rancid, that is a case of incomplete oxidation. Wood, and wood finishes (weather you use olive oil, walnut oil, peanut oil. or whatever) need to breathe. You don't want it locked away in a closed container, it will always have a bit of moisture in it because it is wood, so leave it out to air. I don't know if you can ever get the rancid smell out once it is in there. A long soak in DNA, or LDD may help, or you can always burn it.
robo hippy

[Frank Kobilsek]

Burt

I have a plate (unknown wood) I made as part of a class that was a failure in that you can hold it up to a light and see thru it. I have been eating most meals on this plate since Sept of 2005. Now our diet is alot of sandwiches but it has seen a few tomatoe sauces. Just wipe it off most of the time but when it needs it it goes in the sink. I really wish the bottom would finaly give out so I could pick out another for myself. I also use a hickory bowl for my cereal in the morning, strawbeeries have stained that one but it just had danish oil for a finish. My wife uses a nice maple plate that I mis-spelled my name on with the woodburner. That was a bone head move.

Just pick something out and start using it. If it goes bad make another.

Frank