[MR] Food safe firewood and dishes

[Sharon Gordon]

Some friends and I were trying to figure out which woods are safe to use
around food and in general safe to burn.  And also which woods were safe to
make wooden dishes out of.

Toxic woods and plants: Do not use:
Cascara--imparts bad taste to food, bark is harsh purgative
Datura plants
Fake wood logs--due to unknown content
Hemlock
Jimson weed
Oleander
Poison ivy

We had some questions over:
Elderberry--one person had been told the wood was toxic
Pine--food safe ???but better not to use due to its resinous properties  and
the flavor it would add???

Woods that may impart a funny taste/unsure of safety:
Willow-medicinal taste

Woods that may impart a funny taste, but safe to use:

Woods that are good to use due to adding flavor to food:
Apple
Cedar

Woods that are good to use for food but probably shouldn't be used in the
SCA as we thought they were of North American origin:
Hickory
Mesquite
Pecan

Woods that are good to use for cooking wood with a fairly neutral flavor:
Oak
Maple

Good for wooden dishes:
Maple

Good for wine barrels:
Oak

Good for cutting boards:
Maple

Good for buckets or crates that vegetables and fruit might be transported in
from the garden or stored in:

Good for baskets that vegetables and fruit might be transported in
from the garden or served whole in:
Corn husks (but of North American origin)
Willow

Treat wood surfaces with this for food safety:
(How was this done pre 1600?)
Mineral oil--won't go rancid

What can be added to this?  Anyone know of a site that has a chart of food
safe and unsafe wood?  Please let us know if you feel we have erred in
putting something in a particular category.

Sharon
gordonse at one.net