gourds

[RBB]

food grade mineral oil. It will water proof the inside and protect the gourd. Any type of corn oil, olive oil or such will go rancid.

You could also pour melted wax inside to seal it if you are just using it for water and not for food.

You know, I've heard that many times, but I've never had any trouble with it. All of my wooden bowls and cups are "finished" with vegetable oil or olive oil and I've never had any problem with any of them. I've been using some of them for over 25 years.

It may be more of a problem in warmer climes.

[edr730]

I can't talk from experience about conditioning gourds or wooden bowls with vegetable oil. I dry gourds and use them for dipping hot water from a wood stove and don't use wooden bowls. But, when it come to iron skillets I have tasted the flavor of rancid vegetable oil many times. I never use it on my skillets and I know it is the custom for some to use it after soap and water. I stick to the method of only hot water for my skillets and use lard, coconut oil or other grease when I think they may need it. I don't consider myself a gourmet who has the ability to detect fine differences in flavors, but rancid oil is a flavor that immediately ruins the food for me. I only assume that some of my experiences may relate to others things. They may or may not.

[Rick]

Either of you could be right. I've never run into rancid oil that I'm aware of. I use it on my cast iron skillets all the time just as edr explained. When it comes to work working, I've been told all my life that oils will go rancid and to only use edible mineral oil so that's what I've done. Maybe it's true or an old wive's tale but I do know mineral oil works.

I would guess I don't have a problem with the skillets because they are used enough that the oils do not have a opportunity to go bad. (shrug)