Having just spent several days in the Hill Country of south Texas, I was able to grab a couple of chunks of mesquite wood that was literally just lying around. I intend to turn a couple of pizza cutter and ice cream scoop handles as gifts for my Texas host, just to see how it works.
The good news is that, if I make a hash of the job or have a good deal of leftover stock, I can always put it in my grill to get some authentic smoked flavoring infused into my creative cookery. This is something I do often with leftover ash lumber (the results are very close to hickory smoke flavor) as well as cherry and apple wood.
My question: is this something other woodworkers take advantage of, or am I an oddball in this regard (as in so many others)? And, if so, what species are also top-notch in the smoker?
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
