Just make sure it's a linseed oil without dryer's; they're usually heavy metal compounds.

Absolutely, very good of you to add. The idea of using a drying/boiled linseed oil did not occur to me till now, and the idea is equal parts funny and scary to entertain. Would a wood utensil soaked with wet drying oil even survive the toasting process without turning the oven - and my shop - into an impromptu fireplace? If it did make it, would the heavy metals and charred surface oils add off-flavors to my stew?