Yeah - but of course there's stainless and then there's stainless, and then there's stainless and then there's a whole bunch of other stainlesses. I think I'll throw something together with a smaller diameter business end and see if that does it. Heck - I used to use a barbecue skewer for Pete's sake, and never tasted it. Maybe it's the composition of the metal. A skewer SHOULD be flavorless, right? I can call on my superfriend, Grindor, and work something out.