[FounderBurr]

It probably has to do with the boiling point of pine resin. There are probably other less noxious substances that boil in the 300c range that would produce similar results without the risk of fire or poisoning.

[Giorgi]

hence the "lost art"

[cogman10]

I mean, frying oil. You could almost certainly achieve the same effect frying a whole potato in sunflower/peanut oil at 230C