I think the key question is wether you're making a single instance for your kitchen, or wether you want to make them as a saleable craft item.
In the former case, I suggest drilling much of the waste with a suitable forstner bit (or two), then finishing with gouges; this would leave a visually interesting texture, and a good surface finish (if your gouges are sharp).
However, given how long this would take, no one (IMHO) would pay a profitable price for them as a commercial offering.
BugBear