Savvybearcat.com

Save to favorite Discuss Herbal Incense Information Iii/Iii recipe

Write a comment Print Herbal Incense Information Iii/Iii recipe

Print this recipe Email Herbal Incense Information Iii/Iii recipe to friend

Email this recipe

Herbal Incense Information Iii/Iii

Category: Misc

Author: The Savvybearcat

Date: 1/1/2007

Rating:

(3.0) by 1 users

Ingredients:

1 Info below
- Tools, Methods, a

Instructions:

"The recipes that follow are simply examples of what's possible. You
can apply the basic methods and proportions to the creation of your
own [scents]. You'll want to keep a journal of your formulations,
lest the perfect blend be created only once!

"You'll need a blender, a wooden spoon, a bowl or two, and a set of
measuring spoons and cups. Be aware that porous utensils may take up
some scents from your aromatic ingredients. Brown paper will protect
your work surfaces, and a wooden board can serve as a drying surface.

"The volume of aromatic substances should be about twice that of the
base, and all dry ingredients should be powdered. Use about three
parts liquid to five parts dry mixture. Besides changing the bonding
agent from a dry powder into a glue, the liquid also serves to
dissolve the potassium nitrate."

"For each recipe except the loose incense, mix together liquid and
potassium nitrate and add enough tragacanth to make a thick paste
(start with 1 teaspoon and add more as needed). Then stir in the
blended dry ingredients. If the dough is too soft, add more
tragacanth powder; if too dry, add more liquid. The consistency
should be like that of soft putty or moist dough - neither too runny
nor too dry to be easily shaped.

"You may shape prepared incense dough into all manner of cones,
cylinders, or coils or roll it onto sticks. Bamboo skewers split
lengthwise with a razor blade make suitable sticks. After forming
cones, cylinders, and coils, place them on a wooden board and set
them aside to dry in a sunny window, a warm attic, or even a closed
vehicle on a hot day. Avoid humidity, which will make your incense
mildew. When drying stick incense, poke the lower ends of the sticks
into a piece of clay or styrofoam.

"When the incense is thoroughly dry, store it in airtight containers.
Dark, dry conditions will help to preserve color and scent."

"Loose incense consists of dry ingredients which are simply mixed
together and sprinkled over smoldering charcoal. Store as you would
other kinds of incense.

"...charcoal is referred to as a base ingredient, a coloring agent,
and the smoldering heat source for loose incense. Most books
recommend willow charcoal (available from incense suppliers), but any
charcoal can be used. The briquettes that are made for use in
barbecue grills are suitable unless they have been impregnated with
lighter fluid or other chemicals to enhance burning.

- Incense Alert -

"Most people can make and use incense with no untoward effects, but
some, especially those with hay fever, asthma, or certain skin
problems, may have adverse reactions to the ingredients or the smoke.
And be aware of the fire hazard when using incense: smoldering
incense improperly contained can ignite your furniture, drapes, or
other flammable things in the home. It's best to keep incense and
fire out of the reach of children."

- Smudge Sticks and Sweet-Grass Braids -

"Simple and exquisite incense from the Native American tradition can
be enjoyed by growing and/or gathering special herbs from the wild.
Sprigs of sage (Salvia apiana or S. officinalis) and cedar (Juniperus
virginiana) can be bound together with cotton string into a
cigar-shaped smudge stick, which is then burned a bit at a time.

"Clumps of sweet grass (Hierochloe odorata) may be pulled up by the
roots and hung, roots up, to dry. The blades are then braided and
burned a little at a time..."

- Suppliers -

~ Excelsior Incense Works/1413 Van Dyke Ave./San Francisco, CA 94124.
Complete incense supplies.

~ Hill Woman Productions/Box 317 Cross Island/Fineview, NY 13640.
Top-quality charcoal, oils, powdered herbs, and hand-blended incense.

~ Matchless Gifts/Box 7855/Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-7855. Complete
incense supplies.

Excerpted from Sandy Maine's "Herbal Incense" article in "The Herb
Companion." Dec. 1992/Jan. 1993, Vol. 5, No. 2. Pp. 37-38, 40.
Posted by Cathy Harned.