[Sca-cooks] frankincense

[Stefan li Rous]

Anahita asked:
> Anyone know if a single grain of frankincense is safe to "eat"? I
> know that myrrh is, but it doesn't taste or smell particularly nice,
> and "frank" is so nice...
I believe it is okay to eat, but I don't have a modern medical basis to go

on. Here is a bit from my gums-resins-msg file. This also gives you a comparison

between myrrh and frankincense.

gums-resins-msg   (20K) 10/22/02    Period use of plant gums and resins. Myrrh,
                                       mastic, frankincense, camphor.

http://www.florilegium.org/files/PLANTS/resins-msg.html

(hmmm. This is the old file. Looks like I need to upload the latest. Sorry)

> Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 21:15:35 EST
> From: LrdRas <LrdRas at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: SC - spices vs. herbs?
>
> acrouss at gte.net writes:
> << frankincense and myrrh >>
>
> IIRC< both are plant products. Frankincense is the resin of an aromatic Asian
> or African tree and myrrh is a fragrant gummy substance with a bitter taste
> which is used in medicines, perfumes and incense in modern times. There are
> period Middle Eastern recipes which use it as a food ingredient. It is
> obtained from a shrub that grows in Arabia and East Africa. I do not have my
> plant manuals at hand right now but will look up the scientific names if you
> want them..
>
> Ras

> [Submitted by: "Philippa Alderton" <phlip at bright.net>]
> From: N.D.Wederstrandt <nweders at mail.utexas.edu>
> To: herbalist at Ansteorra.ORG
> Subject: Re: HERB - Resins
> Date: Tuesday, November 03, 1998 4:10 PM
>
> Not necessarily.  Different grades of frankincense are different colors.
> Ethiopean frankincense is a very bright golden yellow and is getting harder
> to find because the wars over in the Middle East have caused the groves to
> be burnt.  Arabian frankincense is a mixture and can range from dull gold
> with bright yellow bits to darkish brown....   Indian frankincense is the
> darkest and is the most common.... It often  is cut with other types of
> resins.  I have an Organic Chemistry Manual that explains the types but it
> is at home and this week I'm been off list dealing with Laurel's Prize
> Tourney.  The difference I have always found is that myrrh is darker and
> has a very bitter taste to it.  Frankincense is less bitter and even the
> dark is not as dark as myrrh.  Smell wise - myrrh always has a bitter edge
> to it.
>
> BTW, ethiopean has the cleanest and brightest scent to it....It is also the
> prettiest.
>
> Clare

--
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris            Austin, Texas         StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****