[Sca-cooks] OT: sandalwood, oppopanax & amber (was suppliers)

[Nicholas S. Malone]

copra from zanzi bar is chemically and biologiacally the same as amber 
and given enough time may become amber, if you have a million years or 
so. Copra fluid is extracted fron a birch like tree that smells piney.

Huette von Ahrens wrote:

>Have you looked lately, Samrah, dear?
>
>I found these sites, who say they sell Opopanax, without too much effort.
>
>http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/candle/candle.php
>http://mayaherbs.com/product_info.phtml/herbid_237/category_incenses
>http://www.naturensdroger.se/enter.html?target=p_709.html&lang=sv
>
>I could have listed several more, but their sites are not in English.
>
>Huette
>
>--- Samrah <auntie_samrah at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>  
>
>>If I remember your original post correctly, you were looking into pharmaceuticals, not perfumery
>>(which if memory serves was not a separate discipline until 1700).  In that case, you would be
>>dealing with the chemical constituancies of the herbs, rather than just the fragrance.  
>> 
>>Opopanax is a very heavy smelling dark resin, stronger than amber.  It can be found on line,
>>sold by the gram, not the ounce, but I have lost my bookmarks.  I was unable to find it for
>>about 9 years.  There really doesn't seem to be a fragrance substitute.
>> 
>>Any more, amber tends to be a perfumers' blend of many resins and possibly even chemical
>>substances.  Most contain benzion and styrax (which has a sort of  terpentiny fragrance) and
>>labdanum.  As the original amber trees that produce amber beads are now extinct, it is indeed
>>possible, if not probable, that the period recipes could be referring to resin from these
>>extinct trees.
>> 
>>Beware!  There are 3 entirely botanically different plants that are referred to as "sandalwood".
>> Technically what you want for apothecary work is East Indian sandalwood, aka white or yellow
>>sandalwood, aka santalum album, and yes, it is the endangered stuff.  Current wholesale here for
>>1/2 oz. $40 US (from a reasonable supplier).  
>> 
>>If you are doing perfumery work, you can use amyris, aka West Indian sandalwood, aka amyris
>>balsamifera.  It is not botanically related to the endangered sandalwood, nor does it have the
>>same chemical constituants.  If you get a good grade for perfumery work, it will smell the same
>>to the average nose.  An inferior grade will have a smokey smell, like some sandalwood incenses
>>often purchased at swap meets.  By contrast, it runs about $6 per 1/2 oz. (good quality oil,
>>wholesale price).  
>> 
>>There is also a red sandalwood powder, aka pterocarpus santalinus, known in period as "Saunders
>>powder" used as a colourant to make foods red, particulary in poaching pears.  I do not know its
>>chemical constituants, but it is not botanically related to the other two, and is a very poor
>>choice for any type of fragrance work.
>> 
>>Hope this helps.
>> 
>>Samrah
>> 
>> 
>>
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>
>
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>
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