[Sca-cooks] medicinal recipies

[Lilinah]

Kiri wrote:
>  On another note, can anyone tell me, should I decide to try one of the many
>  recipes that call for these two ingredients (camphor and musk) where I could
>  find food-grade supplies of either (or both).  Or does anyone know of a
>  substitute that would give a similar flavor?

Musk is edible, but extraordinarily expensive. I've tried to find a 
substitute. I was planning to use those "musk flavored life savers" 
they have in Australia, but never got around to ordering them. 
There's a plant substitute used in perfumery called ambrette seed, 
musk ambrette, or Abelmoschus moschatus. I have no idea if this is 
safe to eat.

Camphor would be Cinnamomum camphora. When i mentioned this to a 
chemist friend, he was rather disturbed and said that it should not 
be eaten and that it causes liver damage. He suggested substituting 
menthol (NOT mint). Menthol is used in many products, like candy, 
mouthwash, toothpaste, etc. so it is safe to consume in small 
quantities. I don't know if druggists sell it (i know they used to 
sell wintergreen oil - i don't know if they still do), or if you'd 
have to get it from a chemical supply house or commercial flavor 
manufacturer...

If you find Australian musk life savers in the US, or a way to get 
some menthol, i'd love to know.

Also, note that in some translations of al-Baghdadi it will say to 
flavor something with "narcissus". Narcissus is not safe to eat, and 
in fact, the Arabic calls for "sumbul", which is nardostachys 
jatamansi, aka spikenard.

-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita