[Sca-cooks] Musk and Camphor, was Flour question

[Spices at Spicewells]

I have recently obtained several bottles of edible camphor for sale.  And, I 
have to admit, it was an adventure finding it.
According to a conversation I had with Cariadoc had at Midrealm 40 year, a 
little goes a very long way.  The 100 gram bottle would likely serve for many 
recipes.  

If anyone would like some, please let me know off line.  I ship using USPS 
Priority Mail, so the cost is pretty low.

Caitriona MacDhonnachaidh
Spicewell's
Middle Kingdom
618.830.2342



________________________________
From: "lilinah at earthlink.net" <lilinah at earthlink.net>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Sent: Sat, January 15, 2011 4:40:47 PM
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Musk and Camphor, was Flour question

Kiri wrote:
> ...please remind me
> what I could use in the place of the frequent references to camphor and
> musk.  In some places, the reference is to "aromatics" and the two are cited
> as examples.  There are a couple of really cool dessert dishes that I'd love
> to use but acquiring either of these is a problem...not to mention that I
> understand that the musk that's available is a chemical compound used in
> perfumes and is poisonous!

There are some vegetable musk substitutes that may be edible in small 
quantities:
ambrette seeds (Abelmoschus moschatus, related to hibiscus)
and
labdanum (which comes fromrock rose / Cistus ladaniferus; no, this is NOT 
laudanum :)
I cannot guarantee the safety of either as i have not done much research into 
them. From what i can tell, the natural plants themselves are safe to consume in 
small quantities, but distillates from them used in perfumery are not

There is an edible form of camphor from the Borneo camphor (Dryobalanops 
camphora, as distinct from Cinnamomum camphora) used by South Asians, frequently 
in sweets. I have not yet gone looking for it, but several listees have found 
it, including Mahdavi and Cariadoc, have found it in South Asian markets. In 
various Indian languages it is called Kacha Karpoor (Hindi) or Pacha Karpooram 
(Tamil) (also written pachai, paccha, pachha, and pachcha) or Cheen Karpooram 
(Telugu); the name means raw camphor.

It comes in small crystals looking somewhat like coarse salt and is derived by 
steam distillation from the leaves and wood of the Borneo camphor tree. Heres a 
photo:
http://www.marktz.in/images/panch%20karpooram.jpg

And always specify edible, or the kind used in paan (betel leaf mix) because 
nonedible, and downright poisonous, camphor smelling stuff is used for other 
purposes. Definitely not blocks or tablets, nor so called medicinal (for 
external use), nor puja (burned as an offering in religious ceremonies)

I tried to find it for sale on the internet, but could only find it on an 
merchant website in India. I will definitely have to explore the many South 
Asian markets near me.
-- Urtatim [that's err-tah-TEEM]
the persona formerly known as Anahita
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