Incense Recipes

These were sent to me well over two years ago by a Gothic Gardening reader whose name, alas, I do not know! (and the email was life596…) Thanks, whoever you are!

Spicy Kitchen Incense

* 3 tsp. red sandlewood powder(Pterocar pus santalinus)
* 4 tsp. ground cloves(Eugenia aromatica)
* 2 tsp. ground ginger(Zingiber officinale)
* 1/4 tragacanth dissoled in 3 tsp. cold water
* 1/4 tsp. saltpeter dissolved in 3 tsp. boiling water
* 4 drops mineral oil

Yield: approximately 9 to 11 cones

Rosemary/Sandalwood

* 3 tsp. ground rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) powder
* 2 tsp. red sandalwood powder(Pterocar pus santalinus) powder
* 1/4 tragacanth dissoled in 2 tsp. cold water
* 1/4 tsp. saltpeter dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water
* 3 drops mineral oil

Yield: 8 to 10 cones

White Man’s Smudge

* 2 tsp. white pine bark (Pinus spp.) powder
* 1 tsp. sage (salvia officinalis) powder
* 1/4 tragacanth dissoled in 2 tsp. cold water
* 1/4 tsp. saltpeter dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water

Yield: 8 to 10 cones

Smudge incense

* 2 tsp. dried finely ground arbovitae leaf (no stems)
* 1 tsp. white pine bark (Pinus spp.) powder
* 2 tsp. sage (salvia officinalis) powder
* 1/4 tragacanth dissoled in 2 tsp. cold water
* 1/4 tsp. saltpeter dissolved in 1 1/2 tsp. boiling water
* 3 drops mineral oil

Yield: 8-10 cones

Lavender Summer incense

* 3 tsp. finely ground lavender flowers(lavendula officinalis)
* 1 tsp. quassia chips powdered (quassia amara)
* 1/4 tragacanth dissoled in 2 tsp. cold water
* 1/4 tsp. saltpeter dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water
* 4 drops mineral oil

Yield: 8-10 cones

Eucalyptus-juniper

* 3 tsp. eucalyptus leaves powdered (Eucalyptus globulus)
* 1 tsp. powdered juniper berries (Juniperus communis)
* 1 tsp. quassia chips powdered (quassia amara)
* 1/4 tragacanth dissoled in 2 tsp. cold water
* 1/4 tsp. saltpeter dissolved in 1 1/2 tsp. boiling water
* 2 drops mineral oil

Yield: 8-10 cones

Scarborough Fair
(its called this because these plants are mentioned in the song)

* 1 tsp. ground rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) powder
* 1 tsp. sage (salvia officinalis) powder
* 1 tsp. thyme (Thymus vulgaris) powder
* 1 tsp. quassia chips powdered (quassia amara)
* 1/4 tragacanth dissoled in 2 tsp. cold water
* 1/4 tsp. saltpeter dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water
* 4 drops mineral oil

Yield: 8-10 cones

How to make the incense

1. Add the mineral oil to the saltpeter and hot water, stir until evenly dispersed.
2. Pour into the tragacanth and cold water. Stir well.
3. Mix all other ingrediants together in a glass. Pour liquid onto the herbs 1 tsp. at a time. Making sure to stir. When the mixture forms a ball stop. If you use all of the liquid and the mixture is still dry, add tap water a tsp. at a time.
4. Remove about a dime sized amount of the mixture and form into a cone approximately 1 1/3″ long and 7/16″ wide at the base. If the cone crumbles roll back into a ball and start again. Repeat.
5. Lay the cones on there sides on a nonreactive metal pan. Have a about 2″ between each one.
6. Heat oven to 170°, shut it off, and place pan in oven for an hour.
7. Check to see if cones are dry if not repeat step 6.
8. Store incense in a tight lidded jar