Natural Incense for the Pythia

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Add Dittany of Crete to a mortar.
  2. 2Grind the Dittany of Crete.
  3. 3Transfer the ground Dittany of Crete to a bowl.
  4. 4Add bay laurel powder to the bowl.
  5. 5Add mastic to the mortar.
  6. 6Grind the mastic.
  7. 7Transfer the ground mastic to the bowl.
  8. 8Add cedar wood powder to the bowl.
  9. 9Add opoponax to a small mortar.
  10. 10Grind the opoponax.
  11. 11Transfer the ground opoponax to the bowl.
  12. 12Add powdered bark to the bowl.
  13. 13Stir the dry ingredients together with a spoon.
  14. 14Add water to the mixture.
  15. 15Stir the mixture with a spoon to combine the water.
  16. 16Knead the mixture by hand until it forms a cohesive dough.
  17. 17Roll the dough into a ball.
  18. 18Insert the dough into the incense stick maker.
  19. 19Press the maker to form long incense sticks.
  20. 20Place the formed incense sticks on a drying rack.

Ingredients

  • dittany of Crete
  • bay laurel
  • mastic
  • cedar wood
  • opoponax
  • powdered bark
  • water

Equipment

mortar and pestlebowlspoonincense stick makerdrying rack

Tips

  • This blend is multilayered and mysterious, with spicy, balsamic, and herbal notes. It is an ode to the Seer of Delphi.
  • Dittany of Crete is a mysterious plant of antiquity, used for divination and prophecy.
  • Bay laurel is a tree sacred to Apollo.
  • Mastic is from the Greek island of Chios, known as "the fragrance of the Gods."
  • Cedar wood has been used since antiquity for strength.
  • Opoponax, a sister to Myrrh, is known for increasing intuition.
  • Binding with powdered bark helps the mixture come together.
  • Activating with water helps in forming the incense sticks.
  • Knead all ingredients together until a pliable dough is formed.
  • Form the mixture into incense sticks for drying and later use.