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DON'T USE YOUR COFFEE GRINDER!
Ok, so it is technically edible. By technically, I mean some people use it as chewing gum. I don't want to chew it, but I could. Though honestly, if I want a strong pine flavor, I could just suck on a bay leaf.
In this situation, frankincense can damage the grinder. It's a very special resin in that it can be dissolved in both water and oil. The down side to this is that even if you put it in the freezer to make it brittle, the cold resin pulls condensation right out of the air as soon as you open the container, making it ALL more gummy than it started.
It also get's more gooey the more heat you give it. Operating a mortar and pestle can generate heat when done with vigor and enthusiasm. I have gotten mine quite warm through friction alone. However unlike a mortar and pestle, coffee grinders have impossible angles that you will just never get clean again. Unless you're making things on a commercial scale that call for frankincense, buying a grinder for just one resin that you may not even be able to get back out is insane.
But hey, there is good news. While the manual labor may seem daunting at first, adding oil based fragrances to your frankincense as well as a bit of water and binder can soften this stuff, letting you use less force. Instead of fighting it's tendency to pull in liquids, use this to your advantage.
More good news: It's a very old and very effective skin conditioner. Ancient ladies pounded it into pine needles and rubbed down with the fragrant mix like a deep conditioning exfoliating scrub after a soak. The very same tar like consistency you want to keep out of electric grinders holds on to the skin like beeswax, or the plant based cosmetic primer still used by geisha to keep their makeup flawless. It holds moisture in and stays put.
To add to the appeal, not only does the essential oil control bacterial growth, the smoke from the resin does too, meaning some of the oldest religious uses were also reducing the spread of sickness and infection. Since I'm writing this in winter, when we tend to leave doors and windows closed and air purity can be a health issue, this is a really nice fringe benefit of working with incense. While I feel there is a time and place for bleach, frankenstein can help head off some of the need while smelling good.
As far as availability, I find most of the same places that stock Frontier Bulk Herbs also have bulk frankincense in my area. This make it more approachable since I can get a $1 at a time, and due to my rare use of charcoal that's plenty to keep me occupied in small batch blending. It's become down right common place at whole food and health food stores. Barring that, many Catholic churches also sell this classic, and online reports say it can cost less though them than average retail.
Alone, it's both pine and citrus at once, giving it a brightness that's distinctive. It's been well loved by many a culture for five thousand, but this one starts in North African and the Arabian Peninsula before spreading along the silk roads.
Like any of the resins, it doesn't burn easily and needs to be paired with enough of something that does to keep a combustible blend burning. And like other resins, it can easily dominate mild fragrances. I have had good results using it with ground cinnamon since it's strong enough to stand up to the resin's scent. That said, a frankincense dominated blend can be lovely too.
Since it has a tendency to stick on the mortar and pestle, it's a good ideal to measure out the burn base and binder before grinding. Water, oils, and high potency spices can be added in for the initial grind. Once things start looking smooth, gradually add a little base at a time, pressing it into the mix with the pestle. Once everything is blended, more water can be pounded in till a favorable shaping texture is reached.
After mixing, the mortar and pestle may need cleaning. This can be done two ways. One is to run hot clean water and soap over them repeatedly. The other is to grind salt. Epsom salt or dead sea salt can be used to get a lightly scented bath salt while cleaning your tools, and while it may take about the same time as soap and water, it's less wasteful.
Hand rolling mixes with this give you a skin treatment and pretty incense, so chose your binder accordingly. The conditioning effects can last a whole day even with heavy hand washing, smelling like your latest blend the whole time. To get the maximum benefit, grind and mix in the evening, let stand over night, and shape the next day for a second hand treatment.
Now while volumes could be said about the non- combustible incense use for this resin, the short version is that it's beautiful as a stand alone, and in many different recipes.
Happy blending,
AND DON'T PUT FRANKENCENSE IN YOUR COFFEE GRINDER!
But do put it on your skin.
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