Cooking with essential oils

[FaustianBargain]

I recently recd a few bottles of clove, cinnamon, bergamot and jasmine essential oils. Are the safe for cooking? The fragrance is intense and quite lovely. I usually drop empty pods of cardamom in drinking water or cumin in hot water for its light fragrance and I am thinking essential oils should do the same. Using it in food(cold preps) should infuse aromas even though there would be very little flavour infusion. I dont think they are toxic. Has anyone heard otherwise?

Edited April 7, 2005 by FaustianBargain (log)

[appreciator]

I'm not an expert on this subject by any means but I have utilized essential oils for their therapeutic values on many occasions.

That being said... I know that essential oils have many distinctions between those that are food quality grade and those that are therapeutic quality.

Even the same oils may vary in how they are utilized, dependent upon how they are processed.

Valerie Ann Worwood is extremely knowledgeable on the subject of essential oils though not specifically on those that are utilized for cooking. The following links may help:

Cooking with Essential Oils

Cooking with Essential Oils - part 3

Perhaps others can weigh in with personal experiences.

Edited April 7, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[cdh]

The safe-for-cooking query would depend on whether they're aroma grade or food grade extractions. I don't know the chemistry behind the extractions, but I've seen the difference noted elsewhere. Probably a purity thing. The aroma could certainly cover impurities that are in there in a less carefully extracted batch.

So are your bottles the little dram bottles of pharmacy grade stuff, or the bigger bottles of potpourri scenting stuff?

[FaustianBargain]

The safe-for-cooking query would depend on whether they're aroma grade or food grade extractions.  I don't know the chemistry behind the extractions, but I've seen the difference noted elsewhere.  Probably a purity thing.  The aroma could certainly cover impurities that are in there in a less carefully extracted batch. 

So are your bottles the little dram bottles of pharmacy grade stuff, or the bigger bottles of potpourri scenting stuff?

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I dont know what 'dram bottles' are..but these tiny little glass bottles, the size of two medium sized thumbs in girth....and it is STRONG. I sniffed the cinnamon oil and I tested a drop to taste. I rubbed it over my lips instead of taking it in straight. When I licked my lips, it tasted sweet, but upon contact, my lips were on fire. The burning sensation lasted for a good 10-15 minutes.

[cdh]

A dram is a unit of measure. A dram bottle contains one. A dram bottle could fit within the first two joints of my index finger. Please don't put my words and phrases 'in quotes' as if you think I'm making them up. Particularly when I'm not making them up.

Again, I say that the aroma will be there regardless of how pure the extraction is, so judging on the presence and strength of the aroma is not a wise method of determining whether the extract is safe to consume. All the aroma and flavor is certainly in there... it's a question of what else is in there.

Essential oils are extracted in a process like distillation... and we all know that distillation can extract things that are not all safe to consume. Look at articles about whisky distillation that talk about separating the head and tail from a run.

Edited April 7, 2005 by cdh (log)

[appreciator]

I rubbed it over my lips instead of taking it in straight. When I licked my lips, it tasted sweet, but upon contact, my lips were on fire. The burning sensation lasted for a good 10-15 minutes.

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Yowsa! I'd be very careful if I was you, about applying essential oils to your skin.... the only ones that I know of that are safe to do so are lavender and tea tree. It's a concentration thing.

With food grade oils, those that are safe to consume, they are still, most likely, not safe to apply to your skin.

[Mnehrling]

An alternative use:

I worked with a small restaurant in a consulting job and they were looking for a way to bring people in and get them eating. We used a hidden oil diffuser near the entrance to attract people off the street (cinnamon and clove) as well as redirecting a vent from the baker’s kitchen to the street. We also added small dabs of essential oils to the sides of the candle votives at the bar, not so much that would overpower what the person was drinking but enough to stimulate the appetite for more than just drinks.

[Patrick S]

Essential oils are extracted in a process like distillation... and we all know that distillation can extract things that are not all safe to consume.

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Distillation is probably the most widely used method, but its certainly not the only one. Chemical solvents like hexane, or super-critical CO2, are also used, as is the cold-pressing method, where the oils are literally squeezed out.

[FaustianBargain]

A dram is a unit of measure.  A dram bottle contains one.  A dram bottle could fit  within  the first two joints of my index finger.  Please don't put my words and phrases 'in quotes' as if you think I'm making them up.  Particularly when I'm not making them up. 

Gosh! I didnt think you were making them up. It is just that I didnt know what they meant and I wasnt sure if it was a typo from your part. I was just unsure. Sorry.

Again, I say that the aroma will be there regardless of how pure the extraction is, so judging on the presence and strength of the aroma is not a wise method of determining whether the extract is safe to consume.  All the aroma and flavor is certainly in there... it's a question of what else is in there.

Essential oils are extracted in a process like distillation... and we all know that distillation can extract things that are not all safe to consume.  Look at articles about whisky distillation that talk about separating the head and tail from a run.

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Thanks for the info. I will check if they are food grade quality.

[FaustianBargain]

I rubbed it over my lips instead of taking it in straight. When I licked my lips, it tasted sweet, but upon contact, my lips were on fire. The burning sensation lasted for a good 10-15 minutes.

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Yowsa! I'd be very careful if I was you, about applying essential oils to your skin.... the only ones that I know of that are safe to do so are lavender and tea tree. It's a concentration thing.

With food grade oils, those that are safe to consume, they are still, most likely, not safe to apply to your skin.

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I know that NOW!!

Ouch.

[peppyre]

Be very careful with Essential Oils. There are actually very few that you can buy commercially that are food grade. My mom and I have a moonlighting business where we make a line of skincare and alot of research went into the essential oils that we will use. Cinnamon will burn your skin and if I remember correctly, Clove can be toxic if used in large amounts. I know we don't like to use it straight on the skin. (I don't have my "bible" in front of me) Bergomot has far fewer warnings and the bottle that you received may be good for cooking, but if placed directly on the skin it can cause discolouration. Most of the citrus oils will discolour the skin when exposed to sunlight. I would suggest that you search for the company that makes the oils and ask them if they are food safe.

If you want to start cooking with Essential Oils or learning much more about them, I would suggest picking up the Fragrant Pharmacy by Valerie Ann Worwood. I use this book for almost every issue and it has a section on cooking with oils.

[FaustianBargain]

Aroma: The magic of essential oils in food and fragrance was recommended and it seems like its a good read.

[LurkerLoo]

Just a humble suggestion...if the jasmine essential oil you have is genuine (labeled as "absolute," available only from limited sources* and VERY costly--several years ago I recall it was going for $30 for 2 ml or something equally exorbitant), save it for special occasions and non-culinary purposes. Jasmine is wonderful for perfume blends; IMO it's too precious to use for ingestion. Plus I believe it breaks down when heated, so except for a brief aroma, it may not add much to cooked food.

*Most oils labeled as "jasmine essential oil" are not 100% jasmine, but instead jasmine "cut" with other chemicals and oils in order to increase profit margins. These versions may contain non-digestible chemicals that you don't want to introduce to your insides, such as hexane.

Someone with a more extensive background in chemistry and aromatherapy can probably offer more concrete and detailed info.

[FaustianBargain]

Just a humble suggestion...if the jasmine essential oil you have is genuine (labeled as "absolute," available only from limited sources* and VERY costly--several years ago I recall it was going for $30 for 2 ml or something equally exorbitant), save it for special occasions and non-culinary purposes. Jasmine is wonderful for perfume blends; IMO it's too precious to use for ingestion. Plus I believe it breaks down when heated, so except for a brief aroma, it may not add much to cooked food.

*Most oils labeled as "jasmine essential oil" are not 100% jasmine, but instead jasmine "cut" with other chemicals and oils in order to increase profit margins. These versions may contain non-digestible chemicals that you don't want to introduce to your insides, such as hexane.

Someone with a more extensive background in chemistry and aromatherapy can probably offer more concrete and detailed info.

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Yes! I was told that the jasmine costs almost ten times as much as the cinnamon oil. Unfortunately, there is no labelling. It looks as though it was peeled off...because it was a gift. All I can make out from what is remaining is the place of origin(Ooty, India) and that it comes from a place is famous for its Eucalyptus oil. I am going to have to ask some questions re origin/quality before I start playing in the kitchen.

edited to add: I am rather suspicious about the edibility factor...because the cinnamon oil tasted sweet. I cannot imagine the essence of cinnamon being sweet. Definitely something synthetic in there. But..oh.my.god...the strength of the fragrance is amazing(sniffing as I am typing this). I want to trap it inside my lungs and don't want to exhale. And I don't even like cinnamon!

And I love jasmine. I remember reading a recipe for jasmine creme brulee. I saw someone use it in dried form and it was more like dried tea leaves. Was not enticing at all, to be honest. I was beginning to think that jasmine in food has to come from something synthetic because once dried, it literally smells like tea. Fragrant tea, but nothing close to the heavenly jasmine I know and love so much. I was so excited when I got the jasmine essential oil, but I suppose I'll have to stick to tea like jasmine in food until I learn more.

Edited April 7, 2005 by FaustianBargain (log)

[cdh]

I imagine that you could aromatize things with the jasmine oil without actually mixing them together. If a vanilla bean in a pound of sugar aromatizes it, maybe leaving a dish of sugar in a closed container with your bottle of jasmine oil (opened) for a while might end up producing jasmine sugar for you. Just be careful about knocking the container.

[highchef]

If they are 'essential' oils and not degraded they should be useable. I'd use them. I use essential oils all the time in aromatherapy. I have used black pepper oil in a large catering dish....that's a doable thing. bergomot can/is used for tea...well the possibiilities are endless.

I'll give you a couple of places to email....www.essentialoils.com and www.richters.com. either/both should be able to help. (I'd make anything out of them before cooking with them though... I make my husbands aftershave and my bath oil with them all!)

[FaustianBargain]

There has been an oopsie. The essential oils are not food grade, it seems.

Thanks to everyone who replied. I am now determined to get the edible versions of essential oils.

[FaustianBargain]

I imagine that you could aromatize things with the jasmine oil without actually mixing them together.  If a vanilla bean in a pound of sugar aromatizes it, maybe leaving a dish of sugar in a closed container with your bottle of jasmine oil (opened)  for  a while might end up producing jasmine sugar for you.  Just be careful about knocking the container.

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I did find out the the way to make 'jasmine syrup', tho...basically steeping jasmine flowers in sugar syrup for 20+ minutes. But I suppose it would be rather delicate. It was a lovely recipe. Jasmine flavoured syrup drizzled over papaya. How beautiful is that...

Great idea about the 'jasmine sugar'...will try it.

[CompassRose]

They do have to be food-grade. One excellent source of ingestion-quality essential oils that I know of is Robert et Fils; unfortunately, you need to dig out somebody medically qualified to actually place the order, they do not sell their fine products to the common people.

Their cinnamon oil lends a whole new dimension to baking.

[cdh]

Great idea about the 'jasmine sugar'...will try it.

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Do report back and let us know if it works. Aromatized sugars could provide for all kinds of interesting experiemnts with unusual flavors in baking.

[McAuliflower]

Definitely check with the manufacturer of your essential oils to see if they are food grade.

Many commercially available essential oils are not food grade. It varies by manufacturer and the process used. Very nasty stuff can be present.

That said- food grade essential oils are great when used oh so sparingly in ganache and curries.

This thread listed some great resources to cooking with them... as they are very strong: one drop at a time!!

I enjoy adding lavender essential oil to creme brulee and chocolate truffles.

Nichols Nursery sells food grade oils.

[Megan Blocker]

I enjoy adding lavender essential oil to creme brulee

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Mmmmm, lavender creme brulee. Delicious!