Making Blueberry Shisha Flavouring?

[freeOS]

Can anyone point me in the right direction? This will be my first shot at making shisha. I know that this has been discussed before to varying degrees, but specifics were never touched upon.

I'll be starting off with local organic blueberries from the farmers market.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[delSol_si]

I have seen blueberry smuckers syrup at walmart before...might try using it. Edited June 20, 2009 by delSol_si

[freeOS]

I have seen blueberry smuckers syrup at walmart before...might try using it.

Oh no man, as I mentioned above, I'm looking for a recipe to reduce my own. The goal is local, organic, PURE. I don't think I'd even *eat* Smuckers or anything from WalMart.

[K1024]

as far as how to make the shisha, find another thread with instructions the specifics have been covered there.

reducing the blueberries on your own, the specifics of that can be found with a google search i imagine. or pose the question to a cooking forum...

[no longer welcome]

i ate dried blueberrys from costco, they get really moist when you chew on them and I was smoking at the same time and could almost taste bb when smoking. You could mash those up to make a good flavor, good luck.

[Sherwood]

The goal is local, organic, PURE.

This is funny to me.

Have you sourced your tobacco yet? You might find that to be the hardest step, considering the regulation of that industry. Or are you using tobacco at all?

[freeOS]

The goal is local, organic, PURE.

This is funny to me.

Have you sourced your tobacco yet? You might find that to be the hardest step, considering the regulation of that industry. Or are you using tobacco at all?

Still looking. I'm picky; but I am in Virginia, so I may get lucky.

Why is trying to source local, pure, organics funny?

[Sherwood]

Why is trying to source local, pure, organics funny?

Local makes perfect sense to me-- organic no so much. "Pure" is a pretty nebulous concept, especially when your original intent is to poison yourself with it for a pleasant sensation. Inmy thinking, chemical purity and organic do not go hand in hand. "Pure" in a scientific sense (as many of the ingredients for shisha are also used in commercial labs) generally refers to yield, which is unconcerned with what sort of pesticide you used on the plant matter before you turned it into glycerine.

Being in Virginia is a big plus for sourcing leaf. It'll be cheaper and fresher than what you have to ship from Lebanon, if you can find a small wholesaler. I'd be surprised if you found a local organic tobacco farmer, but good on you if you do.

[freeOS]

Why is trying to source local, pure, organics funny?

Local makes perfect sense to me-- organic no so much. "Pure" is a pretty nebulous concept, especially when your original intent is to poison yourself with it for a pleasant sensation. Inmy thinking, chemical purity and organic do not go hand in hand. "Pure" in a scientific sense (as many of the ingredients for shisha are also used in commercial labs) generally refers to yield, which is unconcerned with what sort of pesticide you used on the plant matter before you turned it into glycerine.

Being in Virginia is a big plus for sourcing leaf. It'll be cheaper and fresher than what you have to ship from Lebanon, if you can find a small wholesaler. I'd be surprised if you found a local organic tobacco farmer, but good on you if you do.

You can't take the pesticide off the tobacco leaf and/or blueberries via washing. That shit taints anything it touches. That makes perfect sense.

We need non-organic farming to feed the masses, but those who can afford to consume organics will escape the consumption of pesticides.

Pesticides are likely even more of an issue for things being burned and smoked as that effects all sorts of molecular changes on compounds.

[freeOS]

I'd be surprised if you found a local organic tobacco farmer, but good on you if you do.

My first possibility:

http://www.sotoyatobacco.com/ryo_magazine_8_2005.htm

[SimplexCoda]

I'd be surprised if you found a local organic tobacco farmer, but good on you if you do.

My first possibility:

http://www.sotoyatobacco.com/ryo_magazine_8_2005.htm

I dont think that tobacco is going to be what your looking for. It says tying tobacco. Which is typically used in ceremony. This would mean that its probably way super dry and probably not cured in a manner to be used for smoking.

As for making the flavoring:
I have been planning on trying with black berries for a while as i typically produce about 15-20 blackberries a season if i can keep my nighbors from raiding them all.
My plan was to basically put them in a stock pot all mashed up with water and let them simmer to reduce and create a syrup. That was my plan so maybe try it and let me know if it works for you. Im still wanting to try this but i have had a hard time gettin leaf. I was gonna order some stuff from HC but they stopped carrying it.

[freeOS]

Looks like I'm in luck actually; found the retail page!

Whole Leaf USDA Certified Organic Virginia Flue-Cured Tobacco by the Pound Sold by grade

Quantity Discount 10 lb. = 10%, 20 lb.= 20%

-Lugs - Brown and Yellow $12.90/lb.

-Cutters - Mostly Yellow $15.75/lb.

-Wrappers - 100% Gold Bright-leaf $24.50/lb.

Sample Bag 1/4 lb. of Lug, Cutter and Wrapper Leaf - $5.75/bag


Flue-cured lugs should be fine. It's just typical flue-cured Virginia tobacco!

[SimplexCoda]

Sounds sweet, but do they have anything other than flu-cured? If i remember right flu-cured will be very full bodied, if thats what you want awesome, but as for my tobacco desires i want a medium body. Also can I get a link to that page?

[freeOS]

Sounds sweet, but do they have anything other than flu-cured? If i remember right flu-cured will be very full bodied, if thats what you want awesome, but as for my tobacco desires i want a medium body. Also can I get a link to that page?

Haha, I can't believe I didn't post the link. My bad!

http://www.sotoyatobacco.com/sotoyatobacco...prices_2005.htm

If I've read correctly the curing process goes like this from DARK to BLONDE

Perique Cured (think black pipe tobacco) -> Air Cured (pretty dark, high in nitrosomines *bad news*) -> Flue Cured -> Fire Cured (Cheaper cigarettes)

[SimplexCoda]

Ive been doing some looking and i think that what im going to use, and suggest to you, is burley tobacco instead of flu-cured. Its not as cheap, but it is known for its ablility to absorb a lot of flavorings. Appearently it can absorb up to 25% of its own weight in comparison to flu-cured tobacco's 7-8% absortion rate. I found this info Here if you want to check it out your self.

[freeOS]

Ive been doing some looking and i think that what im going to use, and suggest to you, is burley tobacco instead of flu-cured. Its not as cheap, but it is known for its ablility to absorb a lot of flavorings. Appearently it can absorb up to 25% of its own weight in comparison to flu-cured tobacco's 7-8% absortion rate. I found this info Here if you want to check it out your self.

Burley = Strain

Flue-Cured = Curing process

[SimplexCoda]

Right i got that, but it doesnt seem typical for burley to be flu-cured. It seems to normally be air cured, so im wondering if the curing process, or the strain is what gives it its flavor absorbency.

[Sherwood]

You can't take the pesticide off the tobacco leaf and/or blueberries via washing. That shit taints anything it touches. That makes perfect sense.

Organic still uses pesticides, it just uses organic pesticides. I can't say with any certainty that one is easier to wash off than any other, but I imagine both organic and non-organic pesticides can be washed off. That shit is indeed nasty, though -- take care of yourself. I want to see a long, lively career of erlenmeyer DIY hookahs out of you

[freeOS]

You can't take the pesticide off the tobacco leaf and/or blueberries via washing. That shit taints anything it touches. That makes perfect sense.

Organic still uses pesticides, it just uses organic pesticides. I can't say with any certainty that one is easier to wash off than any other, but I imagine both organic and non-organic pesticides can be washed off. That shit is indeed nasty, though -- take care of yourself. I want to see a long, lively career of erlenmeyer DIY hookahs out of you

What's missing from your theory is that I'm sourcing from a native american provider. It's a religious thing to these folks and I'd stake that this crop is among the purest out there.

I'll be talking with them on Monday. I doubt they'd be using anything more than nicotine, if they are using anything at all.

Either way, there's no telling how the tobacco in big-brand shisha is cultivated. I wouldn't be surprised to see that very little is organic.

[Dr. B]

as for reducing:

Start with an appropriate capacity of water:weight of fruit ingredients. For that measure you'll have to look elsewhere as the proportion escapes me.
Take 2/3W (w=water) and boil with 1/1 fruit weight in the pot. Reduce liquid volume to 1/2 (1/3 original amount). Strain in a cheese cloth and set aside. Add the reminding pulp to the other 1/3 of your water and reduce to 1/2 volume (1/6 original water). Strain and set aside. The pulp as this point is probably depleted so you may wish to throw it out, but if you don't mind straining again down the road you can keep it handy. Combine the water (1/2 original volume) and begin to reduce. If you kept the slag, throw it in there and strain when you have 6/12 your original water volume. This would be a good time to switch to a smaller pot - taller but with less surface area on heat. Continue boiling until syrupy to get the remaining water content out, aiming for around 1/16 of your original water volume. At this point, reduce heat and let the mixture thicken up until you are satisfied with its viscosity, adding glycerine in periodically. When it cools it will thicken more but you may consider mixing it with the tobacco while warm to help permeation.

I did this with organic strawberries and the results were nice. The taste wasn't overpowering (which I attribute to a higher water content than desired) but it was present and a good, natural taste. Hope this helps. Edited June 21, 2009 by Dr. B

[Sherwood]

What's missing from your theory is that I'm sourcing from a native american provider. It's a religious thing to these folks and I'd stake that this crop is among the purest out there.

Tell you what... when you get it all finished up, send some over my way and I'll tell you

Seriously, though, sounds delicious. Blueberry is a favorite.

[chinodos]

If you live in Virginia, could you not get some tobacco seeds and grow them in a backyard or something?? I'm not too familiar with farming in any form except consumer, but if people can grow tomato's and such in their backyards why couldn't you grow your own tobacco to get that organic your looking for. I live in Texas so I don't think this would ever be an option for me, although I would like to try it.

[freeOS]

If you live in Virginia, could you not get some tobacco seeds and grow them in a backyard or something?? I'm not too familiar with farming in any form except consumer, but if people can grow tomato's and such in their backyards why couldn't you grow your own tobacco to get that organic your looking for. I live in Texas so I don't think this would ever be an option for me, although I would like to try it.

It's too late in the season to include with my tomatoes, basil, sunflowers, cilantro, peppers, etc etc...

[Svaals]

Pesticides are just chemicals, and they can usually be washed off with something. Large pesticide molecules should wash off with isopropyl alcohol or soap and water.

[freeOS]

Pesticides are just chemicals, and they can usually be washed off with something. Large pesticide molecules should wash off with isopropyl alcohol or soap and water.

No need to wash if they were never put on.