Sourcing Candela Leaf for Blending

[fuzzyblends]

Fuzzy here, I am a home blender who normally just hangs out on the pipetobacco subreddit since I don't have time for a lot of forums.
But holiday times call for holiday measures. I make crumble kakes for redditors and I've been playing with aesthetics. One of the aesthetics I've been looking at is "little bits of green".
I've looked at DeerTongue, but aside from PennHerb there doesn't seem to be a good online source. I am unsure where C&D sources theirs.
I looked at Candela cigar wrapper. However, of all the cigar leaf sources I found online; candela is the one they usually don't carry.
Any tips? My google-fu has reached an end. The next step would be to call C&D and beg for an ounce of their blending deer tongue or try to bribe a drew estate rep at a local event to get me the number of someone there who sources their candela.
I don't expect of those methods to work, but it seems like a private transaction is the only way to go.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Bay Leaves

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I mean, by what things you have described, the taste doesn't seem to matter. And, who knows, maybe bay leaves will be the next blending leaf. There are weirder things... I tasted some basil ice cream the other day. ::

 

[fuzzyblends]

Well, Deer Tongue would add a bit of vanilla-esque flavor used sparingly. So I could work that into a holiday blend where a little vanilla would work well.
Candela, I would need to first try mixing in with some cube cut burley and smoking just to see how it affects flavor. It's a real unknown. Based on how it tastes, I would figure out a holiday blend where it could be used condimentally.
I have one other solution I am trying this week for a Halloween Kake with a different color in mind, but this is the "plan C" I don't want to make a habit of.
Yes. I am making a halloween crumble kake with little orange bits on top. God forgive me.

 

[woodsroad]

 

[mso489]

A nice even cut and a good "nose" (aroma) impress me more than a fancy visual presentation. I think the taste and smell of the first puff and continuing burn is really the essence. Dressing up the look might be fun, but I think only the most innocent beginners would give it much weight. If the taste and aroma disappoint us, a snazzy look would be really annoying, insult to injury.

 

[fuzzyblends]

I agree with you, but if I take the same kake and alter the aesthetic to be a bit more pleasing; it seems to make people happy in my experience doing this.
Hence me looking for a way to get a hint of holiday color in a holiday kake.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Glitter would add less flavor than the Sprinkles. Get the actual glass based glitter. Glass won't burn or melt as easily. Or better yet, add some aquarium gravel. That might be the safest bet. ::

 

[prairiedruid]

Several ebay and amazon sellers have it. Deer Tongue used by several pagan groups so check with wicca and druid sites; just make sure you order the leaf because the root is sold as well.

 

[fuzzyblends]

I considered the ebay route, but the quality seems like a real crapshoot. Those pagans will buy anything.

 

[prairiedruid]

Those pagans will buy anything.

Sigh.....some are far more particular about their components than some pipe smokers. :nana:

 

[fuzzyblends]

I'm glad the joke was taken as such.

 

[woodsroad]

 

[prairiedruid]

Looks like he really enjoys smoking bay leaves!

 

[woodsroad]

Most Pagans do, you know.