Making Basic Herbal Preparations
There are a few basic herbal preparations used throughout this book, and since the methods used are generally the same, here are the simple guidelines you can use to also develop your own unique recipes using favorite herbs, oils, and flowers.
These are the simplest form of herbal preparation, often used in teas, tisanes, or added to bathwater. Infusions can also form part of specific herbal health or beauty recipes. Place the herbs you need (either fresh or half as much dried) in a glass or china bowl (or teapot), then pour in enough just boiled water to cover the plant material and leave to stand for 10–15 minutes. Strain and drink if using as a tea or tisane or allow to cool before adding to other recipes. Infusions can be sweetened with honey, if the taste is not particularly pleasant, or mixed with fruit juice or other teas such as green, rooibos, or Earl Grey.
Widely used in the kitchen and for herbal medicines, vinegar is a natural preservative and tonic that also helps extract the flavors and medicinal qualities of herbs and flowers. I could not be without herbal vinegars in my cooking, and I also often add them to various health recipes. Use organic apple cider vinegar if possible, as it has so many of its own wonderful antibiotic, antiseptic, and antifungal properties, and it is exceptionally powerful when mixed with herbs and other healing plants.
To make herbal vinegars, use fresh herbs. To prevent the development of mold, ensure they are very well dried out first. Place the herbs of your choice in a large sterilized glass bottle, then add apple cider vinegar until the herbs are completely covered. Seal the bottle (don’t use a metal cap as the vinegar will corrode it) and stand in a cool, dark cupboard for at least 1 month to 6 weeks, shaking the bottle well every couple of days. Strain the vinegar and pour the liquid into a suitable bottle. Herbal vinegars will last for up to two years provided they are stored correctly. Should any mold develop in the bottle or the vinegar appear discolored or contain floating debris, please discard it and make a fresh batch.
If you are making herbal vinegars purely for culinary purposes, the method is the same as the one detailed above, but you can also use white or red wine vinegar or even (in a pinch) malt vinegar, although I think its strong flavor makes it a little overpowering.
These are one of my favorite ways of using the power of herbs and other plants combined with the healing deliciousness of honey, and they are often good enough just to eat by the spoonful on their own. Please note once again that any herbs you use should be totally dry to prevent mold forming on the honey.
Very simple to make, you place either ½ cup fresh or ¼ cup dried herbs in an 8-ounce glass jar and pour in enough raw honey to cover—probably about ¾ of a cup. Cover the jar and leave in a cool, dark place to steep for at least 3 weeks. Then strain out the plant material and store the honey in a sterilized jar, well covered.
Good herbs to use for honeys (depending on your intended application, of course) are garlic, oregano, sage, thyme, turmeric, lavender, lemon balm, fresh ginger, mint, or cinnamon sticks. Honey has many antibacterial and immune-boosting properties, so it can be added to tonics and medicines for colds and respiratory problems. It’s also soothing on minor burns and wounds. In the kitchen I love drizzling mint, ginger, or rose petal honey over scones, muffins, and pancakes. Herbal honey also makes a wonderful addition to salad dressings and marinades or can simply be stirred into a cup of tea.
Sweet, like honey, but made using sugars or maple syrup; syrups can be used to flavor drinks and cocktails, desserts, sweet sauces, marinades, and brushed over grilled meat or chicken. You can use white sugar instead of the brown or use agave syrup as a sweetener, too.
Combine 11/2 cups fresh or 1 cup dried herbs in a saucepan with 3 cups of water; bring to a boil, then let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes or so until the liquid has reduced by half. Strain out the herbs and add 1 cup brown sugar or maple syrup to the liquid; bring to a boil again, then remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup brandy, vodka, or apple cider vinegar. Pour the cooled syrup into bottles or jars, seal well, and store in the refrigerator; the syrup usually lasts for up to 6 months. The alcohol or vinegar acts as a natural preservative and prevents mold forming on the surface of the syrup.
Herb oils can be made using one of two processes: a cold steeping process or a hot oil infusion. Either way, you will need 11/2 cups fresh or 1 cup dried herbs. The herbs must be totally dry, without dew or moisture on their leaves. For simple herbal oil, pack the herbs into a large clean glass jar. Pour oil over the herbs; for culinary purposes I like using light olive, peanut, or safflower oil, while for medicinal purposes you could consider coconut (warmed if it has solidified), sweet almond, or jojoba oil.
The herbs should be totally covered by the oil; leave aside in a cool, dark cupboard for 3–4 weeks, shaking the jar occasionally. After this time, strain the oil through muslin, cheesecloth, or a large coffee filter, discarding the plant material. Store the infused oil in a glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid; it should last for at least a year.
Please note that if mold should develop on the oil, it is best to discard it and make fresh to avoid any possibility of contamination or illness.
A hot oil herbal infusion is made using the same ingredients, but the herbs and oil are placed in the top of a double boiler and left to infuse at a very low heat for at least 60 minutes. Stir the mixture frequently. (You can also use a small slow cooker on its lowest setting for this.) After the oil is completely cool, strain it well and store in glass jars for 1–2 years.
Herbal oils are endlessly versatile in the kitchen and can be used for salad dressings, marinades, stir-fries, sauces, and much more. Herbal oils also have similar properties to essential oils, although they are not nearly as concentrated; as such, they can also be used for massage, bath oils, or added to products such as balms, creams, and ointments.
Tinctures are one of the most potent and long-lasting ways of preserving the active ingredients found in herbs while accessing the medicinal properties of a particular plant in a very concentrated form. They are generally made with an alcohol base, although this can be replaced by either apple cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin if you prefer not to use alcohol. Place 1 cup dried or 2 cups fresh herbs in a large glass bottle and pour in 11/2 cups vodka; you can also use brandy or rum, which helps disguise the taste of more bitter herbs. Seal and leave to steep in a cool, dark place for at least 2–3 weeks, shaking the mixture frequently. After this time, strain the tincture through cloth, discard the herbs, and store the liquid in small dark glass bottles, clearly labelled and dated. Usually tinctures are taken 3 times a day by adding a few drops to a glass of water. (If the taste isn’t great, add a little honey or fruit juice.)
Most of us are familiar with flower essences on some level as they are so widely available now and include flowers from many different parts of the world in addition to the wonderful range originally developed by Dr. Edward Bach in the UK. It’s a beautiful way of accessing the unique inherent energies present in not just flowers, but also leaves and other parts of a plant. Flower essences offer us the opportunity to tap into these energies to help us with any blocks or emotional issues we might be experiencing.
For some people, the whole concept of flower essences seems a little too esoteric, but I would encourage everyone to try making their own flower essences at least once, using a particular plant or flower that seems to speak to you in some way. You just have to take the time to be quiet, open your heart, and listen down deep.
Making your own flower essences is both easy and quite magical, for each of us will be instinctively drawn to flowers or plants that call to our own personal energies. Perhaps you will find these flowers in your own garden, on a walk in the country, or even at the local farmer’s market. When making essences you don’t need to worry if a plant is edible or even poisonous since flower essences do not carry traces of the original plant.
The first step is to choose flowers or plants that you feel a connection with. On a clear, sunny day (this is very important), fill a large glass bowl with spring water and place it in full sunshine. Gather the flowers and plant material into a flat basket; it’s good to handle them as little as possible, so use small scissors or plant shears to cut them gently and drop them into the basket. Then, float the plants on the surface of the water and leave in full sun for at least 2 hours. After this time you can remove the plants, using a twig or something similar to scoop them out. Again, you want to handle them as little as possible so that you don’t transfer too much of your own energy into the liquid.
Scatter the plant material at the base of a tree while giving thanks to Mother Earth for her beautiful gifts so freely shared with us. Then pour the water into a large sterilized dark glass bottle until it is half full. Fill the rest of the bottle up to the top with brandy or vodka. You have now created the mother essence. Label and date this bottle. To create flower essence bottles for everyday use, take 4–7 drops of the mother essence and put them into small 1-ounce dark glass dropper bottles. Fill with your chosen alcohol, label, and date. To use the flower essences, add a few drops to a glass of spring water or directly under the tongue. Flower essences can also be added to a tub of warm bathwater.
To make moon essences, which are basically the same but created under the light of a full moon, see page 95.