Dandelion History, Folklore, Myth and Magic
The healing ways of dandelion spread as quickly as its seeds parachute in the wind. The Chinese were the first to describe dandelion’s medicinal virtues in purifying the blood and increasing the immune system. By the eleventh century, Arabic cultures were sharing its use to treat troubles of the liver and kidneys. Soon all of […]
Nettle History, Folklore, Myth and Magic
Nettle has long been recognized for its bounty of nutrition as well as its sting. Folk medicine and lore worldwide attributes the powers of protection and fertility to this incredible plant. Wisdom handed down from ancient times includes advice on using nettle to protect one’s self from lightning, to enhance fertility particularly in men, to […]
Chickweed History, Folklore, Myth and Magic
Found in pre-neolithic dig sites in Great Britain, native to Europe and naturalized through out much of the world including North America, used worldwide for a wide variety of complaints, chickweed’s prolific and steadfast qualities have earned her a smaller place than she deserves in world mythos and folklore. She shows up in some of […]
Yarrow History, Folklore, Myth and Magic
Yarrow’s virtues as a healing herb have been well known since ancient times. It’s Latin name, Achillea millefolium, is derived from the Greek Hero Achilles, who was said to rely on this humble herb to heal his warriors on the battle field. It’s been used in Western Europe and China as a tool for divination […]
Medieval Herbalism: Intro. to European Herbalism
Medieval Herbalism: Introduction to European Practices and Salves, Expanded Notes European herbalism in the middle ages, roughly 1300 AD to 1600 AD, encompassed a diverse set of folk beliefs, regional recipes, and practices. Social stratification, particularly in the late middle ages when trade offered the wealthy access to imported spices through well-established and growing trade […]
Antibacterial Mouth Rinse Recipe
Use this mouth rinse after brushing your teeth. This is not a substitution for a dental visit as cavities can go septic very quickly. I use this to prevent gum disease by squirting 2 droppers full of tincture into a shot glass of water. I swish the liquid in my mouth after brushing my teeth and swallow.
Minty Strawberry Leaf Mouthwash Recipe
You can use Minty Strawberry Leaf Mouthwash as a breath freshening spray or as a mouth wash for after brushing your teeth. You can substitute one ounce of glycerite, such as Spearmint or Lemon Balm glycerite, for the glycerine in this recipe.
Strawberry-infused Cider Vinegar
I once had an abundance of strawberries. After we’d canned, frozen, dried, fermented, and eaten all we could, we still had a few pounds left. Inspiration struck as I read the herbal vinegars section of James Green’s The Herbal Medicine-maker’s Handbook. Strawberry-infused Cider Vinegar quickly became one of our favorite herbal vinegars, and with good reason. The flavor is absolutely delightful. The scent is delicious. And, it’s packed with nutrients.
Sweet and Sour Strawberry Spritzers: Easy Shrub Recipe
A few years back, I made several gallons of Strawberry-infused Cider Vinegar. It was absolutely delicious in salad dressings and drizzled over sweet breads. One day, my son wanted to try something new to drink, something sweet but not as sweet as soda or juice, bubbly, cool, interesting. Thus was born the Sweet and Sour Strawberry Spritzer. For my son, I added a scant teaspoon of honey, but for myself I generally omit the sweetener altogether. Strawberry-infused Cider Vinegar is fairly sweet, to my taste.
Strawberry Chutney
This recipe is a variation on a mango chutney recipe I found several years ago in Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick and Easy Indian Cooking. I make and can about 10 cups or so of chutney every year, and Strawberry Chutney has an honored place on my shelf. We love this chutney with Indian meals, of course, but also on hot buttered toast and with just about any roasted meat.
Strawberry Wine Coolers
Strawberry wine coolers were born one year after I’d bottled my Strawberry Melomel and discovered I had about half a bottle left. I’d bottled a lot of mead and wine that day, and I was in no shape to be imbibing any more. Patrick suggested we turn it into wine coolers. They were delightful, and I’ve used a slightly modified version of this recipe to turn a variety of fruits into light, refreshing, lower-alcohol fermentations akin to hard cider.
Strawberry Melomel
Strawberry Melomel, also known as Strawberry Mead or Strawberry Wine, is one of my absolute favorite summer fermentations. Use the freshest, ripest strawberries you can find. I love to head to the u-pick farms in early- to mid-June for my early batches and again late in the season because in my opinion one can never […]