Cailleachs Herbarium
Exploring Scottish Folk Practices and Traditions
Drinks
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Peace Tea Recipe and Gaelic Prayer for peace-
Trying to find a moment’s peace. Well, that’s trick in itself for most of us. Trying to find a time for ourselves, to relax and just be peaceful is a gift for most parents and busy folk these days. But…
ByScott
Blackberry (Sméar dubh – Smearagan)/ Bramble Recipes
There is nothing more ubiquitous as the Blackberry or Bramble. Sméar Dubh or Smearagan in Gaelic, meaning black berry. Dris, druis bramble. The bramble was much valued by the old Highlanders, and where not indigenous was cultivated. The fruit was used for…
Hot Toddy Scottish Recipe and Cold Remedy
Unsurprisingly i’m a huge whisky fan and there is nothing like a Scottish hot toddy! Nothing warms you up and makes you feel better about just about anything really. Reputed to cure the common cold, nerves and anxiety and even…
Midwinter Glow – Herbs for Resistance
Midwinter, a time of the greatest darkness, with still a way till we get to midwinter at the end of January. The sun in Scotland barely rises over the horizon rising late at 9am and setting early at 3pm. The…
Smoked Mulled Apple Cider – with Lapsang Souchong Tea
Winter warmers are always a hit in our house but, Hmm smoked mulled apple cider? Mulled cider is delicious but im not sure about the addition of tea. Though I have it on good authority that this is a good…
Spring Cleaning – Herbal Teas and Folk Practitioners Cleaning formulations
It’s still cold outside. The second part of winter is here. It’s still great to be indoors. Especially, after all, those storms and ice still hanging about on roads and ponds. Staying warm in bed is always my favourite option. Drinking…
Hangovers and Hogmanay Regrets – Herbal Hangover cures
The fear creeping up on you when your still in bed... the taste of a small animal that has crawled into your mouth used it as a toilet and the subsequently died there without any last rites or a word from their relatives. Open one eye, light cracks from between the curtains instantly hurt... headache pounding, stomach churning and perhaps even a little room spin to go with it all? Any feelings of regret are creeping over your imagination, did I really do that? did I really drink that much? did I really tell them THAT story ?… then the hint of whiskey comes back to mind and the queasy feeling gets worse … Yeah is definitely a Hogmanay Hangover … best close your eyes and pretend it never happened …
Herbal dry cough tea and cough drop recipe
Cough cough sputter its cough season in our house. Both myself and my better half have caught a wee cough and so it was time to bring out the good old cough cures! In Celtic times it was thought that…
Valerian Hot Chocolate
With the Blood Harvest Moon tonight it got me thinking about autumn and Valerian hot chocolate. The leaves start to turn their beautiful shades of red and golden yellows and the mornings start to become crisp, my head and heart…