Herbal Recipies

The weather has been hot. Today is no exception. Hot, wet and humid with a wind coming from the south. The breeze brings the heady scent of hawthorn bloom through my open window. The scent of these mingling with the earthy aroma of petrichor. That deep patchouli like smell of the nearby forest in the rain. A base note to it all. It’s a smell unlike any other. It’s a smell of home. The smell of the start of summer. Its time to Preserve the May and make some flower jam. It got me thinking. How I might capture this very moment? This …

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 sea sickness! The origin of the drinks name might come from British colonialism where the Hindu word tārī,  a drink made from the fermented sap of the various varieties of toddy palm, was made into an alcoholic drink hence the name. Apparently the British liked it so much it made it back to our shores in the U.K. At this point …

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 molasses thick Valium orange light of dawn and dusk spread through the streets, over hills and highlight the stark bare tree filled woods. It’s a Gloomy time both outwardly and internally. Its times to look at herbs for resistance. It’s a natural occasion for dormancy and retreat, but in these modern times we may feel the case of “no retreat …

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 combination to try. Sadly i haven’t had the opportunity to test it yet but thought it would be worth passing it on. I think the original recipe came to them courtesy of the London Tea Company. The addition of the tea gives it a bit of a caffeine hit and also provides it with its smokey taste. (You could substitute …

Rowan berries are everywhere right now and I’ve just come across a recipe by F. Marian McNeill in her book the “Scots Kitchen (its lore and recipes)” (1929, Glasgow) for rowan berry jam. It seems she was quite an accomplished recipe gatherer before she entered into the world of folklore (well I guess it was the 1920’s…) but then again the book is full of the lore of the kitchen too. It’s full to bursting of old-fashioned recipes and bannock suggestions for all the major quarter days, as well as blood puddings and  sowans etc. If you’re into traditionally celebrating your feasts, …

The below recipe for Mugwort and Lemon Beer has been taken from Grow Forage Cook Ferment. I have just changed it a little bit and put it here for prosperity. This recipe is from  The New Wildcrafted Cuisine by Pascal Baudar ad it’s well worth a look. So, let’s begin … The first step with any home brewing recipe is to make sure that everything is properly sanitised.  There are many sanitisers to choose from, but to save a bit of money you can use a Milton tablet for sterilising baby bottle tops etc. (honestly it’s A LOT cheaper) or you can use …