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The Taste of
Herbs
The secrets of herbalism revealed
through your sense of taste!
by Rosalee de la Forȇt
Why is the taste of herbs important?!
3
The Six Tastes in Traditional Medicine
4
Salty !
5
Sea Zest Seasoning!
Sour!
Oxymels!
Pungent!
Kava Hot Cocoa!
Bitter!
6
8
9
12
13
16
Dandelions!
17
Dandelion Pesto!
19
Astringent!
Cranberry Sauce!
Sweet!
St. John’s Wort and Cherry Mead!
20
21
24
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Resource List
26
About Rosalee!
27
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Why is the taste of herbs
important?
As in ancient times, herbalists would do well to continue to rely upon their trained
senses and experience to properly assess the therapeutic nature of plants, and
among the different faculties there is perhaps no equal to the perception of taste. Used by every system of traditional medicine, taste figures prominently in the
practice of herbal medicine, providing immediate insight into the properties and
uses of medicinal plants.
Todd Caldecott
Herbalist
In part one of this ebook we will look at the therapeutic properties of taste. Humans
have used the sense of taste for thousands of years as a meaningful way of
communicating with plants. Understanding the meaning of how a plant tastes leads us
to better understand the biochemistry of a plant as well as how we can use that plant to
bring balance.
Traditionally, herbalism has been practiced all over the world as a means of restoring
balance.
While in western medicine we name diseases and treat the symptoms, traditionally ill
health is looked at as a manifestation of imbalance. Is this person too hot? too cold? Are
they too dry? too damp?
Herbs are then used to help the person regain balance. They are not used to treat or
cure a named disease. Rather, by bringing balance, a person’s own innate healing
abilities can be restored.
In modern day western herbalism these philosophies are called herbal energetics; the
art of matching herbs to people. Taste is one aspect of how this art is accomplished. A
person’s constitution as well as the energetics of imbalance are also incredibly
important.
These are a few important ground rules when delving into the theory of taste.
• Most herbs have multiple tastes.
• Some herbs are classified as having a certain taste because of their actions in the
body as opposed to an overt taste. An example of this is ginseng. Ginseng is classified
as sweet, but when you taste it you might not taste over sweetness.
• We need all tastes in varying proportions to maintain health and balance.
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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The Six Tastes in Traditional
Medicine
In Traditional Herbalism, understanding and evaluating how something tastes is integral
to understanding how that particular food, herb, or formula will work in the body.
In western science we recognize four tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter (Western
science is also beginning to recognize a fifth taste being called umami or savory). We
also recognize that the tongue contains taste receptors that act through the nervous
system to communicate these oral sensations to the brain.
In traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are five tastes.
Sour
Salty
Pungent
Bitter
Sweet
Ayurvedic medicine has one additional taste: astringent. In TCM astringent is
considered part of the sour taste.
Herbalism is the art of facilitating balance in the body, and thus good health. The taste
of herbs and food is one tool used to bring harmony to a person’s individual constitution
or to an acute situation. It is believed we need all of these tastes every day. Too much of
one taste can imbalance the body but varying ratios can also be used in the short term
to bring back balance if it was lost.
Whenever we attempt to put plants into rigid classifications we will fail. Instead of getting
caught up in the particulars you should enjoy the sensorial exploration of herbs that will
undoubtedly lead you to new understandings and appreciations.
In this promotional ebook I give a brief look at the classical understanding of these
tastes followed by an example of recipes and formulas of how we might use these
herbal categories practically in our lives.
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Salty
Ayurveda Elements
Earth and Fire
heavy, hot and wet
TCM Organs
Kidney and Bladder
yin
Chemical understanding
Minerals, Sodium Chloride
Therapeutic understanding
A salty taste can promote digestion, moisten the body, act as a laxative, relieve
stiffness, and dissolve cysts.
Examples
A salty taste comes from minerals. It is found in salts, seaweeds, and irish moss. Herbs
that have high minerals contents are also seen as having a salty taste. These include
nettle (Urtica dioica) and cleavers (Galium aparine).
Contraindications
Hypertension, edema (for pure salts, not mineral rich herbs)
Bla
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Sea Zest Seasoning
The recipe for Sea Zest combines three sources
of nutritional powerhouses for a tasty herbal
seasoning that adds zest to vegetables, meats,
sandwiches, salads, and possibly even ice cream.
The basic recipe includes sesame seeds, kelp
fronds, and stinging nettle leaf.
Sesame seeds are an excellent source of the
minerals copper and manganese. They also
contain a good amount of magnesium, calcium,
iron, phosphorus, and zinc.
Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) contains a vast
amount of nutrients. According to the authors of
Vegetables from the Sea:
“All the minerals required for human beings, including calcium, sodium, magnesium,
potassium, iodine, iron and zinc are present in sufficient amounts. In addition there are
many trace elements in seaweeds.”
Kelp also has significant amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as B1, B2, B6, Niacin, and
B12. By adding this nutritious weed of the sea to our diets we can find that our hair
grows faster and thicker and our bones, teeth, and nails are stronger. Seaweed also
supports metabolic function.
Stinging nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) is one of our most nutritious plants. According to
Mark Pederson who wrote the book Nutrional Herbology, nettle contains high amounts
of calcium, magnesium, chromium, and zinc.
Making this herbal seasoning is easy.
The recipe is
3 cups toasted and ground up sesame seeds
1 cup kelp
1 cup nettle
Step 1 ~ Preparing the sesame seeds
You can buy sesame seeds in packages or in bulk at your natural foods store. Sesame
seeds are high in oils and can go rancid easily, so be sure to buy from a fresh source.
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When making Sea Zest Seasoning in our home we start with three cups of sesame
seeds. If this seems like too much for your family, you can reduce the amount of
ingredients in ratio. (For example you could do 1 ½ cups of sesame seeds and a half
cup each of kelp and nettle.)
Toast the whole sesame seeds on low heat. We like to use a clean and dry cast iron
pan for this, but whatever you have will work fine. Be sure to stir them often so they
toast evenly and do not burn. Once they become darker in color and have a nice
aromatic smell, remove them from heat.
Using a food processor or blender, grind the seeds into powder and then place in a
large mixing bowl.
Step 2 ~ Mixing it together
Add one cup each of granulated kelp and cut and sifted nettle leaf to the sesame seeds.
If you are beginning with whole kelp fronds or whole nettle leaf then you can use the
food processor to mince them up well. One word of caution is that it’s better to have
granulated kelp rather than powdered kelp. If it’s too powdery it doesn’t mix well. Also,
buying whole kelp fronds will ensure better quality than buying it granulated.
Once it is all mixed together you can bottle it up, label it, and enjoy!
Because sesame seeds are high in oils you’ll want to consume this seasoning quickly
so that it doesn’t have a chance to go rancid. If it has gone rancid you’ll notice the
strong unpleasant smell.
You can store excess seasoning in the fridge for better storage.
This simple recipe can be a base for many other kinds of seasonings. You could add
savory herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano. You could also add spicy seasonings
like cayenne, ginger, or turmeric.
We sprinkle this seasoning on practically everything, but we haven’t tried ice cream yet.
Let us know if you do!
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Sour
Ayurveda Elements
Water and Fire
hot, wet and light
TCM Organs
Liver and Gallbladder
yin
Chemical understanding
Acids, oxalic acid, citric acid, malic acid, vitamin C
Therapeutic understanding
Sourness can increase digestive fire, increase strength and bodily tissues, counter
thirst, promote healthy intestinal flora and can be nourishing.
Examples
A sour taste can be found in fermented foods like miso, yogurt, berries, vinegar and
rose hips.
Contraindications
Burning sensations, hyperacidity, teeth sensitivity
Hawthorne Berries
Craetagus douglassii
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Oxymels
Oxymels are preparations using both vinegar and honey. These mixtures have a long
history of use in western herbalism, dating as far back as the ancient Greeks.
Hippocrates spoke highly of oxymels for coughs but cautioned against their use for
people with a cold and dry constitution (these people are commonly always the coldest
in the room, wearing sweaters when others
have on t-shirts, and may have dry skin, dry
eyes, etc.). He also suggested heating these
Herbs for Oxymels
mixtures gently when they are being
consumed during cold weather.
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
William Cook, a Physiomedicalist of the
1800s preferred vinegar as a menstruum for
issues of the respiratory system. He felt that
it concentrated the herb’s actions to the
respiratory system.
Honey in itself offers us a wide range of
benefits for coughs and sore throats. It’s
anti-microbial, inhibiting the growth of
pathogens, as well as slightly expectorant.
As most of us know, a spoonful of honey can
soothe a sore throat.
There are a variety of ways to make
oxymels. In this article we’ll explore these
different preparations as well as different
herbs to use.
Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)
Elecampane (Inula helenium)
Fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare)
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Ginger root (Zingiber officinalis)
Gumweed (Grindelia spp)
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)
Lemon Balm (Melissa off.)
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Osha root (Ligusticum porterii)
Peppermint (Mentha pipperata)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus off.)
Sage (Salvia off.)
Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Thyme (Thymus spp)
#1. Oxymel preparation: Water, vinegar, honey
Decoct one ounce of herb in one quart of water, simmer until ¼ of the liquid remains.
Strain and add four ounces of vinegar and four ounces of honey. Mix until it forms a
syrupy consistency. This preparation works best with roots or leaves. Because of the
long decoction it is not well suited for aromatic herbs because the simmering will boil
away the volatile oils.
#2. Oxymel preparation: for aromatic herbs (no boiling involved)
If wanting to use aromatic herbs (those in the mint family for example) you can simply
combine an herb-infused vinegar with an herb-infused honey. I would suggest the ratio
of one part of vinegar to three parts of honey. You can determine the ratio of honey to
vinegar to suit your own tastes.
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#3. Oxymel preparation: Vinegar decoction with added honey
Lastly, another variation of oxymels is to simply decoct the herb of choice with vinegar
and then add 3 parts of honey to each part of vinegar.
Pine Needle Oxymel
Pine needles are abundant where I live. They are a
stimulating expectorant, which lends itself well to insistent
wet or mucous-producing coughs. I would not use pine
needles or an oxymel preparation for dry hacking coughs.
Pine needles are also a good source of vitamin C, giving
us another reason to use it during times of illness.
To cut the needles into small pieces I
suggest using scissors, as it is much easier
than cutting with a knife.
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Add a generous handful of needles to one cup of organic
apple cider vinegar.
Simmer this mixture gently. If at any time it turns into a
vigorous boil, turn down the heat so that it simmers once
again.
After the liquid is reduced by half, strain off the needles.
Add honey to the pine needle vinegar. Many
oxymel recipes call for 3-5 parts of honey for
each part of vinegar. So, if you have a ½ cup
of vinegar you would add 2 and ½ cups of
honey. You could add less if this is too sweet
to you.
Stir this mixture well until the honey dissolves into the vinegar, forming a syrupy
consistency. We keep our oxymel preparations in the fridge and take it by the teaspoon
to tablespoon when experiencing sore throats or wet productive coughs. This mixture
should keep for a long time in the fridge.
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Pungent
Ayurveda Elements
Fire and Wind
hot, dry and light
TCM Organs
Lungs and Large Intestine
yang
Chemical understanding
Essential Oils, resins
Therapeutic understanding
Pungent foods are stimulating, warming, and drying. They are dispersing and can
relieve stagnant digestion (gas, bloating) and increase metabolism. They are often used
for fevers (with coldness) and to stimulate expectoration.
Examples
Pungent tastes are found in many culinary spices such as pepper, ginger, basil,
rosemary, garlic, clove, and cayenne.
Contraindications
Heat, dryness, burning sensations
Cayenne
Capsicum annuum
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Kava Hot Cocoa
Kava (Piper methysticum) comes to
us from the Pacific Islands. It has a
long traditional and ceremonial use
dating back thousands of years.
The root of the kava plant is used as a
beverage and it was traditionally
prepared by mastication or chewing of
the root. When Europeans made
contact with the Pacific Islanders they
discouraged this practice. We now
know that mastication makes a potent
brew!
Kava can be a little tricky to work with. It doesn’t like heat and the alcohol percentage in
a tincture is very specific. The recipe below calls for kneading the powdered root in cold
water.
Kava is a wonderful relaxing nervine. It can relax muscles and give a sense of calm. A
friend recently described drinking kava to getting a luxurious massage. That’s a pretty
good description!
Kava can also be used for acute pain due to spasms. Kidney stones or menstrual
cramping are good examples.
Chocolate is a good source of magnesium. Magnesium can stop muscle spasms and
also promotes a sense of calm. The two go together quite well!
If you’ve never had kava before you’ll quickly notice a very distinct acrid taste and
numbing sensation on your tongue. If the kava doesn’t produce this effect it probably
wasn’t prepared right.
Recently kava made the sensational news headlines as being a dangerous herb. It’s
true that kava contains some potent alkaloids. However, in all cases where injury was
established it was from extracts that had potentiated certain constituents of the kava
root. (Kavalactones). There have been no injures associated with appropriate use of the
whole plant. However, it is contraindicated in pregnancy, breastfeeding and those with
liver disease. If you visit jim mcdonald’s incredible article index and search for “kava”
you’ll see many articles on the safety of kava. http://www.herbcraft.org/articleindex.html
Please do not buy wild harvested kava. Get it from a sustainable cultivated source. You
can find fresh kava here: http://www.nukahivatrading.com/
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Kava Cocoa Recipe
1/2 cup powdered Kava
1/2 cup fair trade cocoa powder
6 cups water
tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Honey and cream to taste
Step One: Make the Kava
Place 1/2 cup of kava powder into a muslin bag.
Place the bag in a large bowl along with 4 cups of water (lukewarm).
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Knead the bag for an extended period of time. How long? 20 minutes should do ya,
although longer could be better.
Once you feel that you are done kneading you can start making the cocoa. The kava
mixture should look cloudy.
Step Two: Make the cocoa
Combine the cocoa, cinnamon and water into a small saucepan and heat on medium
high stirring constantly. Once the cocoa has dissolved and the temperature is fairly
warm, remove from heat.
Step Three: Combining the two
I like to mix equal parts cocoa to kava, but you can mix it up anyway you like. I add
cream and honey to taste.
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Bitter
Ayurveda Elements
Ether and Wind
cold, dry and light
TCM Organs
Heart and Small Intestines
yin
Chemical understanding
Glycosides, alkaloids
Therapeutic understanding
Bitter tastes are cooling and drying. When the tongue detects bitterness it increases
salivary secretions, which then creates a cascade of digestive secretions from HCL to
bile to pancreatic enzymes; thus, it promotes digestion.
Examples
Dandelion leaves, kale, oregon grape root, and gentian.
Contraindications
Coldness, debility
Green Gentian
Frasera spp.
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Dandelions
Taraxacum officinale
Dandelions are an incredible weed. They grow
abundantly and they grow everywhere! When I see
the vibrant yellow dandelion blossoms in the spring
I can’t help but give thanks to this beautiful and
useful plant.
Dandelion is an incredibly generous plant. Every
part of the plant can be utilized in some way.
Leaves
Dandelion leaves are very nutritious. They are
loaded with vitamins A and C, phosphorus,
potassium, and magnesium. Young, tender
dandelion leaves are pleasantly bitter. This bitter
flavor stimulates digestion by promoting digestive
juices like saliva, hydrochloric acid, and bile.
Herbalists often describe the bitter flavor as one
that tones the liver and encourages healthy function of the liver and gallbladder.
Incorporating bitter flavors into each meal to improve digestion is a simple habit that can
support the general health of your body.
In France they call dandelion “piss-en-lit”, which can be roughly translated to “pee-inthe-bed.” Although not a very romantic name, it is a very fitting description for this highly
diuretic plant. Because of this, people with low blood pressure should avoid eating large
amounts of dandelion leaves.
Roots
Dandelion roots go deep into the earth, pulling up minerals and other nutrients from the
soil. Dandelion roots are one of the most often used plant medicines by herbalists for
liver health. You can let your food be your medicine by using these pleasant tasting
roots in your meals.
Flowers
Dandelion flowers are not as noteworthy in nutritional value as the leaves and roots;
however, the flowers offer food for the soul. One spring I persuaded my husband to help
me gather and process dandelion flowers for wine. This is a lot of work and my husband
does not drink wine so you can imagine his initial excitement. We started to work with
him grudgingly by my side, obviously thinking of better ways to spend the afternoon.
However, before we knew it we were both joyously laughing and singing and having an
enjoyable experience. Since then I have heard from many herbalists who have similar
experiences. I dare you to try working with dandelion flowers and see how they affect
you.
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Harvesting Tips
There are a few other plants out there who resemble dandelion. To be certain you have
the right plant be sure the leaves are completely smooth without any hairs. Another way
to ensure you have the right plant is that each flower is attached to one stalk ( as
opposed to many flowers coming from one stalk).
Leaves: Harvest the young tender leaves either in the spring or fall. The older a
dandelion gets the more bitter it will be. You can always do a field taste test to
determine if the leaves are palatable.
Roots:
These are ideally harvested in the fall after the plants have gone to seed or harvested in
the spring before the plant has put a lot of energy into leaves or flowers. When I am
harvesting the roots for medicine I like to be more particular about harvesting times.
When I am harvesting them for food I say anytime goes!
Flowers
I like to harvest flowers that are fully open. Because they open when they are in sunlight
a bright sunny morning is a perfect time. Generally you want to immediately use the
flowers you harvest. If you keep them in the fridge they will close up. If you dry them
they will go to seed.
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Dandelion Pesto
We love this pesto as a dip, on bread, pasta,
salmon, or even a couple tablespoons on eggs.
Ingredients
2-4 crushed cloves of garlic
1/2 cup cold pressed olive oil
2-3 cups of young dandelion leaves
1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
dash of sea salt
squirt of lemon juice (optional)
1/4 cup of ground nuts (walnuts, pine nuts)
I prefer to make this type of mixture in a food
processor. If you have one of these handy devices simply place all the ingredients in the
processor and blend until well mixed together.
If you do not have a food processor you can make this in a blender and since I have
burned out many a blender doing this here are my very precise instructions on how to
make dandelion pesto and not break your blender in the process.
• Place oil, garlic, and salt in the blender along with half of the dandelion leaves.
• Blend well and then add the other half of the leaves. When finished blending it
should be of a good consistency although still a little runny.
• Pour into a bowl and add desired amounts of parmesan cheese, ground nuts, and
lemon juice.
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Astringent
Ayurveda Elements
Earth and Wind
dry, cold and heavy
TCM Organs
Astringent exists within the sour category for Chinese Medicine
Chemical understanding
Tannins
Therapeutic understanding
The astringent taste is initially drying and overall moistening. It stops excess discharges
and tightens mucosal tissues. It is often used in excessive diarrhea, internal or external
bleeding, or tissues that are spongy and lax. By tightening tissues to prevent excess
discharge, astringents are locally drying while being constitutionally moistening.
Examples
Unripe bananas, strong black or green tea, raspberry leaves, cranberries, uva ursi,
cinnamon.
Contraindications
Constipation, dryness
Chokecherries
Prunus virginiana
© 2013 Rosalee de la Forȇt"
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Cranberry Sauce
“Let food be your medicine.”
Hippocrates
When I was growing up we had
cranberries approximately two days a
year.
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The cranberries we ate were slurped
out of a can, sliced and then plopped
on a plate. I can’t say they were my
favorite. Now that I have grown up and
do my own shopping I realize that not
all cranberries come in a can.
Cranberries are native to North America and are a large food crop for the United States.
They grow in acidic bogs located in both the eastern and western shores of North
America and are at their peak from October to December.
When eaten fresh these astringent and sour fruits have a wide array of health benefits.
In the herbal world, cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) are best known for their ability to
prevent and treat urinary tract infections. Cranberries are diuretic, as they increase urine
output and also have mechanisms to prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall.
These tart fruits have also been shown to reduce kidney inflammation. This makes them
very effective at keeping the urinary tract healthy.
But their health benefits don’t stop there!
Cranberries are really high in flavonoids and Vitamin C. Flavonoids are powerful
antioxidants that protect the body from oxidation and inflammation that can lead to
premature aging. These flavonoids have been shown to promote a healthy heart and
cardiovascular system. By reducing inflammation they reduce plaque build-up in
arteries, prevent platelets from sticking together and normalize cholesterol levels.
Cranberries are astringent, meaning they can tighten and tone tissues. This can be
helpful for promoting healthy gums and teeth and for stopping excessive diarrhea.
Historically, cranberries were used to cure scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of vitamin
C that often presents with bleeding gums. Cranberries may even reduce the presence
of gingivitis.
In today’s newsletter we are going to show you a new spin on making your own herbal
cranberry sauce. Remember, cranberries are not just for the holidays anymore!
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Besides using cranberries we’ll also use the following ingredients.
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)
Horseradish is a pungent root that most people have eaten in the form of wasabi sauce.
Simply try one bite of horseradish and I don’t have to tell you that it clears sinuses,
FAST! Like cranberries, horseradish is also used for a variety of urinary complaints,
including bladder infections and kidney ailments.
It’s also commonly used for respiratory infections like bronchitis and sinus infections.
It can even be used externally on wounds and muscle and joint pain. Careful though, in
some people external use can cause a rash.
I bought a fresh horseradish root at the grocery store. If your local store doesn’t carry
horseradish root ask if they can order it in. If not you could also use prepared
horseradish root.
Orange Peel and Orange Juice
When I was growing up I always found an orange in the bottom of my Christmas
stocking and so oranges always remind me of the holidays. Both the orange zest and
the juice add a wonderful taste to this recipe.
Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)
At one time in history cinnamon used to be more valuable than silver. Today it is used
for colds and the flu, diarrhea, and to help balance blood sugar levels. Many of us
simply use it because it tastes so darn good!
To make this recipe you’ll need...
Three cups of fresh cranberries (you can use frozen ones if fresh aren’t available)
1/4 cup of freshly grated horseradish (see instructions below)
Zest and juice from one orange
1/4 of honey or to taste
One teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 cup of sour cream
Begin by rinsing the cranberries and then place them in a medium pan.
Next you’ll grate the horseradish using a cheese grater. One word of caution here. You
know that when you chop onions your eyes start to sting and you might start to tear up.
Well, multiply that by ten for horseradish! You might want to grate this outside with
plenty of fresh air or place a little of the sliced root in a food processor. It’s intense!
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Remove the zest from the orange. (You can use a cheese grater for this.) After the zest
is removed, cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice out. When I did this I had about
3/4 cup of orange juice.
Place the cranberries, grated horseradish root and orange zest and juice into the pan
and turn it to medium high heat. There should be enough orange juice to have some
juice in the entire bottom of the pan. You can add some water if you need more liquid.
Stir frequently. As the orange juice starts to simmer you’ll hear the cranberries popping.
Turn the heat to medium and continue stirring until the juice has evaporated and the
cranberries have popped. Remove from heat.
Add the honey (to taste).
And then add the sour cream and stir well.
Lastly add the cinnamon powder
The tartness of cranberries goes really well with salty foods like roasted meats or
roasted vegetables. We like to make up a batch and have a little with each of our meals.
This recipe is very forgiving so feel free to experiment to come up with your personal
favorite recipe.
Rosalee
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Sweet
Ayurveda Elements
Earth and Water
wet, cold and heavy
TCM Organs
Spleen and Stomach
yang
Chemical understanding
Sugars, fats, proteins, carbs, polysaccharides, GAGs
Therapeutic understanding
The sweet taste is considered building and strengthening. It can moisten tissues, soothe
inflammation, and nourish the blood. It can relieve burning sensations (think of reaching
for milk after eating hot peppers) and promote calmness and centeredness.
Examples
The sweet taste is found in milk, honey, sugars, grains, sweet vegetables (root
vegetables), meats, fish, and milk. Sweet tasting herbs include marshmallow, slippery
elm and astragalus root.
Contraindications
Respiratory congestion, diabetes, fever, weak digestion, feelings of heaviness, lethargy
and parasites
Marshmallow
Althea officinalis
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Herbal Meads and Wines
Making herbal meads and wines is a simple yet luxurious treat. You can make meads
using a variety of different herbs. Meads are simply fermented alcoholic beverages
made with honey, and wines are fermented alcoholic beverages made with sugar.
Because honey can be very expensive I keep my meads to one gallon batches and
make wines in more plentiful quantities.
Here’s a few of my favorite recipes. If you’ve never made mead or wine before look for
my how-to video on making dandelion wine on YouTube.com.
St. John’s Wort and Cherry Mead
Ingredients
One gallon of water
3 pounds of honey
1/4 teaspoon of yeast nutrient
One gallon of St. John’s Wort Flowers
One pound of cherries
1/4 cup of lemon juice
Wine yeast
1. Place the honey and water in a pan and bring to a boil.
2. In a food-grade bucket add the St. John’s Wort Flowers,
cherries, lemon juice, and yeast nutrient.
3. Pour the just boiled honey water into the bucket and stir well.
4. Once the mixture in the bucket has cooled to about 85 degrees F, add the wine yeast
(follow the directions on the wine yeast packet). Stir well. Cover with a cloth.
5. This will stay in the primary fermenter for 3-5 days. Each day stir the mixture well.
6. After 3-5 days in the primary fermenter, strain off the liquid and place it in a carboy
with an airlock. It will be ready in a year.
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Resource List
Books
Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra (really anything by Michael is superb for
energetics)
The Energetics of Western Herbs by Peter Holmes
Yoga of Herbs by Vasant Lad and David Frawley
Tradition of Western Herbalism by Matthew Wood
Internet
HerbMentor.com
A subscription website full of community, inspiration and education.
Ten Tastes Course with David Winston
Candis Cantin on the 6 Ayurvedic Tastes
http://www.evergreenherbgarden.org/articles/sixtastes.html
Todd Caldecott on Ayurvedic Tastes
http://www.toddcaldecott.com/index.php/herbs/using-herbs/283-taste-
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About Rosalee
Rosalee de la Forêt is a clinical herbalist and herbal educator who lives on the edge of
the wilderness in the Northeastern Cascades of Washington State.
As a clinical herbalist Rosalee helps people transform their chronic illness into a life of
vibrant health. You can explore her clinical work through her renowned website
HerbalRemediesAdvice.org.
As the Education Director at LearningHerbs.com she contributes regularly to their
website HerbMentor.com. She moderates the community forums and provides herbal
education through ebooks, articles, videos, and photography.
Rosalee offers a mentorship program to help dedicated herbalist accelerate their herbal
knowledge. You can learn more about this program here.
To learn more about Rosalee and the services she offers you can visit her websites at
www.MethowValleyHerbs.com HerbalRemediesAdvice.org.
Join Methow Valley Herbs on Facebook!
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