Herbcraft // Calendula

Calendula - or pot marigold, as it is sometimes known - is one of the most useful flowers you could have in your garden. Although coming to the end of its season now, calendula flowers dry well and can then be stored for later use as needed.

Calendula is best known for its topical uses in treating a variety of skin conditions and ailments. It can be prepared as a bath tea, oil, salve, ointment or cream and there are lots of useful tutorials online to guide you how to do so. One of the simplest preparations is a bath tea which can be made in a tea 'bag' out of a muslin square, tied with cotton. Inside your muslin square, place a few teaspoons or a small handful of dried calendula flower petals, tie with cotton and then place into the bath water. You could add chamomile flowers  to your mix for additional skin soothing benefits. 

So what is calendula good for?

 - Eczema and psoriasis or any other dry skin condition benefits from the soothing action of a calendula cream.

- Healing and soothing chapped skin such as nappy rash or chapped lips. 

- A salve is useful for treating and promoting healing in minor cuts and abrasions. 

- It has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce the redness and discomfort associated with sunburn.

- More rarely, it can be used internally to treat inflamed mucous membranes. 

Although calendula is considered non-toxic and safe to use topically, even on small children, it should not be taken internally during pregnancy. 

Herbcraft // Harvesting and Drying herbs

This time of year, in the late summer, between the wheat harvest of Lammas and the apple harvest of Mabon, is perfect for harvesting herbs. 

Try to pick your herbs after a few dry days - easier said than done in England at the moment, with the weather being so temperamental - because this will help with drying out and preventing mould growth. You can be ruthless with most herbs at this point. Cut lots because in drying, your herbs will shrink down to almost nothing and that enormous bunch you thought you had will no doubt be little more than a small jar-full.

This week we picked huge bunches of oregano, marjoram, rosemary and sage for drying. Once we got it home, we separated the sprigs out and spread them over a wire rack which we put into our fan-assisted oven. The oven is not turned on to any temperature - you want to avoid burning your precious herbs - but the fan is working so dry air is being circulated around the oven to dry them out. Big thanks to Bette over at 'Friends of Hoar Oak Cottage' for this tip. I had previously heated my oven and then turned it off, before placing the herbs inside to crisp up, with the oven door cracked slightly open. You can try it this way if you don't have a fan-assisted oven, but take extra care that the oven is not on and cooking your herbs!

After several hours (this will depend on the size of the sprigs, how dry they already were and type of herb, so keep checking them regularly) the herbs will have dried out. My rosemary didn't take quite as long as the sage, but both take much longer than naturally dry herbs such as thyme. Once they are dry, pass them through a colander or sieve, to make the grain nice and fine and store them in clean, sterile air-tight jars or containers. They should keep for several months. 

Herbcraft // Parsley

Now, I've never been much of a parsley fan - particularly not the curly-leaf variety which I always associate with garnishes on gastro-pub food from the 1980s. 

However, I am learning to make use of the flat-leaf variety in my culinary explorations - and it does have some fantastic medicinal qualities. 

Parsley is actually from the same family as the carrot - they have very similar leaves - and there is a variety of parsley which has an edible root, much like its culinary cousin. It has a 'grassy' scent and flavour and works well as a palate cleanser. 

Try adding parsley to soups, stews and pasta sauces for mild flavour or, if you really like the taste, you can whizz up a parsley pesto using a large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, a couple of garlic cloves, some pine nuts, parmesan cheese and a glug of olive oil in the food processor. This makes a lovely, fresh, summery pasta sauce - particularly with a generous squeeze of lemon. 

Medicinally, parsley's beneficial effects seem to be endless: anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, anti-rheumatic, laxative, mild brain tonic, diuretic, carminative, expectorant, gastric tonic, uterine tonic and a warming remedy for cold conditions. 

Parsley has traditionally been used in the treatment of urine and bladder disorders, inflammation of the prostate gland, PMT and menopausal hot flushes. Mashed and unheated, leaves were once apparently applied to the breasts of nursing mothers to arrest the flow of milk. 

Whether seeking to utilise its medicinal properties or simply adding some flavour to your cooking, it cannot be denied that, as it is so rich in minerals such as calcium potassium and silica, parsley is good for you. Apparently this combination of minerals will help to strengthen the hair, nails and skin - so it can make you beautiful too! 

I am a convert!

Herbcraft // Dill

Dill is one of my favourite herbs - I absolutely love its flavour, largely, I think, because it brings back such strong memories of happy travelling experiences in Russia and Scandinavia, where it is native and used widely in culinary preparation.

Dill looks a lot like fennel, due to its bright green, feathery leaves and umbrellas of tiny flowers which turn to seed. However, it does not have the same aniseed scent, instead offering a sweeter, more subtle flavour that compliments fish well. The seeds are traditionally added to pickles in Russian and Scandinavian cuisine, and coupled with yoghurt and cucumber, make a fresh, cooling dip. More on the culinary uses of Dill to come later...

Medicinally, Dill has historically been used as a digestive aid, acting as a carminative, preventing gas and intestinal bloating. The seeds and leaves can be used in any number of recipes to calm the digestive system.  Dill's essential oil can also be used to encourage milk production in breastfeeding women. However, Dill should be avoided during pregnancy.

Herbcraft // Drying Chamomile for Tea

Chamomile tea is enjoyed world-wide as a relaxing, soothing drink. It aides sleep, calms frayed nerves and soothes skin conditions gently enough to be suitable for even the most sensitive skin. 

There are two variants of chamomile - Roman (or English) and German - which are largely used to treat similar conditions. Roman Chamomile is valued for its anxiety-relieving properties and is used to treat the emotional symptoms of PMS, while German Chamomile is most effective in treating inflammation and soothe irritating skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. 

This year I grew my own Roman Chamomile from seed, in the hopes that I could make my own tea. The crop is now producing an abundance of these daisy-like flowers, which are harvested and used to make the tea.

Once you have picked your chamomile flowers (no stalks or leaves) they will need to be washed gently. First, place the flowers in a colander or sieve. Next, fill a bowl with cold water and four or five teaspoons of salt. Place the colander in the bowl, so the water begins to swirl through and gently clean the flowers. Leave them like this for around 10 minutes and then pick out any unwanted bits and beasties that float out from the flowers. 

Once you have cleaned the flowers, take them out of the water and place on some kitchen paper or a towel. Pat dry gently and leave for around 20 minutes. 

At this point you have a couple of options. You could choose to air-dry or sun-dry your chamomile flowers - there are instructions for this here. Alternatively, you can do as I did and oven-dry them. 

You will need to allow your oven to heat to 200 degrees C and then turn off. Place your flowers on a tray lined with baking paper and place in the oven. It must be turned off or you will burn the flowers. Leave a slight crack in the door to allow air to circulate and allow the flowers around 4 hours in the oven to dry out completely. You may find that the oven goes cold and you need to repeat the process of removing the flowers, reheating to 200 degrees and turning off again before replacing. 

Once you have dried your flowers, place in an air-tight container and they should keep for around 6 months. To make a cup of tea simply place a teaspoon of flowers per cup of boiling water and strain before serving.

Deliciously soothing. 

Herbcraft // Borage

Borage is a beautiful and, sadly, nowadays underused commodity in terms of medicinal and culinary herb-craft. Mostly it is grown commercially for its seed-oil and by savvy gardeners, who know that it attracts bees who pollenate their other plants. 

Borage is also often known as 'starflower' thanks to its exquisite sapphire-blue star-shaped blossoms, which hang delicately for a day or two, before being scattered like confetti across the garden by even the lightest of breezes. 

The nutritional and medicinal benefits of borage are wide-ranging.  It is often used by medical herbalists as a metabolic regulator, hormonal regulator (making it useful in the treatment of symptoms of PMS or the menopause) and anti-inflammatory - particularly for respiratory inflammations such as bronchitis. Many gardeners also claim it improves the health and taste of vegetables and fruit next to which it grows. 

You can eat raw borage leaves in salads; apparently it lends a flavour akin to cucumber. Also, the leaves can be cooked, similarly to spinach and used in soups and pasta dishes. In some Italian regions, borage is used to stuff ravioli - I love the sound of that! A cup of raw borage contains large quantities of vitamin A as well as several of the B vitamins, a significant amount of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, manganese, calcium, zinc and selenium - to name a few!

Borage flowers can also be eaten and provide a honey-sweet taste to deserts, salads and even drinks. A lovely trick to add interest and colour to summer drinks is to pop some of these flowers into your ice cube trays, before making ice. They add a beautiful summery something to a chilled glass of wine or elderflower cordial. 

So if you have some of this delightful summer herb growing in your garden, try one of these traditional culinary uses before the flowers all scatter to the wind.

Herbcraft // Lavender and Lemongrass Tea

On warm summer days we need refreshment and this tea is fragrant and fresh enough to do just that.

Step One: Gather dried herbs - lemongrass and lavender flowers.

Step 2: Mix herbs together - 2 parts lemongrass to 1 part lavender. 

(If you want a milder lavender flavour, try 2 1/2 parts lemongrass to 1/2 a part lavender).

Step 3 - Option A: Put a teaspoon of the mix into teabag sachets, and use one per cup.

Step 3 - Option B: Add herb mix direct to your teapot if you have a strainer. 

Enjoy the soothing and refreshing properties of these wonderful herbs...

Lavender: eases depression, benefits the digestion, antispasmodic, soothes anxiety and tension headaches, relieves exhaustion and migraines.

Lemongrass: antispasmodic, soothes the digestive system, has a positive effect on nervous conditions and provides a boost if you're feeling tired. 

Herbcraft // Turmeric and Ginger Tea

After yesterday's post about the healing benefits of turmeric, I thought I would share a recipe for turmeric and ginger tea. This is absolutely perfect for warming the body and soul on these bitter cold, wintry days.

You could of course cheat and buy these Pukka Herbs 3 ginger teabags. They are lovely, but pricey and I find there is something 'off' about treating the body to some healing, natural goodness if it comes in a tea-bag which has been made most unnaturally (possibly with a chemical called epichlorohydrin, a compound also used in insecticides,  which when combined with water creates a chemical called 3-MCPD, a known cancer causing agent). 

I know, I know, practically everything today is potentially carcinogenic, but  if I create my tea from scratch using fresh ingredients, it feels less likely to be 'poisonous'. Plus it will save me some pennies. And taste better.

So...you will need...

2 cups of water

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger or 1/2 cm piece finely chopped ginger root

1/2 teaspoon powdered turmeric or 1/2 cm piece finely chopped turmeric root

(optional, 1/2 piece finely chopped galangal root)

2 teaspoons honey

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Simply bring the water to the boil, add the herbs and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add the lemon juice, strain the tea into a mug or cup and stir in the honey.

Drink warm.

Herbcraft // Turmeric

Only yesterday did I learn about this spice's wonderful medicinal properties and I have made sure it is on the shopping list for my trip out to buy groceries. (Thanks for the tip, Mum!)

Turmeric root is a member of the ginger family (you can see above how similar it looks to root ginger) and is used in South-East Asian cooking readily for its warm, spicy flavour. One of the active ingredients in turmeric is known as 'curcumin' and it is this which makes turmeric one of nature's most powerful healers.

Images courtesy of www.net-doctor.co.uk

Here are some reasons to ensure you have a jar of powdered turmeric, or some turmeric root, in your pantry at home...

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent. You can use it to make a paste which can be placed directly on cuts and burns, to disinfect and promote quick healing.

2. It is a natural liver de-toxifier, acting against toxins such as alcohol.

3. It is a potent anti-inflammatory and can work as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs, without the nasty side-effects.

4. It has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.

5. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and other rheumatic conditions.

6. Likewise, it can aid in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions. 

7. Clinical studies have shown that turmeric may help to slow the progression of Alzheimers, by reducing the build up of amyloid proteins in the brain. 

8. Because of its rich stores of antioxidants, laboratory studies indicate that curcumin is useful in the treatment of many types of cancer. For example, it kills cultures of leukaemia cells; it appears to cause melanoma cells to 'commit suicide', slowing the growth of the cancer; and studies are ongoing to determine the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma. 

Turmeric is considered a 'safe' herb and is used widely in cooking throughout the world. Although overdoing it could lead to an upset stomach, it would seem that a little sprinkle of spice in our food would do us all the world of good!

If already taking blood thinning medicine, such as warfarin, turmeric should be avoided. If you are pregnant, consult your doctor before taking a turmeric supplement.