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. 

Blessing Moon

July's full moon is often referred to as the Blessing Moon and it  falls within the season of our early harvests. For this, along with the symbolic harvests within our lives, we count our blessings at this time. 

Back in March, I wrote about the Storm Moon which marked the perfect time of year for inviting new influences into one's life: I particularly focussed my ritual on reaffirming my desire to make more time for a return to the creative practices of  illustration and writing. 

Hopefully these little delvings into my sketch book will show that towards tonight's Blessing Moon I will be directing thanks for the inspiration and guidance to make this seed of intention come into fruition.

We also sometimes refer to July's full moon as the Meadow Moon or 'Wort' Moon. The word 'wort' comes from the Old English 'wyrt' meaning 'plant' and is most frequently associated with herbs. 

This time of year is perfect for harvesting herbs. They have been growing in abundance over the past few months and those which flower are likely to have done so already.

Designing a ritual today around the gathering of herbs would be the perfect way to celebrate and channel the energy of July's full moon. Those which you harvest can be dried and will hopefully last through the winter.

As this year's July moon falls in Aquarius, it is heavily influenced by the Aquarian attributes of innovation, inspiration and the expanding of the mind. If you have not yet learned the healing and culinary properties of the herbs you are gathering, you could begin doing so today, making a note of what you learn. Many garden herbs make nourishing teas, so perhaps you could experiment with some infusions, and begin keeping a journal of the flavours and qualities of each. 

However you choose to spend your days and evenings, full moon blessings go to all of you.

Lemon Thyme Shortbread

As promised in yesterday's post, here is a biscuit recipe using Lemon Thyme. This buttery shortbread is melt-in-your-mouth delicious and the thyme adds a wonderful surprise flavour. 

You will need:

55 grams caster sugar.

2 tsp lemon thyme leaves, finely chopped.

115 grams unsalted butter, softened.

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons.

170 grams plain flour.

Extra caster sugar to dust.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

Set aside a lightly buttered, non-stick baking sheet. 

Beat together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and thyme until creamy. 

Beat in the flour to form a soft dough. 

Place the dough onto a sheet of cling film or baking paper. Cover with a second sheet and roll out thinly.

Using a cutter, cut out your biscuits. Lift carefully onto the baking sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes until the edges turn a pale golden brown colour. 

Take out of the oven, sprinkle with caster sugar and leave to cool on a wire rack. 

Mmmmmm

Thyme

This often-overlooked little herb is fast becoming one of my favourites. Its culinary benefits are undoubted; it is a staple of Mediterranean dishes and accompanies meat particularly well. I use it in soups and casseroles, for making stock, in pasta and - most recently - even in biscuits! More to come on that tomorrow!

Thyme is a pungent herb that really packs a punch for one so little. (Perhaps that's why I like it!) It is pretty hardy and loves a sunny spot, growing in most soils and on rockeries well. However, it won't forgive you for over-watering so do be careful.

At this time of year it is really blooming and the leaves taste best through June and July so it is an excellent time to pick and use fresh, or begin to dry for later in the year. There are many varieties, including the silver-edged 'Argenteus' (above) which grows particularly well in containers. Also to be found is the beautifully scented 'Citridorus' or 'lemon' thyme (below) which works fantastically well in recipes that require a citrus flavour: this is one type of thyme that goes particularly deliciously with fish.

In medieval times, Thyme was considered to impart courage upon those who ate it and, therefore, came to symbolise vigour and heroism. It was reputedly added to beer and drank by those who needed to overcome nerves. The ancient Romans also considered it a remedy for melancholy. Today, its health benefits are largely related to its essential oil which contains large quantities of thymol - a powerful antiseptic and antibacterial. Applied directly to cuts and scrapes, crushed thyme leaves act as an instant garden remedy to cleanse. 

Thyme also possesses antispasmodic and expectorant properties, making it particularly useful in the treatment of chest infections such as bronchitis. A tea may be concocted, using a teaspoon of crushed thyme leaves, added to boiling water. Allow the herbs to steep for 10 minutes before straining and sweetening with honey. This tea should be drunk 3 to 4 times daily for the treatment of persistent coughs. 

Lavender

There are many different varieties of Lavender to be found and perhaps the most easily recognisable are French Lavender seen here...

...and the English variety, below...

With its pretty flowers, found in a range of purple hues, and bee-enticing fragrance, I think Lavender is my favourite garden herb. It is also, without a doubt, one of the most versatile and useful plants you can grow. 

Perhaps not overly associated with culinary uses, Lavender can in fact provide a fragrant twist to some classic confectionery and dessert recipes, such as Lavender shortbread (found here and pictured below), Honey and Lavender ice-cream and Lavender cupcakes.

One way to incorporate a delicate taste of Lavender into your baking is to use Lavender sugar, which can be made following these simple instructions.

1) Take a jar which can be sealed tight and fill with caster sugar.

2) Gather two tablespoons of lavender flowers (either fresh or dried).

3) Place the flowers in a square of muslin cloth and tie using thread.

4) Place the lavender bundle into the jar with the sugar.

5) Leave for two weeks, shaking up every day or so. 

After two weeks your sugar will have a delicate fragrance and can be used in place of caster sugar in your recipes. Some people prefer to place the lavender flowers directly into the sugar for a stronger flavour and pretty, decorative effect. 

More on some of the medicinal properties and other uses of lavender to come.

Weekend Wrap

Yesterday B and I took the long, winding road to visit Glastonbury, with some uplifting tunes from a collective of local musicians to accompany us in the car. We took a simple picnic that was intended for the top of the tor but wolfed down, after a somewhat lazy stroll, half-way up. Sometimes I love nothing more than a rigorous ramble in the hills. However, this weekend seemed designed for a slower pace and after a hectic week I have relished every moment.

Glastonbury is a lovely place to wander round; filled with brightly-fronted cafes offering home-made soups, a cornucopia of shops overflowing with crystals, herbs and candles and the aroma of sandalwood incense drifting through the streets, it is every witchy-woman’s dream. I treated myself to a piece of protective obsidian that I will be using to make a pendant – more of that when it is finished.

Driving home as the sun was lowering in the sky, we spotted a sign for a riverside bar, tucked into the hedgerow. I love finding little surprises like this so we turned down the quiet lane and discovered an old mill, converted into a restaurant. A lovely spot to stop for a drink – I was gleeful at the prospect of summer evenings sitting on the riverbank with a glass of wine. 

Today has been even lazier still. I potted up a planter of herbs, which B attached to my windowsill, so I am able to reach out a cut them as I am cooking. Endless pleasure! Some blogs on the qualities of these herbs to follow, I feel.

For now, though,  I sit with a cup of tea and the radio, admiring the golden daffodils outside my window, reading through the inspiring blogs that are quickly becoming a staple in my daily diet. 

I hope that you, too, are enjoying the Spring sunshine. Brightest blessings.