Joyce A. Wardwell - Healing herbal wines, vinegars & syrups

Excerpted from
The Herbal Home Remedy Book,
by Joyce A. Wardwell

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Nancy Ringer and Juliette Rogers

Cover illustration by Randy Mosher

Cover design by Carol J. Jessop (Black Trout Design) and Betty Kodela

Text illustrations by Laura Tedeschi, except by Mary Rich

Text production by Betty Kodela

Copyright 1999 by Storey Publishing, LLC

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My great-grandmother Na never went to a doctor in her life. She dismissed doctors as charlatans, saw their medicines as harmful, and thought hospitals were places you went to die. Her back-then attitudes werent that much different from our attitudes today, only now we mistrust shifty HMOs, spiraling hospital bills, and the side effects of drugs. Just like my grandmother, we believe that I can do it better. One of the most famous doctors of this century, Albert Schweitzer, expressed exactly this sentiment: Its supposed to be a professional secret, but Ill tell you anyway. We doctors do nothing. We only help and encourage the doctor within.

Indeed, roughly 80 percent of the worlds population uses traditional medicine for primary health care. And lest you doubt the effectiveness of plant remedies, realize that about 30 percent of prescription drugs are still synthesized from plants. As we enter the 21st century, Nas attitude toward medicine is experiencing an amazing rebirth, even in our high-tech Western culture. An increasing array of commercially prepared herbal remedies faces me whenever I enter the drugstore. There are even whole commercial chains devoted to selling the cures that wise women and men have been making themselves for centuries!

More and more clever people continue to do so today, and thats where this book comes in. Herbal preparations can be as much of a pleasure to consume as they are to make. Why choke down factory-made pills with water like any prescription when you can take your medicine in a civilized glass of wine? Why force some artificially flavored cough elixir into your daughter when you could give her a lavender- or lemon-flavored one that will soothe her raw throats as well? And even more important, why disregard powerful herbal allies in our quest for good health?

Caution

Like any medicine, it is important to use herbs with care. The simple herbal recipes in this booklet are meant to inspire, and they are not given as medical advice. For your individual health concerns, for chronic warning symptoms, in emergency situations, or when in doubt, seek the advice of your primary health-care practitioner.

As you will see, all you need in order to make your own herbal remedies is the following:

A few pieces of equipment you may already own

Access to fresh or dried medicinal herbs

Liquids and sweeteners (known as base ingredients) to carry the herbs into your body

Time and care to put into your project

You will be amply rewarded with some delightful foodstuffs and elixirs, many of which can become part of your daily routine.

The equipment you use to make your remedies will affect how they turn out. The good news is that home herbalism requires no special distillers, tubes, condensers, or other supplies. Chances are that you have everything you need alreadyor can find it at a garage sale for next to nothing.

Notebook. A blank notebook is one of your most important pieces of equipment. Be sure to keep track of your favorite recipes, references, and suppliers addresses and telephone numbers. Because I gather or grow nearly all of my herbs, I also note the seasonal and daily weather conditions, gathering dates, and places. I write notes and observations about the preparation process. I even write down my mistakesthey are valuable little lessons that I dont wish to repeat.

You may already have all the equipment you need right in your kitchen.

Labels. However large or small, fancy or plain, labels are the herbalists best friend. Use them relentlessly: A remedy is not finished until it has a label on it. At the very least, list the ingredients and the date. Other helpful items to note include what the preparation is for, how it should be used, how it should be stored, and where the herbs were obtained.

Cheesecloth. This white or natural-colored gauzy fabric is available in a variety of thread counts, making looser or tighter fabric. It is used in food preparation to strain and press liquids from solidsin the case of cheese, to squeeze the whey from the curds that will become cheese, and in the case of wine and vinegar, to press every last drop of tea from brewed herbs. It can also be layered into a filter to help maintain purity. It is available in kitchen supply stores in plastic packages that contain a couple of yards.

Glass jars. Colored glass jars and bottles with lids are treasures to any herbalist. Check out your local recycling station for free jars. A local restaurant-bar lets me haul away as many empty liquor and wine bottles and 1-gallon pickle jars as I care to. Saturday night offers me the best selection. Secondhand shops always have interesting finds, usually for less than a dime apiece.

Disinfecting Bottles and Jars

Disinfect all bottles, jars, and equipment before you use them by boiling them for 10 minutes or by rinsing them with a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution, commonly available at grocery stores and pharmacies. If you choose peroxide, begin by simply washing your equipment with soap and water, then rinsing. Pour a small amount of peroxide into the jar, shake vigorously, and drain. Finally, rinse with water and air-dry.