HERBS - 2 . Methods and Preparations (I - W)
Infused Cold Oils: Herbal Oils are used for External Massage, as Bath Oils or for conditioning the Hair and Skin. Fill a glass storage jar with the Leaves or Flowers of the herb and pour in light Vegetable Oil / Grape Seed / Sunflower / etc. to cover and allow to stand on a sunny windowsill for a month and shake every day. Then strain out the herbs and pour into bottles with stops to store. To make it stronger renew the herbs in the Oil every two weeks.
Infusions / Teas / Tisanes: N.B: Do not use Aluminium vessels. Alcohol, which see or boiling water can be used allowing 1 ounce of the herb to 1 pint of water and before using beat and bruise the herb to ensure greater efficacy. Pour 1 pint of boiling water over the herb and cover over to keep the heat in and let it stand for 10 - 30 minutes. Strain the liquid off and place in airtight bottles and store in a refrigerator. Can be sweetened with a little Honey or stir with a Liquorice Stick or add slices of Fresh Ginger. Dosage: 1 Tablespoon to 1/2 cup 2 to 3 times a day. N.B: Only make enough for 2 - 3 days use.
Alcohol, Glycerine, Oils, Sugar and AC Vinegar Infusions: pour the liquid onto the herbs and allow to stand for minutes to days, especially for hard and woody varieties, Roots, Stems and some Seeds.
Jelly: Gelatine can also be used to make a jelly with water, with less to make it finer and add the herbs and cool, then cut and store.
Leaves and Flowers - make the best Infusion.
Liquids: The most concentrated form is an Extract made to a strength of 1:1 where 1 fluid ounce = 1 ounce of herbs. (Keeps well and easy to use with an exact dosage.) To make evaporate the Alcoholic Extraction made from the herb is soaked in a vacuum vessel, which will allow the liquid to evaporate to the correct volume. Can also be prepared in a pressure vessel or by percolation. Dosage: 10 drops to a teaspoon 3 x times a day or take neat with Water or Fruit Juice.
Lozenges: Mix with Slippery Elm or Marshmallow Powder or a Gum such as 30gm of Tragacanth and soak in water for 24 hours and stir frequently and then add to 500ml of Barley Water and mix until smooth and press through a Muslin sieve. (Add powdered.) Roll on a cold surface dusted with Cornflower to prevent sticking, cut into shapes and dry and keep in an airtight container.
Maceration: Herbs must be crushed and powdered and placed in a clean receptacle (N.B: not Aluminium, Enamel or Plastic) and cover with 5 times the depth of the herb with Alcohol Water made up of 3 parts water to 1 part Alcohol. (N.B:Do Not Use Wood Alcohol.) Stand in a cool dark place for 12 hours and strain off. Dosage: 1 teaspoon 3 x times a day.
Oil: Infusions are best instead of Decoctions - Steep in Oil such as Olive Oil and fill the bottle with herbs, add Virgin Olive Oil / Organic, then seal and steep for a month and strain off the Oil and press the herb hard. Use and store the Oil in an airtight bottle and use as required and dispose of the herbs. Add Sugar if needed.
Pellets: Crumble Fresh Bread and combine with the herbs and roll together into a pellet that is soft and easily swallowed. Also Peanut Butter and Cream Cheese also combine well with herbal powder to form pellets.
Percolation: an effective way of obtaining the fluid, soluble part of the property required by allowing the fluid to drip through the property time and time again in a percolator until nearly all of the soluble matter is extracted from the property required.
Pessaries: For Female use, in the Vagina and made from quickly melting material such as Cocoa Butter and shaped to suite.
Pills: The constituents in a herbal Extract or in their crude form are mixed wet with either Glucose or edible Gums and then rolled in grooves on a board with a smooth piece of wood until firm and uniform in size. They can be rolled in dry icing sugar or powdered Liquorice to conceal the taste.
Port and Sherry: are fortified and will last longer.
Salt: After grinding the herbs, add a minimum of Salt and put in an airtight jar to keep longer in the dark.
Seeds: N.B. Do not store in plastic containers. Anise, Caraway, Coriander and Dill can be dried on trays the same way or the Seed heads can be placed in Nylon mesh bags to be hung from the ceiling. Be sure to cut the Seed heads on a dry, warm day as they are turning from yellow to brown and before they shatter. Store the thoroughly dry Leaves & Seeds in screw top jars and check after a week to ensure no moisture has condensed, if so, tip out and dry for a few more days before repacking. Store in a dry cool cupboard and the Leaves will retain their Aroma best if left whole and break them up only when you use them.
Sloe Gin: Sloes are put in Gin until the flavour is taken up and used as a medicinal drink.
Suppositories: For the introduction of Medication via the Anal Passage and made from quickly melting material such as Cocoa Butter and shaped to suite.
Syrups: Suitable for giving to Children and improves the flavour of Bitter herbs by placing 500gm of Sugar or Honey in a pan and add 1 Litre of water and heat gently while stirring to dissolve the Sugar or Honey. Add 150gm of the herb and heat gently for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat and allow to steep overnight, strain and store in an airtight container in the fridge. The Sugar acts as a preservative and it should keep for18 months.
Tablets: Mix the herbs thoroughly and subject them to great pressure in stainless steel and are coated with Sugar to conceal the taste. (They keep better then Pills and dissolve more quickly in the Stomach.)
Tinctures: Spirits used where the herb cannot be heated or when the herb will only give up its principles to Spirit. Many herbs are destroyed by heat and are best made with Spirits of Wine and will endure better then water. Can also be made using straight Alcohol, especially Sherry to extract the active ingredients and these will last longer still as the Alcohol acts as a preservative. Tinctures are stronger then Infusions & Decoctions due to the Alcohol and can last up to 18 months. Steep the herbs in Spirits of Wine about 2 ounces to the Pint in a closed vessel for 12 hours then strain and bottle and keep in a cool dark dry place. (If using fresh herbs bruise thoroughly before hand.) To Flavour: Add Honey or Sugar Syrup. 500ml water, 1000gr of Sugar and heat until dissolved then add equal parts with the Tincture.
Vinegar Infusions: Culinary - Apple Cider Vinegar is the best to use or Pure White Vinegar. For Tarragon steep a sprig in a bottle of Vinegar. Put herbs to suite in a bottle, add Vinegar, and steep for 1 or 2 weeks and as the Vinegar is used dispose of the exposed herb. 1 Pint Vinegar to 1-2 ounces of dried herb or a loose handful of fresh herbs.
Water Based Infusions: Can be both Infusions and Decoctions. Save as a cup of Tea, boil water and pour over the fresh or dried herb in a cup or Teapot and allow to Infuse for a few minutes to 30 minutes in chinaware or glassware.
N.B: Do not use Metal or Aluminium receptacles.
Water: 1 x teaspoon of the dried Herb or 2 or 3 x teaspoons of the fresh herb to 1 x cup of water and chop and / or grind the herb finely then add water and use a stainless steel or a glass saucepan.
(N.B:Not Aluminium.)
Wine: Elderberry, Dandelion, Ginger, etc. N.B: Will not keep due to the high water content.