If I were a plant, I would be this particular plant. Not just a general Rose, but wild New Mexico Rose growing on the lush banks of the Gila’s riparian forest. Not only because the flower is exquisitely, delicately beautiful but because the Wild Rose is tough and tenacious, living through flash floods, long droughts and even cattle grazing. She smells sweet from a mile away but as soon as you get close she tries to shred your clothes and tangle in your hair. There’s something to be said for beauty with attitude.

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I’ve written an extensive monograph on the medicinal uses of Rose here, be sure to check it out if this amazingly multifaceted herb appeals to you!

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Here, the Wild Rose grows in hedges along the water, usually in the company of Alders, Wild Grapes, Evening Primrose, Blue Elder and Nettles, which is fine company indeed! The deep red of the Roses’ curving stems make it easy to pick out from other greenery even when they’re not flowering.

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Many domesticated strains of Rose are thornless or nearly so, which I think takes away from the fierce beauty and feisty personality of the original wild varieties. If you get tangled up enough in a Sweetbriar hedge, you’re likely to think the plant is a bit on the aggravated side, or even downright mean — but with fruit and flowers as sweet as they have, they certainly need to have some protective defenses.

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Most people use only the petals of Roses for medicine, but I’ve found that the leaves are also very calming and healing and use them extensively. They also have their own strong musky scent which balances out the sweeter aroma of the blooms. I find that the strongest smelling leaves are also sometimes much more calming than the flowers. Studies also show that the leaves of Roses contain the same anti-inflammatory and vasculature strengthening antioxidants as the flowers and fruit.

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Unruly, delicate, fierce, armed to the teeth, ungainly and incredibly vulnerable all describe this plant. Not so much a bundle of contradictions as a fine balance of complementary attributes. Well integrated, if you will.

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Wild Rose flowers change shape and form constantly throughout their blooming process. From the tightly furled bud to the shy unfolding to the brazen bloom to the slightly misshapen and oddly wrinkled, they are a delight to watch. And a lesson in the authenticity that real beauty is.

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The lifespan of the Wild Rose flower is a short and tumultous one – it begins a brilliant magenta and fades to nearly white when it falls from the plant. The shifting textures and colors of the petals only add to its appeal, rather than detracting from it. Every wrinkle and curl and subtle variation begets personality and character. The sweet aroma of the petal and musky scent of the leaf combined with the plants myriad, transforming shapes compound the herb’s heart opening effect.

~~~

The medicine of the Wild Rose is in its cool touch, the way it soothes burns and infections and pain with a quick yet firm touch -  in the calm nourishment that goes right to the heart and womb, unfolding into vitality.  And in the way those thorns grab you and pull you in, bringing you face to face with magic and the present moment, even if you have to bleed a little to get the point. That’s a Rose for you – equal parts sweetness and in your face attitude.

~~~

Wild Rose Elixir

• 1 canning jar (or other sealable glass jar)
• Wild Rose petals (and some leaves and buds if desired)
• Raw honey (preferably a lighter wildflower variety since darker honeys will tend to muffle the Rose taste more. Vegetable glycerine can also be used, especially for diabetic or people who can’t have any sugar at all.)
• Brandy (although vodka or everclear can work. If using everclear, dilute to about somewhere between 40-50% alcohol with water)

Fill jar with petals, then fill about 2/3 of the jar with alcohol, then fill the rest of the way with honey (less or more to taste). Cover and let steep in a cool, dark place for about a month.

A note on straining your elixir: You can strain the petals out and eat them separately if you like, they taste very yummy and have lots of medicine in them… you could candy them or put them on a berry flax cake or any number of other yummy things.

Use your elixir as a substitute for Rescue Remedy or whenever a calming, mood-enhancing, heart opening influence is needed. It’s also great externally for burns, bug bites, infections and wounds, along with MANY many other uses.

~~~

All pics (c) 2009 Kiva Rose

The taste of a drop of rich wildflower honey, a lick of peach elixir or a sip of spice infused cordial is sensual, comforting and ecstatic all at once. Humans crave and love all things sweet, and while it’s clear that this is the taste most easily overdone and abused, it still retains its own medicine and magic.  Bees, maple trees, beets and other sweet creatures gift us with their rich blessings, and when used wisely they can be powerful allies in the healing process and add a special magic to the amazing sensory experience that is life.

I’ve chosen to do a general overview of a wide variety of Sweet Medicines this month’s blogparty post, including recipes, tips and insights where appropriate. My favorite sweet medicines are always those that can be used in small doses as an effective remedy and still taste not just sugary, but of the unique essence and flavor of the particular plant. Likewise, I don’t use sweeteners in my herbal preparations to cover up or mask flavors but rather to enhance and bring out the taste.

The medicinal effects of many herbs are dependent, at least in part, upon their taste. For instance, bitters work primarily through activating the release of gastric juices and are triggered by the taste. This means that if you choose to bury the bitterness in sugar, you are losing out on a big part of the plant’s medicine. I much prefer to compliment and enhance the flavor of bitters with aromatic herbs and just a touch of sweetness (depending on the case and what’s needed) which, once you’re acquainted and comfortable with the bitter taste, be quite satisfying and yummy.

Let’s just be clear that I don’t deal in exact measurements (that would foster dependance in my readers, and besides, I just can’t be bothered with measuring tools) so please take my proportions and adjust them to your personal tastes. I am using the folkloric method for infused honeys, vinegars etc in this post, so relax and wing it, you’ll be fine without weighing everything, I promise.

You will note that most of my preferred sweet medicines (like elixirs) or those that are very concentrated and require a small (or even tiny) dosage, such as a few drops of Rose up to half a dropper of Elderberry Elixir. They’re basically the same strength as tinctures, maybe a little bit stronger, depending on the herb.

~~~Cordials & Tonics~~~

Cordials are basically a combination of hard alcohol (often brandy) and a fruit flavored syrup or concentrate. The result is usually drank in cute little cordial cups with dessert (or perhaps breakfast, if you’re hardcore that way) or added to sweet foods for flavor. My cordials are less sweet than most with intense taste, most often made with a combo of wild fruits and herbs and some good hard booze. Many cordials are often drank straight but I really like using them as a flavoring in teas or sauces or other foods as well.

My version of tonics are basically tasty cordials but with more of medicinal level of herbal concentration, still suitable for sipping but ~strong~.

All recipes make one pint of cordial or tonic.

Wild Canyon Cordial

• 3/4 C wild grape juice (I suppose you could use domestic but it will be much less intense and complex in flavor)
• 1/4 C prickly pear fruit juice (or several tablespoons of syrup)
• slightly less than 1 C of Scotch
• large splash (or two) of a good merlot or dry elderberry mead
• 1 tsp of cinnamon tincture ( you can use a couple pinches of powdered instead if you like)
• Mix together in pint canning jar, cap and ideally allow age and mellow at least a month before indulging. However, if you can’t wait that long (I never can), it’s good to know that the addition of the wine really smoothes out the flavor and makes it a lovely sipping experience from the get-go.

Southwest Sunset Cordial

• 1 C Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce (I just use a jar of our home-canned, non-chunky sauce)
• 1 C Tequila
• juice of 1 Lime
• 1/2 tsp salt (no really, it’s perfect)
• sugar or honey to taste (depends on how sweet your sauce was and how sweet you like it, rose infused honey is an extra bonus here)
• Generous splash of chardonnay

Mix together in pint jar and shake well. Let age for at least month.

Chokecherry Heart Tonic

• 1/4 C Chokecherry bark or bark/flower tincture
• 1/2 C Chokecherry fruit concentrate or syrup (possibly more if your concentrate isn’t strong tasting, ours is very intense and flavorful but the stuff you get from stores is often tasteless and terribly sweet and just don’t work for this)
• 1 C Brandy
• Sugar/honey to taste (very optional, just depends on your syrup and sense of taste)
• 1/4 tsp of Cinnamon tincture (or a good pinch of powdered cinnamon)
• 1 tsp Ginger infused honey (or just add a good pinch of fresh grated ginger)
• Generous splash of Merlot or Elderberry mead (optional)

Mix together in pint jar and shake well, allow to age for at least a month. This stuff is strong and somewhat mind-altering (in a relaxing kind of way), so use in small doses. It’s an excellent heart strengthener for people with signs of inflammation, high blood pressure, heart palpitations and general heat symptoms.

Wild Rose Tonic

This is my most complex cordial recipe listed here. It’s not difficult, just multi-step. Well worth it in my opinion though.

First, make a half pint of infused honey with finely chopped, de-seeded fresh wild rose hips, plus 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp. grated fresh orange peel and 1/4 tsp cardamom. Let infuse for one month, do not strain.

Then:

• 1 C spiced Wild Rose hip honey (as seen above)
• 3 Tbs Wild Rose petal tincture (or more, as desired for flavor)
• 1 C Brandy or Cognac

Mix together in a pint jar and shake well, allow to age for at least one month. This cordial/tonic is relaxing, uplifting and wonderful as a heart tonic, nervine, anti-inflammatory and bioflavanoid rich blood tonic. For a real treat, make a small cup of half Chokecherry Heart Tonic and half Wild Rose Tonic.

~~~Infused Wines & Meads~~~

This is easy, it’s just good wine infused with herbs and spices. It can be made with just enough herbs to add a bit of flavor, or it can be made more medicinal strength with a higher proportion of herbs.

All recipes are make one pint of wine.

Sweet Summer Cherry Wine

• 2 tbs dried Chokecherry twigs, chopped
• appr 20 Hawthorn berries, fresh or dried
• 3 unsulphured dried Apricots
• small handful raisins
• appr 1 pint red wine or a dark mead like elderberry, blackberry or pomegranate. Alternatively, this is also quite good in apple wine.

Place together in a pint jar, and allow to infuse for at least one month before straining and using. Don’t forget to eat those apricots and raisins, they’re very tasty. This is another heart and blood tonic, great for strengthening the heart and building the blood, it’s also relaxing and a wonderful way to wind down.

Mary of the Sea Wine

• 2 medium sprigs (about 3 inches long each) of fresh Rosemary
• 1 tsp grated fresh Ginger
• 1 tsp grated fresh Lemon peel
• appr. 1 pint white wine or light mead.

Place together in a pint jar, and allow to infuse for at least one month before straining and using. This makes a lovely warming circulatory stimulant, digestive tonic and tasty addition to many recipes.

~~~Glycerine Tinctures~~~

This is what most people (including myself, in the past) usually call glycerites. However, glycerites are creations generally beyond the scope of the home apothecary (think: lab), and what most people are making are properly named glycerine tinctures.

I’ve never liked the cloying taste of herbs tinctured in only glycerine, and that added to the facts that glycerine isn’t terribly shelf-stable and that it is a very highly processed product have just reinforced my original leaning away from glycerine.

For a while I was making some of my elixirs with glycerine (plus brandy or vodka, never alone) rather than honey, but despite my general avoidance of all sugars I have gone back to using honey in my elixirs again. It tastes better, your body recognizes it as food (with nutrients and everything) and it comes from beehive rather than a factory.

Glycerine tinctures are made similarly to alcohol based tinctures, preferably with dried plant material because the water content of fresh plants tends to cause the glycerine tinctures to go off rather quickly. Also, aromatic herbs are those generally best extracted with glycerine, like Lavender, Chamomile or Mint.

For dried herbs, fill the jar about halfway with plant matter ( a bit more if using flowers or fluffy plants a bit less if you’re using root, bark or other dense plant matter), then cover with a solution of 3/4 glycerine and 1/4 distilled water. Stir well to release air bubbles, cover and store in a cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks before decanting. Use within a year.

~~~Herbal Elixirs~~~

An elixir (from my perspective, anyhow) is really just a tincture with some honey added for flavor, property and preservation purposes. It’s a super easy and very effective way to work with many herbs and flowers and berries are often especially well suited to this method, although almost any aromatic plant is lovely as an elixir.

Elixirs are really my favorite sweet medicine and I’ve become a bit infamous for my constant rambling on about Elderberry and Rose elixirs. Here’s a few reasons why I’m so fond of this particular preparation.

1. The sweet taste brings out the aromatic flavors and heart healing properties of many herbs.
2. Honey actually adds to how well the herbs are preserved and increases the shelf-life of the tincture.
3. Unlike most sweet medicines, it can be used in very small doses, thanks to the particular combo of honey and alcohol. This keeps it from having much of a blood sugar impact.
4. Because it helps to bring out the flavor and aroma of many herbs, the herb’s nervine effects are enhanced, often in a significant way.
5. They’re also extremely simple and intuitive to make, here’s an example recipe made with Honeysuckle, with a few suggestions for other herbs that make lovely elixirs.

Honeysuckle Elixir

• 2 C Honeysuckle flowers and buds
• 1/3 C raw honey
• app 1 pint of Brandy (or rum or cognac or scotch or whatever you like)

Fill a pint jar with Honeysuckle flowers and buds (pick a spp with very little or no bitterness), then add about 1/3 C of raw honey. Stir well so that the flowers are well coated. Now fill the jar with brandy, vodka, scotch, cognac or whatever you like. I actually prefer 60% alcohol with Honeysuckle Elixir, so I usually dilute some Everclear for this. Stir again, and then taste. If it’s not sweet enough tasting (it will initially taste mostly like alcohol so you have to guesstimate), add a bit more honey. Now cover tightly, shake well and then store in a cool, dark place (shaking occasionally to dissolve the honey properly) for 4-6 weeks.

This elixir makes a wonderful relaxing nervine, and is amazing for all kinds of hot, acute conditions including fevers, bronchitis and infections. It can also be used externally if needed.

Lavender, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Ginger, Vanilla (yes, Vanilla is an herb too), Cinnamon, Rose, Fennel, Anise, Mullein flower, Evening Primrose flower, Juniper berry, Borage flowers, Beebalm, Sage and so on… Nearly any aromatic plant, including most kitchen spices, make wonderful elixirs.

~~~Electuaries~~~

Essentially, a paste of powdered herbs and a sweetener, in this case honey. These are intense and very flavorful. In the past, they have often been used to hide the flavor of bitter or unpleasant tasting herbs. My recipes are meant to be used in small amounts, usually I just roll a little ball out of the some paste (about half the size of a marble) and suck on it slowly, but it can also be spread on foods or taken straight by the spoonful.

They’re especially good where the whole herb needs to be taken (instead of extracted with a solvent like alcohol) and where coating the throat and GI is an important part of the medicine. An especially lovely and elegant way to treat sore throats, bronchial irritation or sinus congestion. Just don’t overdo it, this is medicine not candy.

Here are a few recipes with proportions and usage suggestions and directions at the end.

Winter Cherry Nourishing Electuary

• 2 parts Ashwagandha
• 1/2 part Nettle Seed
• 1 part Tulsi
• 2 parts Elm

This makes a lovely moistening adrenal tonic very helpful in times of stress or depletion, providing energy while relaxing the nervous system and body. It’s fairly temperature neutral, and generally gentle enough for anyone.

Wild Rose Electuary

• 1 part Rose
• 1/2 part Sage
• 2 parts Mallow

A great throat soother and excellent for calming down belly stagnation and heat. Powdered Evening Primrose flowers is very nice in this as well.

Basically, just mix your finely powdered dried herbs together in the desired proportion. Then, add enough slightly warmed honey (just warm enough to flow, not hot) to create a thick paste. Stir well, to make sure all powder is integrated. Check your texture and adjust as necessary, I like mine to be thick enough to roll into little balls but soft enough to be pliable. Using a mucilaginous powder as a primary part of your powders will help it all stick together better and will add a soothing, healing quality to the preparation. An electuary can be used right away, but I prefer to give mine a couple weeks to age and mellow a bit.

~~~Infused Herbal Honeys~~~

Beebalm Flower Infused Honey

• 2 cups of freshly harvested Beebalm (Monarda spp)
• appr 1 pint of Raw (preferably local) honey.
• pint canning jar with lid

So easy and delicious, making this herbal honey is as simple as filling a pint jar with your Beebalm flowers and then covering with raw honey. Next, stir the bubbles out (chopsticks work good for this), top it off with more honey if needed and then cover and store in a cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks. Very often, I don’t even decant my Beebalm honeys I just use (or eat) it, flowers and all. It’s a spicy-sweet ambrosia that will drop you dead in your tracks in open-mouthed amazement at the taste of it.

A lovely diffusive nervine and relaxant diaphoretic, Beebalm honey has a wide realm of application, from sore throats to tension headaches to fevers. This is one of the world’s best wound and burn dressings as well, often working to heal even stubborn bedsores and longterm infections.

~~Oxymels/Sekanjabin~~

A wonderful beverage of herbs infused in vinegar and honey. It is acidulous and sweet at the same time, and especially good for remedies relating to the lungs and GI as it is by nature expectorant and stimulating to the digestive tract. It is generally very cooling because of the sour taste, unless you really spice it up with warming herbs. I prefer apple cider vinegar for most of my oxmels but red wine vinegar or others may be used in its place.

Basically, we just combine an infused honey and an infused vinegar together and violá, amazingly tasty Oxymel! If you use molasses (in which you can decoct herbs) instead of honey, you have Switchel.

Recipes online will have you make a sugar syrup and cook the whole oxymel, but I prefer a cold infusion which seems to result in purer, more refreshing taste with less of that syrupy flavor.

Mint Sekanjabin

Mint Sekanjabin is a classic Arabic cooling drink to enhance digestion and is very tasty too!

Mint Infused Vinegar

Fill a jar with fresh mint, cover with vinegar. Cover and store in a cool, dark place for 2-4 weeks before decanting.

Mint/Lemon Infused Honey

Fill a jar with fresh mint, then add two tsp of grated fresh lemon peel and the juice of one lemon then cover with honey.

Add 4 parts infused honey to 1 part infused vinegar to a jar and mix well. Now you just add a teaspoon or two to a glass of water, stir and yum!

Other herbs that would work well here include Basil, Holy Basil, Lemon Balm, Sweet Clover, Peach leaf and even Rose. Add spices to taste (orange peel and Ginger is great with Rose etc) and enjoy.

I don’t find the idea of magic bullets to be very effective in healing, and find that the most successful therapy always originates in tailoring the treatment to the individual person and situation. For this reason, you’ll rarely see/hear me recommending a set formula or list of herbs for any given diagnosis. In fact, my answer is almost always, “it depends” to any question asking about herbs to treat a disease or disorder. This is because I work with people, and with the unique ways a virus or pattern may manifest in each person.

For an overall tonic approach to modulating and enhancing the body’s native immune system though, I’ve seen Elderberry really shine, even in people with excess inflammation and/or autoimmune disorders. This elixir is one of only a few herbal preparations I would never want to be without. Although most people use it primarily to ward off or quicken healing from acute viral issues (influenza, primarily), I have found it useful in a variety of situations, especially chronic hyper or hypo immunity, extended illness and other depletion syndromes. The elixir is generally safe for children, pregnant women and nursing mothers taken in the moderate amounts suggested here.

Gentle, safe and very effective, Elderberry is one of our most important immune tonics, and is especially notable for its viability for children. Not only does it work extremely well, it also tastes good, which is certainly a plus when trying to convince your four year old to take her medicine. Elder Mother Elixir is safe even for small children, a food-like medicine appropriate for all ages. It’s also easy to create, making it a fun project for the whole family.

Elderberry does not simply stimulate the immune system, instead, it modulates the immune system to more appropriately respond to environs and circumstance. It also disarms the some cold and flu viruses and helps them flush through body quicker, while strengthening the mucus membranes, supporting the body’s natural fever mechanism without overheating, improves energy and stress handling AND last but certainly not least, it tastes great too.

Ingredients

For your elixir, it’s helpful to have on hand:

▪    A pint canning jar (or other glass jar that seals well)

▪    Fresh elderberries (dried can be used as well, simply use about a third of the amount, or about 2.5 oz to follow the 1:5 proportion method for dried plants).

▪    Several large pinches to a handful of dried Elder flowers (or a few ounces of Elderflower tincture added to the mix), this is optional, but my experience indicates that it makes the elixir more effective.

▪    About a pint of high quality brandy (the better the brandy, the better your elixir will taste), depending on whether you’re using fresh or dried berries.

▪    Appr. 1/3 pint of raw honey (or to taste, as you prefer)

▪    A good stirring spoon

Step by Step Instructions

•    First, fill your jar all the way to the top with fresh elderberries.

•    Now, pour the honey in slowly, stirring as necessary, until the berries are well coated.

•    Next, fill jar with brandy, stirring as you go, until all air bubbles are released.

•    Now cover the jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake carefully to finish the mixing process.

•    Let macerate in a cool, dark place for four to six weeks (or as long as you can stand to wait.

•    Strain, reserving liquid. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Take 1/4 – 1/2 dropperfull of Elixir every two to three hours at the first sign of illness. You MUST take the Elixir frequently rather than having a bigger dose further apart, it just won’t work that way. Use the same dosage if you are actively ill. For a general preventative dose, I suggest 1/3 dropperfull every four hours or so.

Be sure to rest extra as well, the Elderberry has a much harder time with your immune system if you’re really worn down. A little extra sleep will increase its benefits tenfold. Likewise, staying well hydrated will assist Elder in its work.

Optional Additions

▪    Warming spices such as fresh Ginger, Osha, Calamus, Orange peel, Cinnamon powder/sticks or Cardamom pods can add flavor and zing to the elixir.

▪    Rosehips make a very helpful addition, I usually add a small handful or more of fresh Rosehips per pint of elixir.

▪   Soothing lung herbs such a Licorice root, Peony root or Mullein can be extra helpful for people with a propensity towards lung weakness.