For the past couple of years I've been fooling around with liqueur making, especially herbal liqueurs. I love amaros, Italian bitter digestive cordials, so I've done some research and found a nice old recipe, most of which I could either grow or get my hands on somehow. I made it last year and followed the recipe but it came out sickeningly sweet so this year I used considerable restraint and made a much more palatable libation.

Liquore de erbe

200 ml alcohol 95%bv
500 ml water
400 g sugar
6 bay leaves
1 sprig of rosemary
10 mint leaves
10 chamomile flowers
10 sweet basil leaves
10 lemon leaves
15 sage leaves
3 cloves
3 saffron filaments

Steep botanicals in alcohol for 20 days. Add sugar syrup. Strain. Age for 4 weeks before consuming. I made a simple syrup and added it to the brew one tablespoon at a time to the tune of six tablespoons per cup.

Also after reading through recipes of many herbal liqueurs made by monks over hundreds of years, I attempted to create my own recipe using mostly herbs grown in the 6/15 Green Community Herb Garden. After harvesting the herbs I chose a few things from my apothecary herb collection and began macerating. After falling in love with Chartreuse earlier in the year I made sure to include a lot of angelica, a principle ingredient in Chartreuese.

Sixfifteen Herb Garden Liqueur

oregano, nine inch stem

chamomile, 30 or so flowers
lemon balm, several handfuls
hyssop, two flowering stems
angelica, half stem
angelica root, one teaspoon
angelica seed, one teaspoon
mint, three large stems
coriander, two flowering tops
rosemary, 9 inch stem
basil, 15 leaves
sage, 4 seven inch stems
dried orange peel, one teaspoon
vanilla, half pod
saffron, five threads
cloves, nine cloves
calamus root, generous half teaspoon
wormwood, dried, three generous pinches
cinnamon, one small stick
orris root powder, half rounded teaspoon
mace, quarter teaspoon
lavender, eight stems
red clover, eight blossoms
yarrow flowers, one flower head

Steep all ingredients in vodka to cover for at least 30 days. Sweeten to taste with simple syrup and age two months.

Overall both liqueurs came out very good and quite palatable. I'll keep trying in the years to come but this holiday season I'll be very pleased to serve my guests a little cordial straight from my garden after a full meal.

The healing effects of Mustard have been appreciated by many cultures for centuries. The ancient Greeks and Romans, Europeans, and Native Americans have all used mustard for medicinal purposes. It is known for it's detoxification and purification abilities, increasing circulation, oxygenation and the elimination of toxins. Mustard baths are recommended for treating headaches, colds and cough. The effects of rheumatic pains and neuralgias are also decreased through regular use.

Lately the aches and pains of life (traveling, gardening and working out) are taking their toll and I've started to search for a remedy. I came across some literature about the healing benefits of mustard baths and decided to try it out.

I combined mustard with sodium bicarbonate to neutralize acid and restore pH balance. The essential oils of wintergreen, thyme, eucalyptus and rosemary are added to reduce muscle soreness. The effect of my first bath amazed me. First I got my house in order so that I could go straight to bed as was suggested. I prepared my bath and sunk into the yellow fragrant water and let go of the details of the day. As I soaked I felt my body let go of the tension and I finally relaxed. I always do a little ritual meditation when I pull the plug on the spent bathwater, imagining my tension and woes being drawn off of me and circling the drain. Afterward I showered off the residual mustard and made my way to bed.

I am now a true believer in the power of this ancient herb. I slept soundly straight through the night and woke up refreshed and definitely less tense. I was inspired to share my conversion with my clients so formulated and packaged my own Mustard Bath for Herbal Alchemy Apothecary, in a packet good for one bath or a jar with two or three.