Blends to concoct this autumn
Three blends to concoct this autumn + a plant-centered magazine to celebrate the new season!
Raindrops falling on the roof tiles is a sound that doesn’t cease to enchant me and is especially whimsical after a long, hot, and dry summer. This month whirled in bringing in rain and wind, fluttering oak leaves and distant thunder, cold nights and misty dawns. An early autumn, compared to what we’re used to. And oh, we’re receiving it with open arms.
I’ve been going out with my sheep in the mornings (more to come on that soon!), and am taking those moments to truly drink in my surroundings, observing the shift in seasons, the ripening of acorns, the bright red of hawthorn berries in the hedges and the deep orange of pumpkins in the vegetable garden. I may have said this before, but autumn is my favorite season.
In honor of the new season, I’m sharing three herbal blends that have been filling my cup (literally and figuratively) lately. Each blend includes a foraged autumn herb, which you could use fresh if in season where you live, or reach for your jars of dried herbs otherwise. If using dry herbs, cut the suggested amount by half (since dry herbs have less water content, you can use less of them). These blends also include warming spices, which I find myself craving as soon as the cold winds start rushing by!
Ah! I hope you like the titles I came up with for these. I guess I’m not great at naming things!
Nettle & spices
(makes 1 cup)
ingredients
2 tbsp nettle (Urtica dioica) leaves, fresh
1/4 tsp cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) seeds, ground
1/4 tsp fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seeds, ground
1 cup of water
directions
Blend all ingredients in a jar and pour boiling water over them.
Allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain and enjoy!
I love this grounding blend with some milk (or milk substitute) added to it after straining ✨
A hug in a mug
(makes 1 cup)
ingredients
3 tsp hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) berries, fresh
2 tsp rose (Rosa spp.) petals, dried
1/2 star anise (Illicium verum), crushed
1 cup of water
directions
Start by decocting the hawthorn berries and star anise. To do so, place these two herbs in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and bring to a boil, with the lid on. Once the water starts to boil, allow to simmer for ten minutes.
Place the rose petals in a jar. Remove the saucepan from the stove and strain the decoction into the jar.
Allow to infuse for 5 minutes before straining and enjoying.
Rosy & hot
(makes 1 cup)
ingredients
3 tsp rose (Rosa spp.) hips, fresh
1 tsp ginger (Zingiber officinale) root, fresh and grated
1/4 stick cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.), crushed
1 cup of water
honey, to taste (optional)
directions
Decoct all herbs by placing them in a small saucepan with water and bringing it to a boil. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth, to catch any remaining herbs from the rose hips, which can irritate the digestive tract. Sit back and enjoy this herbaceous cuddle, adding a dollop of honey if that’s to your liking.
New seasons always bring in so much inspiration for the days ahead. I feel very refreshed by the never-ending turning of the wheel of the year, as I’m greeted with new sights, scents, and other-than-human kin. If you feel this way as well, or are wanting to take in the new season with joy and creativity, I have something to share that may just be your cup of tea.
Yesterday, the newest edition of Botanical Anthology came out and I am honored and humbled to have an article in it! I’ve been eyeing this digital magazine for the last year or so, as it is such a beautiful and magical plant-centered collection of seasonal projects and recipes, and some of my most creative online friends are usually among these pages.
The newest issue has over fifty pieces, including things such as making walnut ink (by the always wonderful Ashley Moore!), tulsi incense, scrying with herbs, crafting an acorn-dyed foraging pouch (squee!), making rose hip jam, recipes for infusions, elixirs, and tinctures, making pumpkin spice marshmallows, and so much more, including a recipe for fig+orange cinnamon rolls by yours truly.
I am always delighted and surprised by the pieces in Botanical Anthology, and you might feel the same way. Here is the link to learn more about this botanical magazine and see some of the many, many things included in this issue (this is my contributor affiliate link, which is how contributors get compensated for their pieces!).
Those who purchase the magazine through the 21st receive the Botanical Anthology Autumn edition download, plus the garlic bonus booklet download, which is an additional mini magazine devoted solely to this herb, for just $18. Come next week, the garlic booklet will no longer be included, and the price will increase. So if you’re thinking of getting a copy for yourself, this is a good time! 🙂
If you get a copy, let me know here in the comments, or by replying to this email, which project is your favorite. Also, anyone wants to make the acorn-dyed foraging pouch with me?
With oak leaves fluttering by, acorns dropping from trees, and a warm cup of tea,
Cat x