Tinctures, Salves, and (love) Potions

Beautiful, lily-white Elderflower

Two weeks ago while at my foraging class, we were taught about Elderflower and it's many uses.
Elderflower honey, wine, and tinctures.

I had some local honey here at home, so some of the elderflowers have been sitting in it for a couple of weeks. Eventually I will strain them out and have infused elderflower honey for tea this winter.

Elderflower Tincture

So, basically a tincture is an infusion of your herb/flower of choice and alcohol.
I chose cheap vodka, as that was the most accessible.
Fill up a quart jar with elderflower and top off with 3 parts vodka to 1 part water.
Leave in a dark place for several weeks, shaking the jar every day.
After several weeks, strain the elderflowers and store the tincture in dark bottles in a cool place.

Elderflower tincture is said to be useful in slowing down viral infections and may prevent flu.
Also reported to lessen the symptoms of hay fever in the spring.
Dosage may vary with the symptoms.

I don't have allergies, and I am not prone to the flu...
I just thought it would be a fun, easy way to learn a little something new!

I also made some elderflower syrup, which was delicious in the stinging nettle tea!

Calendula oil
Salve in the making....

Another item on my "to try" list is Calendula salve.
Reported to be excellent for diaper rash, it is also used to treat minor cuts and scrapes and for chapped lips, of which I have pretty much all winter here in Michigan.

Easy peasy to make, I simply pulled the petals from some organic calendula flowers.
Gathering a full 1 cup, I then covered with 2 cups of olive oil. (extra-virgin not necessary)
Let sit in a sunny window for anywhere from 1 week to several months.
It will eventually get mixed with some local beeswax to produce a salve.
The plan is for a small jar of this to be on my nightstand for my nightly ritual of a heavy coating of lip balm.

Vanilla bean infused vodka

Tho the container is an old bourbon bottle I found, the ingredients for my homemade vanilla are excruciatingly simple...
vanilla beans (gifted to me), and the cheapest vodka I could find.
Leave it in a dark cupboard, and shake as often as you do the elderflower tincture!

I am quite certain really good vodka (or bourbon!) would be preferable, but the budget does not allow for that!
So, we make do with what we have, and I am sure it will be just fine.

(love) Potion
aka: Strawberry Vodka Schnappes

A combination of several recipes, this is a wonderfully aromatic after-dinner libation.
2# of organic strawberries, stemmed and cut into pieces in a 1/2 gal. jar.
Cover with 4 cups of (again) cheap vodka.
Leave in a cool, dark place for several days, shaking the jar each day.
After anywhere from 4-8 days, strain fruit from liquid.
Place liquid in a separate jar and put back in the dark place.
Take your berries and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of sugar and place in it's own jar.
After a couple of days, liquid will have oozed from the berries.
Strain the liquid, and add it to the original vodka/berry mixture.
Repeat with the sugar and berries up to 4 times, straining every couple of days and adding to the

beautiful ruby colored vodka.
By the time all is said and done, you should have about 6-7 cups of the most wonderful tasting, fruity vodka EVER.
No fake strawberry flavorings....yuck.

Bottle and keep in the freezer for those wicked hot evenings out on the deck.
Just a small glass now....cause I think it could pack a little bit of a punch!

This would work with pretty much any fruit you could think of....
I am thinkin' apricots?
Peaches?

Hmmm.......
We might be having a few of those wicked hot nights this week, with temps forecast to be in the mid 90's
all.
week.
long.

See you out on the deck?

In Christ alone,
Cindy