Roses- Wild Soda, Radish Rose Butter and Self Care

The sensual, rich scent of roses has been known for ages to uplift the spirits and bring about a feeling of well being and has been cultivated as a perfume since as far back as the 17th century, although many believe it was used as a rosewater even earlier.  Although many Indian and Persian dishes use rosewater in their recipes, many people don't often think to use rose and rose petals as an edible in their salads or as a tea.  The petals impart a delicate flavor and steeping the roses in hot water makes a lovely tea that is believed to induce feelings of love.  If you are hoping to preserve the more traditional "rosewater" taste and scent, steep the petals in cool water in the fridge for a few days.  I find I have had better luck doing it that way than the steam-distillation which is tricky unless you have the proper equipment.

Roses have the following medicinal properties:

- Nervine  (for depresssion and anxiety)
- Antispasmodic  (Colic, cramps)
- Sedative 
- Anti-inflammatory

I decided to use both my dried supply of petals from the summer as well as some fresh ones for a wild soda that I recently made.    Wild soda (the way I make it anyway) is not an exact science and I didn't measure anything except for the sugar in this recipe.  A wonderful book to pick up is Pascal Baudar's  The Wildcrafting Brewer for an extensive list of recipes and beautiful pictures.   The recipe I used was based on what I had frozen over from the summer garden and what I could pick in the woods around me.

Wild Soda "Recipe":

Pack a wide mouth quart sized mason jar with a mix of the following:

- black raspberries, blueberries, elderberries
-blue spruce branch pieces, juniper berries and branches and a few Douglas fir pine cones
- lots of rose petals
-pinch of mugwort and pinch of rosemary
-1/8 cup of white sugar

I filled with water that I boiled and then let cool to just a bit warmer than tepid and poured it over the mix, stirring the sugar to dissolve.   That's it, from there you then stir every day, 2 to 3 times a day and cover in between with a cheecloth or coffee filter.  The fruit and herbs start to produce wild yeast anywhere from 3-6 days, depending on the amount of sugar and the warmth of your house.   You can see in the picture above the lovely bubbles that start to form.   Once it has a bubbly top you can strain and pour into an air tight bottle to really let the pressure build and get a frothy head for 2-3 days at room temperature.  To stop the fermentation, put the soda in the fridge.

This bottle did not really look as pressurized as it was once I opened it;  do so slowly and over the sink.   You can then drink straight or with a splash of lime juice and seltzer.

 To complete le casse-croûte, have it with some radish, rose butter smothered onto a crusty, warm baguette.   Just whip in a blender or food processor fresh radishes, rose petals, salt and butter for a pink tinged schmear. The rose is not just a rose by any other name.. Enjoy!

Valentine's, Blue Moon Herbal Magic

I'm pretty sure the term "doldrums" was invented during the month of February.  Despite being a shorter month, it always seems to drag on.  This year I am taking a different approach to the month- I am going deep inside, hibernating, reflecting and cozying up to the idea of taking a month to slow down, express gratitude and practice some well needed self care.  It is precisely what we should be doing in winter and nature provides the perfect background and pace.  Bundle up and take that walk in the woods to see what you find.  The evergreens hold a dear place in my heart in winter and their green needles and pine cones provide us with the perfect ingredients for an infused salt, tincture, homemade bitters or infused bath oil.

A wonderful way to use the blue spruce, firs and pines that abound (including the old Christmas tree and wreaths) is to infuse small pieces of branches in grape seed oil or the oil of your choice.  Pack them into a mason jar, cover with oil and lid and let infuse in a warm, dark place for a few weeks.  The scent is surprising- the expected evergreen notes, but the green, floral and citrusy notes were so delightful!  The emerald green oil can them be strained, bottled and used as a bath oil or ingredient for a homemade salve.

Today's forest walk resulted in blue spruce, juniper branches and berries, fir pine cones and white sage leaves from the garden.  I ground these in the mortar and pestle with lavender buds from the cupboard and rosemary needles from the windowsill plant.  Added some Celtic sea salt and epsom salt and a little magic to make a deliciously scented bath salt to give to friends and family for Valentine's Day.

Steep the special mixture with a poem, prayer or spell in your ritualistic bath during the the next new moon February 15, the full moon (March 1) or the second blue moon (March 31).  The Blue moon is a wonderful occasion to set in momentum the intentions that were wished for on the new moon.  This is a wonderful time to reconnect with our plans, hopes and dreams.  Blue moons are rare occasions, so take the opportunity to harness some of that energy in nature to do something differently while focusing on what you hope to manifest in your life.

Last month's blue, blood moon starting to eclipse!

Couple the bath salts with some beautiful spray roses or other flowers of your choice to share with friends, family and loved ones (and to sprinkle some of the petals into the bath).   It's a wonderful way to celebrate the blue moon and you making the special unique mark in the world that only you can make.