I love this book. Everything is in details. I tried few of the potions from this book and me and my family loved it.
Strong hardcover. Love all the pictures inside and detailed information about all the herbs.
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- Botanical Bar Craft: A Guide to the Art of Apothecary Cocktails and Herbal Tonic ElixirsCassandra Elizabeth SearsPaperback
From the Publisher
The Plant Guide
On the pages that follow I will introduce you to my favourite plants – those plants to which I return time and again. Almost all of these are used in the drinks recipes in this book, although I’ve also included some other plants that I love and use in my work. The plants in this guide are all edible, but do bear in mind that not all parts of every plant are edible, so please follow my advice about which part to use and in what quantities. For safety purposes, all plants should be correctly identified before harvesting and using.
Chamomile - Matricaria recutita
One of the most popular medicinal and flavouring herbs in the West for its cosmetic and nutritional value. Chamomile loves to grow on the peripheries of corn fields, so if you’re picking from the wild, make sure the field has not been sprayed with chemicals.
Chamomile loves the heat. The flowers and leaves can be collected when the flowers appear in summer. Distilled worldwide for its therapeutic oils, it is called ‘blue chamomile’, as it contains a constituent called chamazulene, which is a brilliant blue colour.
Chamomile has been used medicinally for thousands of years across many different cultures. Its gentle warming and subtle bitter qualities make it a great digestif. As an infusion it helps to de-stress, calm and relieve anxiety. Its honeyed flavours and aromas make it a versatile herb.
Chamomile - Matricaria recutita
- Other names: German chamomile
- Native to: Southern and Western Europe; now cultivated in Northern Africa (particularly Egypt), North and South America, India, Asia, Australia and New Zealand
- Recipes: pages 131, 180, 188
Water
The ultimate solvent and the most important life force of nature, essential to all life … yet it is becoming increasingly challenging to find good sources of water, particularly in our urban environments. Crazily, it has been taken for granted, or treated as a commodity. Water has been used from our very beginnings for all alchemical preparations, and all recipes in this book require water in some form.
It is important to work with a good source of pure water. If you have access to pure spring, well or river water, then great! (A little research may surprise you here, there may be a pure source of water closer to you than you think.) If not, then I’d recommend a simple water filter, even a piece of activated charcoal. (There are also other techniques for re-energizing water, see pages 84 and 168.) If you only have access to drinking water from the mains, that’s fine, but you may wish to boil the water before using it for any preparations.
I use distilled water in many recipes, as the distillation process gives me a blank canvas with which to work. It’s neutral, as all impurities, character and mineral content have been stripped out during the distillation process. It also means that my plant preparations have an extended shelf life, as there is little or no bacteria present in the water that might bring on early spoilage. Distilled water is easy and inexpensive to buy.
Unconditional Love
The Drinks: Love Elixirs
An Indian-inspired herbal infusion featuring classic Ayurvedic herbs that help spread that unconditional love that is so needed in the world right now. It is recommended that you serve the infusion on heated rose quartz crystals, as this will continue to emanate the loving vibes. This recipe is best made in larger quantities and stored for use throughout the year, or whenever you need to spread or share more love with friends and family.
Mix all the dried herbs together in a large bowl, then decant into a sealable pouch or jar, being sure to store away from direct sunlight.
Cleanse the crystals, by first rinsing and gently scrubbing them under running water, then place in the sun for a few hours and whisper some love poetry to them. Place the crystals in the oven on a low heat (60–70°C / 140–158°F) for 15 minutes, or until hot. Place the crystals in teacups.
For a pot for 3–4 people, take 6 heaped tsp of the herb blend, pour over freshly boiled water, infuse with the lid on for 5–6 minutes, then fine strain and serve in cups over the warm pieces of rose quartz.
Makes a pot to serve 3–4
- 20g (¾oz) cinnamon sticks, powdered
- 15g (½oz) dried ginger root
- 5g (1 tsp) dried ashwagandha root
- 5g (1 tsp) dried shatavari root
- 15g (½oz) dried rose petals
- 10g (¼oz) dried rosehips
- 30g (1oz) dried tulsi
- 3–4 rough pieces of rose quartz
Beautiful Book✨
This book is filled with magical recipes! I highly recommend it for anyone! I think it would make a nice housewarming or host gift!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2018
This book is filled with magical recipes! I highly recommend it for anyone! I think it would make a nice housewarming or host gift!
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2022
- Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2018
Top reviews from other countries
- Adams489Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2019
THE guide to botanical drinks 10/10
