Culinary Herbs, Part 2: The Sweeter Side of the Medicine in Your Holiday Cooking

Mountain Mel Mutterspaugh

Welcome back for the second part of our exploration of the herbal medicine chest in your cabinet! Last episode,we talked about savory culinary herbs and how they can help you & your family. In this episode, we’ll look at delicious spices that show up in our sweeter holiday fare although no herbs we’ll discuss are actually sweet. They do, however, have the spice & warmth complimented so well by more sugary profiles. Afterall, we can’t have a spice cake without the spices, can we? The plant friends featured here are Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), and Peppermint (Mentha × piperita), well, all the mints, really.Some of the commonalities shared by our herbs last time we see today too. Most are carminative, which means they “ease gasiness, bloating, & tummy upset”. That’s a must during  holiday feasting, right? Also helpful for the chilly weather days & nights, most are very warming, keeping our blood flowing so all those fingers and toes stay protected from the nippy air. Again, these plant friends have long historical traditions and lore.So we’ll touch on some historical points as well, often stretching all the way back to ancient Greece & Rome. How cool is that?All of us at the Herbalist’s Path hope you have a good (if not necessarily conventional) holiday season in this crazy 2020. Remember, different bodies react to herbs in different ways. The information presented is in no way meant to diagnose or remedy any ailment. Find out what works for you with the help of a certified herbalist, naturopathic practitioner, or other health There’s a variety of ways to get this plant medicine in your body --tinctures, capsules, teas, etc. For some ready-made tea options, check out Mountain Mel’s Herbal Teas at mountainmels.com.  Use code THP15 at checkout to receive  15% off just for listening. Or make your own with bulk herbs from our partners at Mountain Rose Herbs or Oshala Farms.Click here to get a free download of our favorite Elderberry Syrup Recipe. It’s easier than ever to start making medicine at home with the help of Mountain Mel’s DIY Elderberry Syrup Kit. For even more punch, pick up the Lung Lovin'! Immune Boostin'! Bundle which includes the Syrup Kit plus Mountain Mel’s Immuni-tea & Respiratory Rescue herbal teas.  Add these teas to your syrup to give it a boost or drink on their own (to give yourself a boost). Use code THP15 at checkout to receive  15% off just for listening.Join our  Herbalist's Path Facebook Group where we can share ideas, information, and our creations. Do you have an idea for a show topic? We’d love to hear it! Let’s inspire a movement where there’s an herbalist in every home...again! Together we can make herbalism #spreadlikewildflowersSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/theherbalistspath/)

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