The moment I fell in love with cooking was when I discovered the power of organic spices. I grew up in a house where vegetables were almost always steamed with a bit of salt, pepper, and butter. That being the case, I was not a veggie fan. Of course as I grew older, I learned that I’d have to find a way to enjoy what I knew to be an uninspiring source of nutrients.

This sweet, syrupy liquid often comes with a negative connotation, but not all vegetable glycerine is the same. It’s true that most vegetable glycerine on the market is a by-product of the soap-making and biodiesel industries, but safe, high quality glycerine does exist. Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we carry pure organic vegetable glycerine and find it to be a wonderfully versatile ingredient for herbal preparations.

Whether you’re new to essential oils, or you’ve been using them for years, most folks will agree that you don’t need a wide variety to really experience the joy of aromatherapy. At Mountain Rose Herbs, we’re passionate about offering high-quality, organic whenever possible, 100% pure essential oils—all handpicked by our in-house aromatherapist. We’ve highlighted our top five best-selling essential oils (among the 100+ that we carry) along with some of our favorite ways to use them.

This blog was originally published in 2012. Because it's so popular, we decided to update it for you. Enjoy! 

Many of us here at Mountain Rose Herbs are big fans of frankincense and its fresh and grounding aroma. While most folks are familiar with the essential oil these days, there are actually a few different ways in which you can enjoy the wonderfully unique aroma of frankincense.

When the air gets cooler and the days shorter, it’s time to cozy up indoors with good company and good food. Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, one of our favorite things to do this time of year is to create delicious, herb-inspired recipes to share with our co-workers. When you have a variety of flavorful, organic spices to play with, you can’t help but get creative in the kitchen!

Believe it or not, pepper was once more valuable than gold. In fact, it was used as currency as early as 1000 B.C. This favorite spice originated in southern India but now makes an appearance on spice racks and kitchen tables all around the world. While black peppercorns may be the most commonly used, we love having a variety of peppercorns in our culinary toolbox. They add different flavors (and colors) to anything they touch!

In early August, we had the pleasure of visiting with herbalist Richo Cech from Strictly Medicinal Seeds at his ranch in southern Oregon. We were greeted not only by Richo’s friendly smile, but also by his beautiful garden full of thriving herbs and happy pollinators.