I am a fan of Lynn Rosseto Kasper’s public radio cooking show The Splendid Table. I was particularly intrigued with a 2020 episode in which she talked about a recipe for butternut squash roasted with a cider reduction syrup that she made by simply reducing sweet apple cider from four parts down to one part. I thought—as I am wont to do—“What if I put herbs in that delicious syrup?”
I originally decided to play around with adding hawthorn berries to support heart health*. Then I also added blueberries. Then I tried bilberries. I finally concluded that a blend of berries is especially nice and you can use any dark-colored berry you want because they usually contain anthocyanin and antioxidants, both of which are traditionally know to support the cardiovascular system.*
The first key to making an excellent apple cider reduction syrup is using quality ingredients. The purest organic apple cider and herbs result in the best flavor and supportive benefits. I highly encourage you to find a local source for freshly pressed, raw cider! However, this recipe is also an excellent way to use up that apple cider in your refrigerator that you’re worried is going to go bad before you get to it.
Makes about 4 cups.
Ingredients
Directions
Pro Tip: Here’s an easy trick to see if your liquid has been reduced by half. Before cooking, use a wooden skewer, long wooden spoon, wooden ruler, or similar item to “measure” the depth of your liquid—put it in the juice/berry mixture to touch the bottom of the pot and mark a line on the skewer where the liquid hits. Measure half-way down from that mark and make another line. Now you can use this “measuring stick” to determine when you reach the half-way mark. When you strain out the berries, repeat the process so you can measure again when your syrup reaches the half-way mark.
You may also enjoy:
*The statements in this blog have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications. For educational purposes only.
Topics: Recipes, Herbalism, Green Living
In 1994, jim mcdonald's life changed when he drank tea from a wild plant he harvested from the land he lived upon. Since those first sips of strange tea, his life in the woods and meadows of southeast Michigan has been centered on the plants & ecosystems of that land, and how he might share their virtues to restore wellness with those around him. jim's approach to herbcraft is deeply rooted in the land he lives upon, and blends traditional European folk influences with 19th century eclectic and physiomedical vitalism, which he conveys with story, experience, humour, common sense, and lore to students, clients, random passersby and readers of his websites www.herbcraft.org & herbcraft.podia.com. He's taught classes throughout North America and is currently (still) alternately writing “Foundational Herbcraft” and the “A Great Lakes Herbal”, in addition to articles for journals and other publications. jim is a community herbalist, a manic wildcrafter and medicine maker, and has been an ardent student of the most learned teachers of herbcraft… the plants themselves.
I am a fan of Lynn Rosseto Kasper’s public radio cooking show The Splendid Table. I was particularly intrigued with a 2020 episode in which she talked about a recipe for butternut squash roasted with a cider reduction syrup that she made by simply reducing sweet apple cider from four parts down to one part. I thought—as I am wont to do—“What if I put herbs in that delicious syrup?”
I originally decided to play around with adding hawthorn berries to support heart health*. Then I also added blueberries. Then I tried bilberries. I finally concluded that a blend of berries is especially nice and you can use any dark-colored berry you want because they usually contain anthocyanin and antioxidants, both of which are traditionally know to support the cardiovascular system.*
The first key to making an excellent apple cider reduction syrup is using quality ingredients. The purest organic apple cider and herbs result in the best flavor and supportive benefits. I highly encourage you to find a local source for freshly pressed, raw cider! However, this recipe is also an excellent way to use up that apple cider in your refrigerator that you’re worried is going to go bad before you get to it.
Makes about 4 cups.
Ingredients
Directions
Pro Tip: Here’s an easy trick to see if your liquid has been reduced by half. Before cooking, use a wooden skewer, long wooden spoon, wooden ruler, or similar item to “measure” the depth of your liquid—put it in the juice/berry mixture to touch the bottom of the pot and mark a line on the skewer where the liquid hits. Measure half-way down from that mark and make another line. Now you can use this “measuring stick” to determine when you reach the half-way mark. When you strain out the berries, repeat the process so you can measure again when your syrup reaches the half-way mark.
You may also enjoy:
*The statements in this blog have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications. For educational purposes only.
Topics: Recipes, Herbalism, Green Living
In 1994, jim mcdonald's life changed when he drank tea from a wild plant he harvested from the land he lived upon. Since those first sips of strange tea, his life in the woods and meadows of southeast Michigan has been centered on the plants & ecosystems of that land, and how he might share their virtues to restore wellness with those around him. jim's approach to herbcraft is deeply rooted in the land he lives upon, and blends traditional European folk influences with 19th century eclectic and physiomedical vitalism, which he conveys with story, experience, humour, common sense, and lore to students, clients, random passersby and readers of his websites www.herbcraft.org & herbcraft.podia.com. He's taught classes throughout North America and is currently (still) alternately writing “Foundational Herbcraft” and the “A Great Lakes Herbal”, in addition to articles for journals and other publications. jim is a community herbalist, a manic wildcrafter and medicine maker, and has been an ardent student of the most learned teachers of herbcraft… the plants themselves.
