Just in time to celebrate summer, Kami McBride is sharing one of her favorite recipes with us and giving away copies of her amazing book, The Herbal Kitchen! Kami teaches experiential herbal programs to revive the art of homemade herbal medicine. Her work is centered in sustainable wellness practices, creating self reliance and revitalizing relationships with the plant world. You can find her website here: www.livingawareness.com Be sure to enter for a chance to win and enjoy the enchanting Summer Solstice Cordial recipe below!
Summer is here and it is time to celebrate. I love to create special drinks for special occasions! Learn how to make herbal cordials and you will always have the most interesting parties! People stop asking you to bring food to the potluck and request that you bring the drinks instead!
Summer Solstice is the perfect occasion to capture the season in a delicious herbal cordial. It is so fun to get together with a friend and make a cordial that will add that extra touch to your summer feasts. Get yourself some small cordial glasses and toast your health and happiness this summer with this delicious Summer Solstice Cordial.
2 tablespoons dried organic elderflower
2 tablespoons dried organic rose buds
2 tablespoons chopped dried peaches
1 tablespoon fresh or dried organic lemon peel
1 teaspoon organic fennel seed
2 cups port wine
Steep herbs and fruit in the port wine for one month then strain the herbs from the wine and enjoy. Make a summer party cooler by putting this cordial over ice and adding seltzer water and fresh squeezed lemon or lime.
1) Put dried herbs into a mortar and pestle and mash them as much as possible
2) Chop dried peaches into small pieces with a knife
3) Put herbs, fruit and wine into a sterilized jar.
4) Let sit in a cool, dry place for one month
After one month you will participate in the ancient art of decanting (Fancy term for straining out the herbs from the alcohol).
To decant your cordial you will need a clean sterilized glass jar, funnel and cotton muslin.
1) Place a funnel into the jar and lay the cotton muslin on top of the funnel
2) Pour the wine and infusing herbs and fruit through the muslin and funnel being careful not to let the herbs spill over the side of the muslin into the funnel and jar
3) If the herbs spill out of the muslin into the jar, get a clean jar and start over
4) When all of the liquid has drained through the cotton muslin cloth and funnel into the jar, then squeeze the rest of the liquid out of the dried plant material through the muslin into the jar.
5) Discard the strained out herb material into the compost or just put it on the dirt in your garden. The liquid left behind is your herbal cordial.
Cordials are alcoholic herbal drinks that have a variety of uses. Cordials can be sipped before and after dinner as digestive tonics. Cordials are perfect for toasts at special occasions and to pair with foods and desserts. Herbal cordials are also great cooking companions. Add them to cakes and desserts just as you would vanilla extract. Use them in marinades and glazes and put a dash into drinks. We add Summer Solstice Cordial to homemade whipped cream and put it on fresh summer fruit. Cordials can be stirred into jams and other dessert sweeteners or sprinkled onto yams and vegetables before baking. Add some cordial to your next batch of chutney or pie filling or put a tablespoon or two into morning pancake batter and French toast egg batter. During the cooking process the alcohol precipitates off leaving behind a melody of flavor for you to enjoy.
Since this recipe comes to us from Kami's book The Herbal Kitchen, she's giving away 5 copies to our lucky winners! This captivating book explores the ancient tradition of using herbs to enhance the health benefits and digestibility of your food. With over 250 recipes for herbal oils, vinegars, pestos, dressings, salts, cordials, syrups, smoothies, and more, The Herbal Kitchen will teach you to prepare, store, and use herbs, unlocking the key to the extraordinary pharmacy that already exists in your own kitchen.
Plus! We'll throw in a package of organic ingredients so the winners can make this amazing cordial recipe for the summer months ahead. Yay! The package will include 4oz each of certified organic Rose Buds, Elder Flowers, Lemon Peel, and Fennel Seeds!
There are several ways to enter and you can submit up to 5 entries for a chance to win a copy of Kami's book and organic ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs! Be sure to leave a comment below for each entry.
1. Leave a comment here telling us your favorite herbal recipe for summer!
2. Like Kami and the Living Awareness Institute on Facebook and leave a comment here to let us know that you’re a fan.
3. Like Mountain Rose Herbs on Facebook, Google+, or Pinterest and leave a comment here to let us know that you’re following.
4. Share this giveaway on your Facebook page and leave a comment here to let us know you’ve posted the link.
5. Tweet about our blog giveaway on Twitter using the hashtag #HerbalSummer and leave a comment here to let us know that you’ve tweeted. Be sure to follow us @MtnRoseHerbs!
You have until Sunday, July 1st at 11:59pm PST to enter. We will pick 5 winners at random on Monday, July 2nd and announce them on the blog and on Facebook!
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12 ~ babsaroo
65 ~ jen123
173 ~ wildcraftwife
176 ~ herbalivette
236 ~ MorganneAubrey
We will be in contact with you soon via email to get the prizes in the mail! If we don't receive a response from the winners by 7/9 new winners will be randomly chosen. Big thanks to everyone for participating and sharing your recipes. Wishing you all a beautiful summer!
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