Spring is the time of year when many plant lovers head into the woods to wild-harvest fresh Urtica dioica—affectionately known as “stinging nettle”. This versatile and popular herb has been utilized for centuries across the globe.
Read More
Mother’s Day always conjures up memories of making a special, personalized gift to show my mom how loved she was. As a child, this sometimes resulted in questionable craft projects which only a mother could love! One that stands out in my mind, was the painted wooden egg cups—a definite necessity for all households—bright turquoise of course! And yet, they still hold a spot on the bookcase at my parents’ home.
Read More
When we ask folks why they choose to buy our botanicals, “quality” typically pops to the top of the list. It’s a proud moment when we realize our relentless search for the best organic botanicals is something you value too. That’s why we sat down with Steven, our Quality Assurance & Quality Control Director, to find out what he and his lab coat-wearing team does behind the closed doors of our in-house lab—the epicenter of quality here at Mountain Rose Herbs.
Read More
In Eastern Europe, herbs are a place where two worlds come together. Practices handed down through the generations collide with the realities of the modern world. In the five countries I visited on a three-week trip in June, this juxtaposition was unavoidable.
Read More
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.
Chili-based condiments have a nuanced world of their own. Often shelved away in the bottoms of pantries and pushed to the ends of recipe books, there are more variations of these spicy delights than one could imagine. Harissa paste is one such delicacy. Like many of the spice blends I’m familiar with, this harissa recipe uses cumin and coriander, but it shines with flagrant uniqueness because of its citrusy tang, hint of caraway, and unbeatable chili flavor.
Read More
Living a zero waste lifestyle is no easy task. Consuming less, getting rid of clutter, and eliminating packaging waste at home is one thing. Reducing waste for a company the size of Mountain Rose Herbs, a company with 200 employees operating in eight facilities, is a different story. We’d love to share how we strive for zero waste. It started with dedicated employees and a fierce commitment to environmental stewardship.
Read More
I recently discovered something incredible: marbled tea eggs. I absolutely adore eggs, but transforming them into marbled tea eggs takes them to a completely different level. Tea eggs are a traditional food throughout China, commonly sold by street vendors. There are many variations since each family makes their tea egg recipe a little bit differently, but they all contain black tea, soy sauce, and spices.
Besides being a practical skill to know, making your own soap from scratch is a fun way to express yourself creatively while producing something that's useful and great for your skin. By following this simple recipe, you can make basic unscented bars of soap, or customize them by adding organic herbs, flowers, essential oils, and other skin-loving ingredients.
Read More
Growing up, I had the unique opportunity to embrace herbal wisdom through the ancient Indian philosophy of Ayurveda. For a number of years, my family hosted Ayurvedic physicians who traveled around the world to spread this beautiful knowledge of wellness and balance. It was through this incredible learning experience that I began to understand that the best tools for facial care came from the herbal pantry. Triphala, one of the most common and versatile Ayurvedic herbal formulations, was used for this refreshing facial mask.
Read More
