Cacao has a long and colorful history beginning in Central and South America. At Mountain Rose Herbs, our fair trade organic cacao powder, nibs, and butter are sourced from an area known as the Cordillera Azul in Peru. There, cacao thrives in fields nourished by seven mighty rivers and abundant rainfall. No irrigation needed! We had the pleasure of traveling to this beautiful region to meet our hardworking farmers who nurture and harvest this beloved botanical.

While I’ll never stop loving a classic café latte, I’m amazed by the variety of creamy drinks you can create with healthful herbs and teas. That's why we were overjoyed to see this submission from Rita Gillan (ritadoula.com), a recipe contest winner from our Fall 2017 catalogue. Enjoy her simple how-to-guide and chai maca latte recipe. Now you can make this delicious herbal beverage in the comfort of your own home. Thanks, Rita!  

Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we’re frequently asked about various definitions in herbalism. Such as “what’s the difference between an essential oil and an infused oil?”

We thought you'd appreciate a simple guide to herbal terminology. Here are 10 definitions for your learning pleasure! Please let us know if there are any other definitions you’d like to see here! We'd love to add to this list in the future.

Elderberry is traditionally used to support a healthy immune system*, so I'm always searching for ways to integrate it into my meals. And one of my recent New Year's resolutions was to speed up my morning routine. Just imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon this recipe that combines my quest for a daily dose of elderberry with my need to buy back time in my day.

Adoration for cacao can be traced back to ancient cultures in Mesoamerica. Bitter beverages made from the crushed seeds of this voluptuous fruit were enjoyed with a belief that these pods had magical properties. Mildly stimulating with a pronounced twinkle of euphoria, cacao was reserved for sacred rituals and royalty.

Herbal syrups are a time-honored way to administer not-so-pleasant-tasting herbs to the young ones and picky eaters in your life. Tasty on their own by the spoonful, they also add an herbal boost to your favorite culinary recipes and libations. Try them in teas, desserts, bubbly beverages, cocktails, DIY root beers, or atop ice cream.

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.

Wonderful hot or cold, rooibos tea pairs well with many other herbs and spices. Try making some of these delicious combos at home for a real afternoon treat!

Ashwagandha is to Ayurveda what Ginseng is to Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s a cornerstone root used through the ages as a part of daily life. A root so treasured that its popularity has spread globally and its use is common.