As herbalists, many of us create infusions (teas) with health and wellness in mind, choosing herbs based on what constituents they can provide us. As tea enthusiasts, we also care about the tea-drinking experience and the synergistic way that the flavors and aromas of different herbs can join together when put in hot water. It is this synergy that comes into play with tasting notes. Tasting notes are the descriptive language that connoisseurs use to help us understand the nuances at play in each cup: a set of terms to describe visual cues, aromas, taste, sensations, and more. I can’t tell you why ‘tangy, lively, and refreshing’ are the flavor notes in my everyday go-to drink-it-all-day herbal tea, but knowing those terms helps steer me toward other herbs and spices that work well together when making my own herbal tea blends.

I am a firm believer in broths for their gut-supporting, extremely tasty, and nourishing qualities. You can pack so much nutrition in each little sip. Adding a myriad of herbs to our broth base is the perfect vehicle for incorporating wellness into our modern lives.

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When your moontime calls, listen to your body. She’s calling for nourishment and rest. Calling you back to yourself and your wise woman within. Back to the cycle of the moon within you—your womb, your hormonal cycle, your psyche. Give yourself permission to find a little quiet time to yourself. Soak in some extra self-care. Sip herbal infusions.

I like inclusivity in food, and my friends and family group includes omnivores and vegetarians/vegans, as well as people with food allergies, autoimmune diseases, religious restrictions, etc. I love to feed my people, so I’m always experimenting, which is how I found myself going down this agar-agar as a replacement for gelatin rabbit hole, and then one thing led to another, and I got curious to know how much agar is the right amount for the best mouthfeel in vegan gummies (welcome to my brain). I made elderberry juice gummies, which were tasty and a fun way to get an extra boost of vitamins and minerals. Then I discovered apple cider vinegar gummies—I love these little ACV morsels!

2023 was quite a year! While we worked hard to ensure access to pure, organic ingredients to support health and wellness, the Mountain Rose Herbs team also completed some exciting goals. As we reflect on the last year, we want to share our most notable accomplishments and extend our gratitude to you. We could not have accomplished these things without your incredible support. Here are some of our favorite initiatives from 2023 and a peek at what’s coming up in 2024.

There are over 12,000 species of seaweed drifting in synchrony with our ocean currents, but one type of these uniquely diverse sea botanicals has taken wellness communities by storm in recent years. Recipes and advertisements highlighting the nutritional benefits of “sea moss gel” have been buzzing around just about every corner of the wellness world, and for good reason! I first encountered sea moss on a Pinterest blog detailing a vegan “bone broth” recipe, which instantly hooked my attention. As a vegan with over a decade of my life spent experimenting with plant-based foods, replicating a vegan version of such an animal-oriented fare was not something I had considered to be a possibility before. This recipe sparked my interest in uncovering the endless array of creative uses and nutritional benefits the ocean provides for us in the form of aquatic grassy tangles: seaweed!

There is always happy anticipation around Mountain Rose Herbs when we get the opportunity to bring in a new herbal ally. And when that botanical is grown by one of our passionate, conscientious farm partners right here in Oregon, our excitement is tinged with some home-state pride. So, we are pleased to announce that we are now carrying organic bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) grown at Oregon’s own Oshala Farm!

Ready for a superfood twist on traditional spiced drinks this winter? Try a cup of mulled acai berry tea! Cinnamon, citrus, allspice, ginger, clove, and anise: Can you almost feel the warmth of these herbs and spices? They heat us from within throughout the season of cold and dark. Spiced wine is a family favorite at our winter celebrations, and mulled cider is another seasonal treat.

If you’ve spent time reading Mountain Rose Herbs blogs, you know that one of our primary concerns is the alarming and increasing loss of native plants. Because of overharvesting, climate change, and habitat destruction, some of the most important medicinal herbs in North America are at risk or endangered, and several are already critically imperiled. We are passionate about finding solutions for these precious botanicals, but like so many important causes on our planet, it takes a village. We need researchers, scientists, data collectors, herbalists, farmers, wildharvesters, state and federal lawmakers, herb suppliers, gardeners, and the list goes on. In addition to all of these essential roles, we need to build connections around the world with other dedicated plant people who may be seeing the same things in their part of the world. We need to understand what plants are at risk and what alternatives we can access. This is where our allies at United Plant Savers (UpS) step in.

What do dandelion, burdock, chicory, and garlic have in common? They all contain inulin. Inulin is a naturally occurring polysaccharide made up of chains of fructose molecules that are not digested in the small intestine and belong to a class of dietary fibers known as fructans.

Pinwheel cookies (also called spiral cookies) have been a holiday tradition for decades. Often made with vanilla and chocolate or red and green food color, they show up on cookie plates throughout the season. I like traditions like this… and I also like to see how far I can push those traditional recipes to accommodate more flavors and spices.

This classic “icebox” cookie recipe (modern world translation: refrigerator cookie) is essentially the same one my great grandmother—and thousands of other people—used to make in the 1930s and it’s remained a standard ever since. It’s a dough you can easily change into a variety of different cookies with small additions like spices, nuts, dried fruit, crushed candies, etc. And it’s also an accommodating dough for rolling and cutting. These two qualities make it an ideal choice for delicious pinwheel cookies infused with herbal powders!