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Chestnut School of
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Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
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you are responsible to unusual reaction – ranging
research and verify infor- from gastric intolerance to
mation before relying on a full-blown allergy. It is
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nor prescribe medicines be responsible for incor-
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The information we provide is not intended to be toxic, or allergenic substance. In the event that
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All Content, Photography and Text, ©Juliet
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Measurements in Recipes
We have included both standard and metric volume measurements. If possible, use the weight
measurements for our recipes. Additionally, measurements (grams and ounces) for greater
many of the recipes include both weight and accuracy. That said, chances are you’ll have
Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
success with the recipe, even if you use volume you can use our conversions by referencing the
measurements (cups, fluid ounces, ml, etc.). milliliter measurements provided in each recipe.
We realize that using milliliter measurements for
Metric users: We rounded our metric conver- dry ingredients isn’t the regular order of things,
sions for ease of use, so you may notice a slight but we provided these measurements to save you
discrepancy in numbers if you use your own from converting each American volume measure-
conversions. For example, we used 30 ml for one ment to Imperial volume measurements.
fluid ounce, rather than 29.57 ml. Please note that
all cups, teaspoons, Tablespoon, pint and quarts If you’ve ever wondered what happened to
are American measurements and not Imperial. adopting the Metric system in the U.S., then look
You could convert the measurements here, or no further.
Table of Contents
• Hibiscus Chutney . . . . . page 1
Hibiscus Chutney
Yield: 2 quarts
Peel the hibiscus calyces from the green ovary if using fresh. Peel
the onions and core the apples; chop both coarsely. Blend the
onions, apples, hibiscus (dry or fresh), and jalapeños in a food
processor. Add the remaining ingredients to the blended hibiscus-
onion-apple slurry in a large pot with a heavy bottom.
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Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
Kala Namak is mined from several areas in India, 1. Assemble your fresh herbs, salt(s), and spices.
Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Also called De-stem and chop your herbs if necessary. You
Himalayan black salt, it has a pungent aroma and can use any of the recipes outlined below or create
unique eggy flavor due to its high sulfur content. your own blend, using the following proportions:
It comes from the earth in inky crystals, but turns
Combine equal parts fresh herb(s) to salt, by
pink or light purple in color after it’s ground.
volume. For instance, if you are making a rose-
Celtic sea salt is a coarse sea salt that is gray mary/thyme salt, add one cup of de-stemmed
in hue due to its unique harvesting technique, rosemary and thyme leaves to one cup of coarse
which includes gathering the bottom mineral sea salt. If your blend is heavy on herbs, and light
layer of the salt harvesting area. All Celtic sea on the salt, it might take a little longer to dry.
salts are hand-harvested and sun-dried.
2. Blend all ingredients in a food processor or
Preparing Herbal Finishing Salts spice blender until the entire consistency is fine (I
like my salt the consistency of beach sand, rather
than table salt—see the accompanying photo).
If you don’t have such an apparatus, mince your
fresh herbs with an old-fashioned knife, and then
blend with the salt.
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Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
3. After your blend is thoroughly dry, store in Smokey BBQ Salt Rub
airtight glass containers. It’s all too easy to overdo
it with these salt blends if you treat them like This salt is delicious on veggie scrambles or home
herbal seasoning, and add liberal amounts to fries. Try it on French fries or as an ingredient in
food. They truly are salty, so go easy at first! hamburgers or veggie burgers. As you can imagine,
it’s also a seriously tasty rub for grilling meat or
Crimson Cajun Salt veggies.
This is my favorite of the salt blends. Its zesty heat • 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) fresh rosemary leaves,
matches its wonderfully fiery color. I like to sprinkle de-stemmed
it on scrambled and fried eggs. It’s also divine on
popcorn with nutritional yeast. And it perfectly • 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) wood-smoked sea salt
complements black beans in burritos or quesadillas. (apple wood or alder)
(This is the salt pictured in the step-by-step photos.) • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) smoked chili flakes
• 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) orange zest (about 1 (substitute red pepper flakes, if necessary)
medium orange) • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) paprika powder • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) whole yellow mustard
seeds
• 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) whole thyme leaves,
de-stemmed • 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) paprika powder
• 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) chipotle powder • 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) fresh thyme leaves,
de-stemmed
• 1 cup (240 ml) red Alaea Hawaiian sea salt (9.5 • 1 cup (240 ml) coarse Celtic sea salt
ounces {266 g}, by weight)
Yield: 1 ¼ cup (300 ml)
Yield: 1 ¼ cup (300 ml)
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Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
Lemon-White Sage Finishing Salt leaves are used to freshen up armpits and to
eliminate body odors when hunting. Sage leaves
This is one of my favorite herb-infused finishing are burned after sickness to fumigate the home.
salts, and it’s delightful to make as the aroma is so Additionally, the aromatic smoke is a remedy for
uplifting. If you haven’t tried white sage (Salvia colds in the sweathouse.
apiana) as a culinary herb, you are in for a real
treat. It is similar to its kissing cousin, garden sage The practice of burning white sage as an aromatic
(Salvia officinalis), but with a more intense flavor. cleansing and purifying agent has been widely
If you don’t have white sage on hand, try freaking adopted by European Americans, to the demise of
out. Alternately, you can substitute garden sage. Like wild populations, which have been overharvested,
garden sage, white sage’s pungent, resinous flavor primarily for smudge sticks. These are bundles of
complements fatty foods. Indeed, our taste buds may aromatic plants, assembled when fresh, and tied
be speaking for our stomachs in this department, as together with string and dried. The “sticks” hold
sage is one of the best culinary herbs for enhancing their form and slowly smoke when lit on fire. The
the digestion of fats through stimulating bile. Try sage sticks of commerce are wild harvested, typi-
this finishing salt in stuffing, along with black cally by folks who are economically, rather than
pepper and anise seeds. Meatloaf, poultry and baked ecologically, motivated (which is to say that gath-
roots are all enhanced by this blend. erers may be razing hillsides because they don’t
have other viable income). So, grow your own, or
• 1 handful (½ ounce {14g}, by weight) fresh buy your white sage from people you trust, who
white sage (Salvia apiana) leaves, whole are tending wild populations with an eye toward
• 1 cup (240 ml) coarse pink Himalayan salt the future of the species. I like to combine white
sage with black sage (Salvia mellifera) or red
• 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) lemon zest cedar (Juniperus virginiana) for smudge sticks.
Lavender is another lovely pairing. To learn more
Yield: Just over 1 cup (240 ml)
about growing white sage in your garden, see my
White Sage (Salvia apiana, article on the subject.
Lamiaceae) - leaves
The gray-green leaves of white sage mirror
the hues of its native habitat in southern Cali-
fornia—coastal foothills and desert washes and
canyons. No herb comes close to approximating
the intoxicating scent of this arid mint family
member. White sage’s medicinal uses are very
similar to its Mediterranean cousin—garden sage
(Salvia officinalis), although the former is more
antimicrobial and stimulating than its domestic
brethren.
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Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
An herbal finishing salt made from fresh garden sage, rosemary, orange zest, and spices
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• 2 medium onions
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Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
Add the honey and mix well, making sure all the
honey is dissolved. Place in sterilized, clear-glass
jars, label and refrigerate. Dosage is 1 teaspoon
(5 ml) as needed.
Straining with a ceramic coffee strainer and straining cloth Adding the honey to the strained cider
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Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
Combine the sugar and water Add the rose flowers or buds
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Serves 4
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Serves 2
Roselle Hibiscus
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S
tub after applying, as it will be slippery. You can
alt scrubs are a delightful way to exfoliate use the scrub once or twice a week if you wish.
while simultaneously softening and mois-
turizing the skin. Additionally, the combination Ingredients
of essential oils and salt stimulates blood flow to • 3 cups (720 ml) fine sea salt
the dermal layers of the skin. I know it almost
sounds too good to be true—that is, until you • 6 fluid ounces (180 ml) oil (choose from
feel how soft and supple your skin is after a good expeller pressed sunflower or sweet almond, or
salt scrubbing! unrefined cold-pressed coconut oil)
This recipe is slightly modified from a blend • 14 drops ginger essential oil (Zingiber officinale)
formulated by Jade Shutes, aromatherapist
• 5 drops lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon
extraordinaire, and founder of the New York
citratus)
Institute for Aromatic Studies. This enlivening
formula is especially helpful for addressing • 10 drops grapefruit essential oil (Citrus x
issues of stagnation and congestion in the body paradisi)
and spirit, including dry skin, poor circulation,
lymph stagnation, and poor immunity. Seasonal Mix the sea salt and oil in a glass or stainless steel
affective disorder (S.A.D.), grief, insecurity, and bowl. The oil should coat the salt completely and
stagnant depression can also be assuaged by this evenly. If you’re using coconut oil, you may need
uplifting blend. to melt it before mixing. Consider combining
another oil with the coconut oil so the mixture
Here are some tips for applying your salt scrub. remains liquid at room temperature. Add the
For starters, I recommend transferring a small essential oils and mix thoroughly. Store in a glass
amount of the scrub to a non-breakable vessel, jar and remix ingredients before each application,
such as a large seashell, to bring into the shower, as the oil will settle. Use within 3 months.
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Herbal Holiday Guide ~ Gifts and Merriment
T H I S 3 7 5 - H OU R ON L I N E C OU RS E S TA RT S I N EA R L Y 2 0 1 9 !