French Apple Cinnamon Tea
This French Apple Cinnamon Tea recipe calls for cinnamon, apples, and honey, providing a little crispness with a dash of sweetness and a splash of warmth. Sure sounds like autumn in a cup to me! The wholesome nutrients in apples include beta-carotene, vitamins C and B, calcium, phosphorus, boron, polyphenols, and pectin (Mars, 2004). Because…
De Materia Medica: The Ancient Text that Changed the World
There is a grand mystery and pleasure in reading ancient texts that can still fulfill our curiosities about the human experience. Writings about herbalism are no exception, as they give us a sense of how our ancestors lived, survived, and interacted with the natural world around them. De Materia Medica, Latin for “On Medical Material”…
Shelf-Stable Calendula Cream Recipe
As herbalists, we turn to our trusty herbal allies to create simple and safe skincare products. We love our calendula-infused oil, our lavender hydrosol, our rose petals. But how can we bring these beautiful herbal ingredients together into a calendula cream recipe or another botanical skincare creation that is shelf-stable? After all, any time we…
Herbal Tea Blends for Morning, Midday, and Night
Timing is everything. This well-worn saying couldn’t be more true when it comes to herbal tea blends. The Sanskrit word kala refers to time or timing, and desa to place. According to Ayurveda, harmonious living isn’t just about what; it is also about when, how, and where. When it comes to what we put into…
Student Feature: Colleen Codekas @Grow Forage Cook Ferment
For the fifth installment of our Student Feature Series, we spoke with Colleen Codekas, author of Healing Herbal Infusions and founder of the popular blog, Grow Forage Cook Ferment. As the name of her blog implies, Colleen is a gardener, forager, cook, and herbalist who elegantly weaves herbs and spices into her seasonal recipes and…
Citrus and Spice: DIY All-Purpose Cleaner
Crisp cool air and tree colors turning to auburn and golden hues welcome the arrival of autumn and winter months. Tis the season to enjoy the comforts of home, like a crackling fireplace, a cozy couch, or a clean kitchen that’s ready for cooking up hearty recipes. And speaking of recipes, have you ever tried…
Floral Mist: DIY Room Spray
A few spritzes of our DIY Room Spray will transport your mind and spirit to bright and colorful gardens bursting with flowers and light. This floral mist is a sneak peek into our Natural Perfumery Course, and it combines the fragrant aroma of jasmine and rose with the citrusy cheerfulness of bergamot. The end result…
Sneak Peek into our Virtual Herbal Book Fair
This autumn, as the days become shorter and the nights start to stretch longer, we’re bringing our studies indoors, preparing warm herbal infusions and potent decoctions. The cooler months are opportune for settling in with a good herbal book from our collection to keep our minds active and continue our learning all through the season….
Once in a Blue Moon Milk Recipe with Ashwagandha and Chamomile
This year has been full of surprises, and it would only be natural for the world to give us yet another surprise during the spookiest month of the year. In a typical year, we can expect to witness twelve full moons, one for every month of the year. This year is a rare exception. In…
What is Enfleurage? Historic Perfumery Technique with Instructions
“Enfleurage” is a French word that you may have seen associated with historic perfumery techniques. If you’ve seen this mysterious word mentioned in old texts or publications, you probably found yourself wondering, “what is enfleurage?” We dug into our Natural Perfumery Course to answer that question and to share a special sneak peek into our…
