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Hi'iaka's Healing Herb Garden : Column Index : 2006 : December
Coming Soon...
Easy Herbal Gifts for the Holidays
It's easy to overindulgue during the holidays. That's why they made New Year's Resolutions, I think: to enable us to seek redemption for our excesses. Whether it's dropping a few pounds (or more), quitting smoking, breaking a chocolate habit, or any other of a long list of December sins, New Year's gives us the hope of a fresh start, a new beginning, and a better life.
Original, Natural Gift Wrap
I confess, I am not very "crafty," but these ideas from the Mississippi State University web site inspired me to embark on a gift-wrapping project that I'm sure will delight the recipients of my gifts.
You will need: burlap or other fabric; raffia or other tying material such as grosgrain ribbon or strips of ti leaves; and freshly-cut or dried plant material. Use what you have on hand, because the more personal you make it, the better.
For a rustic look, wrap your present in burlap or plain paper. Use raffia or twine for the tie.
For a fancy look, wrap your package in an expensive-looking material such as fabric scraps or florist's pot wrapping foil. Then tie it with pretty ribbon, tassels or gold braid.
After your package is wrapped, tie some fresh or dried plant material into the bow of your ribbon or raffia. Use your imagination and plants in your yard, like `ohi`a, ferns, eucalyptus, etc. Pinecones, nuts and other seedpods can be used.
Herbal Projects for Great Gifts
It's very simple, and very personal, to make your own gifts. Even if you've completed your shopping, the following suggestions can make great stocking stuffers or last-minute gifts.
Sachets are excellent for keeping the contents of dresser drawers smelling fresh. Purchase dried herbs at a natural foods store because you might not have time to dry your own (unless you have a food dehydrator, in which case you can quickly dry some Hawaiian oregano, clove-scented Tulsi basil, etc.). Traditional sachets include lavender, violet, rosemary, rose, anise, caraway, lemon verbena, and lemon or orange peel.
Make small "pillowcases" of a fine fabric such as mesh, cut to about 3 by 4 inches. Fill with your herbs and tie with a pretty ribbon.
A bouquet garni might be the perfect gift for your "foodie" friends who love to cook. It's simply a blend of herbs and spices tied in a little bundle that you add to simmering soups and stews. Again, it's best to buy dried herbs, but you can also use them fresh (be sure to refrigerate and give them promptly).
A traditional bouquet garni contains parsley, thyme and a bay leaf, but you can add any herb you wish. Examples include the "fines herbes" of the French: tarragon, parsley, chervil and chives. Make a small bag from cheesecloth, fill with herbs, and tie it closed. Add the whole bag to soups or other dishes toward the end of cooking. You also can sprinkle the herbs over salads, omelettes, or vegetables. The bouquet garni web site below has numerous recipes.
Herb honey and butter are easy to make and will please your friends and family who like to eat! For honey, choose an herb such as rosemary (fresh is best). Put a sprig or two into a clean jar, over which you'll pour heated honey. Let it steep for an hour or more, then strain and package it in an attractive jar.
For butter, use fresh herbs such as thyme. Soften a cube of butter, then fold in your chopped herbs. Package this in cute tubs and top with a sprig of fresh herb for eye appeal.
Herbal vinegars and oils are also good for the chefs on your gift list. You can use either fresh or dried herbs, but fresh ones contain more essential oils and are more flavorful and aromatic. Try tarragon, basil, savory, or whatever strikes your fancy or is plentiful at the time. You can combine herbs and even use fruit such as mangoes or noni for its healthful properties.
1. To make vinegar, select good quality apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar.
2. Put 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb or 4 tablespoons of dried herb into a clean quart jar. If you're using fruit, fill your jar 1/4 full with chopped fruit. Try combining herbs with fruit-based vinegar.
3. Add 2 cloves of garlic and 2 slices of onion if you like them.
4. Fill the jar with vinegar and cover it.
5. Set the jar in a sunny spot for one day.
6. Strain your mixture through a sieve, cheesecloth or a stocking, label it and store it in a cool, dark place.
7. Package your completed vinegar in pretty bottles with cork stoppers.
Herbal oils can be used in salad dressings, for stir-fry, or for massage and skin care, depending on the oil and the herb you select.
1. For cooking oil, use olive oil or other cooking oil. Choose any culinary herb that you like, such as bay laurel, oregano, basil, marjoram, etc. (I make a delicious oil with ONE nioi hot pepper and Thai basil.) Place 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb and 2 cloves of garlic into a clean quart jar.
2. For massage oil and skin care, use almond or grape seed oil. Use 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb such as calendula flowers (great for skin care), lavender, eucalyptus, rose geranium and many others.
3. Fill the jar with oil and cover it.
4. Set the filled jar in the sun for one or two days, or cook it at 170 degrees for three hours.
5. Strain your mixture, label it and store in a cool, dark place. Your finished oil will last forever in the fridge. For massage oil, 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin E oil will act as a natural preservative. You also can add some essential oil if you want it to smell wonderful and add an aromatherapy effect.
Again, packaging your herbal oil in decorative bottles makes great-looking gifts.
Happy holidays and peace on Earth.
ON THE WEB:
http://msucares.com/lawn/herbs/herbal_gifts.html
http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/gifts1.html
http://www.herb.co.za/cooking/bouquetgarni.htm
http://www.herbsandnaturalremedies.com/gifts.htm
Easy Herbal Gifts for the Holidays
It's easy to overindulgue during the holidays. That's why they made New Year's Resolutions, I think: to enable us to seek redemption for our excesses. Whether it's dropping a few pounds (or more), quitting smoking, breaking a chocolate habit, or any other of a long list of December sins, New Year's gives us the hope of a fresh start, a new beginning, and a better life.
Original, Natural Gift Wrap
I confess, I am not very "crafty," but these ideas from the Mississippi State University web site inspired me to embark on a gift-wrapping project that I'm sure will delight the recipients of my gifts.
You will need: burlap or other fabric; raffia or other tying material such as grosgrain ribbon or strips of ti leaves; and freshly-cut or dried plant material. Use what you have on hand, because the more personal you make it, the better.
For a rustic look, wrap your present in burlap or plain paper. Use raffia or twine for the tie.
For a fancy look, wrap your package in an expensive-looking material such as fabric scraps or florist's pot wrapping foil. Then tie it with pretty ribbon, tassels or gold braid.
After your package is wrapped, tie some fresh or dried plant material into the bow of your ribbon or raffia. Use your imagination and plants in your yard, like `ohi`a, ferns, eucalyptus, etc. Pinecones, nuts and other seedpods can be used.
Herbal Projects for Great Gifts
It's very simple, and very personal, to make your own gifts. Even if you've completed your shopping, the following suggestions can make great stocking stuffers or last-minute gifts.
Sachets are excellent for keeping the contents of dresser drawers smelling fresh. Purchase dried herbs at a natural foods store because you might not have time to dry your own (unless you have a food dehydrator, in which case you can quickly dry some Hawaiian oregano, clove-scented Tulsi basil, etc.). Traditional sachets include lavender, violet, rosemary, rose, anise, caraway, lemon verbena, and lemon or orange peel.
Make small "pillowcases" of a fine fabric such as mesh, cut to about 3 by 4 inches. Fill with your herbs and tie with a pretty ribbon.
A bouquet garni might be the perfect gift for your "foodie" friends who love to cook. It's simply a blend of herbs and spices tied in a little bundle that you add to simmering soups and stews. Again, it's best to buy dried herbs, but you can also use them fresh (be sure to refrigerate and give them promptly).
A traditional bouquet garni contains parsley, thyme and a bay leaf, but you can add any herb you wish. Examples include the "fines herbes" of the French: tarragon, parsley, chervil and chives. Make a small bag from cheesecloth, fill with herbs, and tie it closed. Add the whole bag to soups or other dishes toward the end of cooking. You also can sprinkle the herbs over salads, omelettes, or vegetables. The bouquet garni web site below has numerous recipes.
Herb honey and butter are easy to make and will please your friends and family who like to eat! For honey, choose an herb such as rosemary (fresh is best). Put a sprig or two into a clean jar, over which you'll pour heated honey. Let it steep for an hour or more, then strain and package it in an attractive jar.
For butter, use fresh herbs such as thyme. Soften a cube of butter, then fold in your chopped herbs. Package this in cute tubs and top with a sprig of fresh herb for eye appeal.
Herbal vinegars and oils are also good for the chefs on your gift list. You can use either fresh or dried herbs, but fresh ones contain more essential oils and are more flavorful and aromatic. Try tarragon, basil, savory, or whatever strikes your fancy or is plentiful at the time. You can combine herbs and even use fruit such as mangoes or noni for its healthful properties.
1. To make vinegar, select good quality apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar.
2. Put 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb or 4 tablespoons of dried herb into a clean quart jar. If you're using fruit, fill your jar 1/4 full with chopped fruit. Try combining herbs with fruit-based vinegar.
3. Add 2 cloves of garlic and 2 slices of onion if you like them.
4. Fill the jar with vinegar and cover it.
5. Set the jar in a sunny spot for one day.
6. Strain your mixture through a sieve, cheesecloth or a stocking, label it and store it in a cool, dark place.
7. Package your completed vinegar in pretty bottles with cork stoppers.
Herbal oils can be used in salad dressings, for stir-fry, or for massage and skin care, depending on the oil and the herb you select.
1. For cooking oil, use olive oil or other cooking oil. Choose any culinary herb that you like, such as bay laurel, oregano, basil, marjoram, etc. (I make a delicious oil with ONE nioi hot pepper and Thai basil.) Place 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb and 2 cloves of garlic into a clean quart jar.
2. For massage oil and skin care, use almond or grape seed oil. Use 10 4-inch sprigs of fresh herb such as calendula flowers (great for skin care), lavender, eucalyptus, rose geranium and many others.
3. Fill the jar with oil and cover it.
4. Set the filled jar in the sun for one or two days, or cook it at 170 degrees for three hours.
5. Strain your mixture, label it and store in a cool, dark place. Your finished oil will last forever in the fridge. For massage oil, 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin E oil will act as a natural preservative. You also can add some essential oil if you want it to smell wonderful and add an aromatherapy effect.
Again, packaging your herbal oil in decorative bottles makes great-looking gifts.
Happy holidays and peace on Earth.
ON THE WEB:
http://msucares.com/lawn/herbs/herbal_gifts.html
http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/gifts1.html
http://www.herb.co.za/cooking/bouquetgarni.htm
http://www.herbsandnaturalremedies.com/gifts.htm
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