Make an Herb Salt

Make an Herb Salt.

Last week when I was talking about bladderwrack, I mentioned that you could use it to make an herb salt. I make different flavours of herb salts and enjoy personalizing something I use every day. Don’t want herbalism to be on a pedestal. Everybody can do this to incorporate herbs into day-to-day life.

We differentiate salt by the size of the grains.

Cooking salts – fine grained salt that we use while cooking to season.

Finishing salts – larger flaked salt that dissolves on the tongue and is best suited for use at the table.

If I am wanting to add a flavour punch to a meal, I make a finishing salt. When I want to incorporate extra herbs (and phytonutrients) into my diet I make an herb salt to use while cooking.

Fresh or dried herbs can be used to make herb salt. Using fresh herbs takes longer, however, it is easy to make an herb salt with dried herbs in an afternoon.

Like so many herbal recipes when you make an herb salt it is a matter of personal taste. What do you like? I love lemon and sage together and make an herb salt with fresh sage leaves and lemon zest. Dreaming, as we roll slowly towards spring, of making an herb salt with wild bergamot leaves and nasturtium flowers. I imagine peppery goodness.

3 different herbed salts.

Make an Herb Salt with Fresh Herbs

Fines Herbes Finishing Salt

½ cup salt (choose a flaky salt)

Equal parts (1/4 cup) chopped tarragon, chives, chervil, and parsley.

These four herbs make up a traditional French herb combination. Similar to Herbes de Provence the main difference is that Fines Herbes is a classic French seasoning always made of equal parts of the four herbs. Herbes de Provence is made of 8 herbs. The blend allows regional variations. I could therefore eliminate the basil in Herbes de Provence and still call my blend Herbes de Provence. Any deviation from the 4 herbs of Fines Herbes and it is no longer Fines Herbes.

You can chop the herbs by hand or use a blender/food processor. I like to blend the herbs with half the total salt. I dump the mixture into a bowl and mix in the remaining salt. When all the ingredients are combined; I spread the blend on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Put it in the oven to dry. Use a fork to stir the herb/salt mixture several times a day to break up any clumps and ensure it dries evenly. I could turn the oven on if I wanted, however, I usually don’t. The main reason I put the cookie sheet in the oven is that I know it is dry and there are no drafts.

Make an Herb Salt with Dried Herbs.

Sea Salt*

2.5 parts fine sea salt

½ part kelp

½ part nettle seed

*Sea salt is evaporated from seawater. Table salt and other salts are mined and refined from salt deposits left by oceans and seas that no longer exist, therefore all salt is sea salt.

Nettle seeds, kelp, sea salt.

The great thing using dried herbs is that you can combine herbs that might not be available fresh all at the same time. I can harvest and dry nettle leaves in the spring and harvest nettle seeds in the fall. Combine them all in one delicious salt. I usually make herb salt with dried herbs in small amounts. Put the salt/herbs into the shaker and shake until they are mixed.

The history of salt is fascinating to me. Roman soldiers received an allowance to buy salt. This is known as the “solarium” and is the origin for our modern day English word salary. Ghandi engaged in civil disobedience with his salt march.

Medicine from the sea

Medicine from the sea.

I grew up in Nova Scotia. A part of me is always somewhere beyond the land onto the sea. Here in landlocked Ontario, it is easy to forget about medicine from the sea. The ocean is ineffable. Unless you have stood on the shore and watched the waves crash upon the rocks, felt the fine mist of water upon your check, and smelled the salt in the air there can be no true knowing of the sea.

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Jacques Cousteau

Longing for home

Seaweeds are macroalgae. 3 main kinds – brown, red, and green. Each kind contains any number of species. As examples for brown, we can think of

kelp

bladderwrack

kombu

For red – dulse comes to mind and for green a good example would be chlorella.

I want to focus on the brown seaweeds today and in particular bladderwrack – Fucus vesiculosus.

As medicine from the sea seaweeds have been used for centuries. In seafaring communities, they are an important part of the diet. Seaweeds and brown seaweeds in particular are important nutritive tonics. Many chronic conditions respond to improved nutrition. It isn’t so much that the person is ill for instance but rather that they lack the basic building blocks for good health.

A side of minerals with that kelp frond.

Aquatic plants have large amounts of minerals concentrated in them. More than any plant growing on land. Seaweeds are excellent sources of calcium, chloride, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, sodium, sulphur, and zinc. Healthy metabolic function demands essential minerals. Seaweeds are also excellent sources of vitamins – containing vitamin C, B vitamins, and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Without getting sidetracked I will just quickly state that neither macroalgae nor microalgae are a source of B12. Seaweeds are excellent additions to soups and stir-fries. When decocted they can be drunk as a tea or as a long infusion. Herbalist Ryan Drum is an expert in the use of macroalgae for healing and in using sea vegetables as part of your diet. For medicinal benefit it is better to have some seaweed every day (in smaller amounts) rather than eat large quantities infrequently.

Seaweed, iodine and the thyroid.

Bladderwrack is a thyroid trophorestorative. A trophorestorative is an herb that has a specific affinity for one particular organ or body system and acts to restore that herb/system to fill function. Sometimes they push, sometimes they pull. They are nutritives – containing nutrients that a specific organ/system is in need of for full function. The iodine in bladderwrack is essential to proper thyroid function. Thyroid hormones regulate large parts of our metabolism. Without iodine these hormones cannot be made.

Brownish green macroalgae attached to rocks.

Bladderwrack

Bladderwrack lives between the low tide mark and the high tide mark. The herb consists of a mass attached at the base to the rocks. The vegetative body is a thallus. The bladders are air filled pods that help keep the algae afloat during high tide. Usually found in pairs along the mid rib of the thallus. The heavier the wave action the fewer the number of bladders on the plant.

Beyond the thyroid.

Bladderwrack is indispensable for thyroid conditions – in particular hypothyroidism. In addition, it has many other healing properties. Excellent antioxidant, antiviral, cardiac tonic, analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic. New research shows that bladderwrack can be use in cancerous conditions. It arrests cell growth, encourages apoptosis, and inhibits angiogenesis. The herb inhibits collagenase and elastase. These are enzymes that breakdown collagen and elastin in the body. Those seaweed wraps at the spa can be effective. It has a history of being used for musculoskeletal problems and there are case reports of resolution of joint inflammations/pain.

Harvesting.

I shot this photo the last time I was in Nova Scotia. There is no visit during which I don’t spend at least some time at the sea. Here in Ottawa any medicine from the sea I want to work with has to come from a reputable supplier. Seaweeds bioaccumulate elements from sea water. This is why they are so mineral rich. It also means that they may contain heavy metals, pesticide residue, and petroleum products. Sadly, the ocean is not pristine. Only use a supplier that tests their harvest. I like Maine Coast Sea Vegetables as a supplier and feel confident using their products.

To harvest my own, I would go at low tide, choose an area free from pollutants, and I would trim some a variety of plants. If you pull the plant off the rocks you’ve killed it and there is no need. I have not lived in Nova Scotia for many years, as a result, I feel more comfortable ordering from a quality supplier as I do not know enough about the N.S. shoreline to truly be informed about where to harvest and where not to.

Folks with hyperthyroidism should only use seaweeds medicinally if they are working with an herbalist.

Making an Herb Oil Infused Oil – part 2

Making an Herb Infused Oil – Part 2

In part 1 I talked about making an herb infused oil. I know the herb I want to use and decided on a combination of 2 oils (sunflower and jojoba) that have some similar/some complementary properties.

Using Heat

When working with dried herbs (which when I am making an herb infused oil is 90% of the time) I like to use heat to do it. I could place the herb material in a jar, cover it with oil and let the whole thing macerate over time – much like a tincture. If I use heat though I can get the whole infusion finished in one day. I am lucky that I have a crockpot with a warm function. Many crockpots will be too hot to make an herb infused oil so check yours. You don’t want to scorch the oil. Keep your oils from heating to above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I checked my crockpot by filling it, leaving it on (lid off) and used a candy thermometer to check the temperature.

Elderflowers to be garbled.

Keeping the Heat Down

If your crockpot is too hot there a few things you can try. You will have to pay attention.

Leave the lid off.

Pulse the crockpot – turn it on for half an hour/turn it off for half an hour.

Put the lid on but prop it open with a spoon.

You can use a double boiler to heat your oil. This technique means vigilance. To ensure that the water does not boil dry and make sure the oil does not get too hot. I am someone who has put soup on the stove, gone downstairs and 2 hours later said – crap the soup! A technique that requires constant vigilance is not suited to my temperament.

Oil to Herb Measurements

I want to replicate my oils so when I make them again, they will be the same. If you ever went free form and made a mouth-watering spaghetti sauce it can be frustrating to try and remember what you did that made it so delicious.

For making an herb infused oil I measure the herb by weight and the oil by ml. Over time I have found that the ratio I want is

40 grams of herb material

300 ml of oil

40 grams of elderflowers.

150 ml of sunflower oil and 150 ml of jojoba oil

I need 250 ml of oil for the face cream recipe. After I infuse the oil and strain the herb material, I will have 250 to 300 ml of oil.

Before You Start.

It is critical to your success that everything you use is clean and dry. Attention to detail is crucial. You do not want the oil to go rancid. Nor do you want mold to grow in your product. Botulism is a concern, although more likely with fresh plant material. Botulism toxin grows in an anaerobic environment and that is what an oil is. While it is more of a concern for culinary oils that are to be ingested – the toxins can be absorbed topically. After making the oil I add rosemary extract as a preservative – natural products are susceptible to going off.

Wash and dry all your equipment before you start. Clean and sanitize the workspace and assemble all tools before you begin.

Using Fresh Herbs.

In making an herb infused oil some herbs should be used fresh. The herb I immediately think of is St. John’s Wort. The gorgeous ruby red colour – the hallmark of a quality St. John’s Wort oil – cannot be achieved with dry plant material.

St. John’s Wort oil.

When you use fresh herbs reduce the water content by wilting them. I lay the herbs on a screen. They dry for 24-48 hours before I place them in the oil. Reduce the weight of your herbs by half when you are wilting fresh herbs. If for example I begin with 100 grams of fresh violet leaves, I weigh them and when they weigh 50 grams – I make the oil.

For oil infusions with fresh herbs I do not use heat but let them macerate for 4-6 weeks. I know many herbalists who cover the jar with cheesecloth, I prefer to use an unbleached coffee filter that I can hold in place with the screw band. This helps any moisture that might be in the jar to evaporate. After a week I place a regular cover on the jar.

Folk Method.

St. John’s Wort oil infusing.

If you are making an herb infused oil for yourself to use, you can use the folk method. This is fancy way of saying – eyeball it. Fill your jar with 1/2 to 2/3rds full of herb material and add oil to cover. Don’t pack the herb too tightly – you want the oil to seep into all the spaces in the jar. Be sure to submerge the herb underneath in the oil. Sit it in the back of a dark cupboard for 4-5 weeks. Strain. You can place the jar in the sun each day to apply some heat. When I make an herb infused oil from St. John’s Wort, I place the bottle on my back patio to soak up the afternoon sun.

Using the crockpot.

I put the herbs in the bottom of the crockpot. Add the oil. I stir everything together to ensure that the oil coats the herbs. Turn the crockpot to warm. Wait. Occasionally I check on the mixture to make sure the herbs are still covered, and the temperature is at 100 degrees. The more stable that the carrier oils you have chosen and the lower the heat – the longer you can infuse the oil. I have read that some herbalists hot infuse their oils for days. I would not do this. If I wanted a long infusion process, I would use the crockpot to begin. I would then cold infuse the mixture for however long I wanted. With the heat I keep the herbs in the oil for 5 hours. I feel this is long enough.

Straining.

Turn the crockpot off and let the oil has cool. Time to strain. To start I use an unbleached cotton muslin jelly bag. I attach it to the mouth of a wide mouth jar (a hair elastic works great for this). Scrape the oil/herb mixture into the bag. I let time and gravity do the work. Once the oil has drained through the bag, I use a large spatula or my hands to press as much of the remaining oil out of the marc as possible.

To remove any fine particulate matter, I strain the oil again, this time through an unbleached coffee filter. I have found that lining a funnel with the coffee filter works best and cuts down on fiddling. If I was feeling fancy, I could siphon the oil off the top – leaving the sediment at the bottom of the container. It’s a judgement call depending on how much sediment I see in the oil. The elderflowers had a lot of pollen. I will filter it through a coffee filter a second time.

Bottling.

When the oil is filtered to my satisfaction, I bottle it in a dark bottle and label it with the herb, the oil, and the date I made it. I add 5 ml of rosemary extract for every 250 ml of oil. This helps to keep the oil from going off. Vitamin E is an alternative.

With oils the main concern is oxidation. You’ve seen how apples or avocado will start to turn brown after you cut them into slices? That is oxidation. An herb infused oil will last anywhere from 6 months to 3 years. It depends on the oils you use and the storage conditions. I bottle the oils in a dark bottle so that less light can get in. I store my oils in a cool dry and dark cupboard. If I had made a product with a more unstable oil, I would consider keeping the finished product in the fridge.

Herb Infused Oils.

Every herbalist has their own way of making oils. The best way to find what works for you is experimentation. My method works for me. Now that I have the elderflower oil made I am going to find that face cream recipe and work on that next.

Respite in the wild

Respite in the wild.

I have been writing part 2 to last weeks post and I’ll be honest – I’m struggling with it a bit. Do I need to clutter the internet with information that is already out there? My spirit has been needing some solace. Some respite in the wild. Yesterday I went for a long (15 km) hike with my best friend. It was long, cold, snowy, and as a result by the time we got back to the car my knee was unhappy with me.

We chose to take a loop for the return because (frankly) the winter wind slapping our faces was a bit much. We decided that hiking up sucks and we also decided that hiking down sucks. On this particular trail that doesn’t leave much.

And yet.

The mystery of the wild wrapped itself around me.

Respite in the wild.

If only that was a better picture.

I am an herbalist in part because the wild speaks to me. I want to share this Wendell Berry poem as I lack the words to capture what it means to me. These pandemic days are hard. Hang on, reach out, and if you can – take respite in the wild.

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Making an herb infused oil

Making an Herb Infused Oil

Last week I wrote a post about juniper berries and using them to make an herb infused oil. I didn’t go into detail. This week I will start to cover it in depth. This will be in two parts.

In my practice I do use essential oils, however, I prefer to use infused oils most of the time. Making an herb infused oil gives you options. Essential oils use massive amounts of herb material. As a result, I have questions about the long-term sustainability of the practice. I think that there is hope but consumer demand can drive the market in unsustainable ways. Wherever possible I do not want to contribute to the loss of plant species. Using essential oils safely requires an in-depth knowledge, wisdom, and experience that I do not have. Many of them can cause serious side effects (allergic contact dermatitis, asthma, burns, etc.) and I choose to stay in my lane and work with those few that I know are safe and effective.

Choosing an Herb

Some herbs are classics for an herb infused oil. Calendula springs to mind immediately. Fantastic skin herb and a calendula infused herb oil would make a great base for any skin care product. Plantain, goldenrod, comfrey, and arnica are some other herbs with a long history of being made into infused oils. There are herbs that need to be used fresh but most of the time it is better to use dried herbs. The water content of fresh herb material can lead to the growth of mold and bacteria in your oil. Let’s focus on using dried herbs to begin.

Elderflowers

This summer I harvested elderflowers. I made tincture of some of the flowers and the rest I dried. I’ve been wanting to make an elderflower face cream. The first step in the process will be to make the herb infused oil. I am choosing elderflowers because they are astringent, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and there is evidence that they provide protection from the sun. Elderflower is also a good choice because I know I can get elderflower hydrosol and face cream recipes use hydrosols. This is an opportunity to double up the elderflower by using both the herb infused oil and the hydrosol. I might infuse the oil twice to make it more healing to my skin.

Choosing a Carrier Oil

I know what herb I want to use. Which carrier oil? 3 factors to consider in choosing your oil.

1. What do you want to use the oil for?

For years I made all my herb infused oils with olive oil. It’s stable (does not go rancid easily), is readily available, and is cost effective. If I wanted a calendula infused herb oil to use in salves – I use olive oil. I now make more products to sell and the products are skincare based. For the face cream I want to use different oils to increase the potency of my products. The skin on the face and the skin on the knees are not the same.

2. Cost

This is a project I haven’t previously tried. It will be my first ever face cream. Do I want experiment with an expensive oil and end up throwing the whole thing in the trash?

For reference, I did a quick price check on some common carrier oils. All organic and all cold pressed.

Argan $0.16 per ml Sweet Almond $0.04 per ml Olive oil $0.02 per ml

Rosehip Seed $0.23 per ml Jojoba $0.09 per ml Sunflower $.02 per ml

3. Specific qualities of each oil.

Examples

Argan oil – High in vitamin E. It absorbs easily into the skin and is great for dry and mature skin. Improves the elasticity of the skin and non-comedogenic. It does have a strong aroma.

Sweet Almond – Odourless and it penetrates the skin. High in vitamin and vitamin E. Soothes skin irritation and is great for all skin types but especially for sensitive skin. Helps to protect the skin from sun damage.

Jojoba – Stable, does not go rancid. This is because it is not an oil but rather a type of wax. It is a close match to the natural sebum of the skin and is excellent for oily skin or people prone to breakouts. Antibacterial and antifungal. Light and non-greasy it absorbs quickly into the skin.

Rosehip – Pressed from the seeds within a rosehip. High in vitamin C. Helps to increase the regeneration of skin cells and is excellent in helping to heal and prevent scarring. Improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Reduces redness and irritation.

Sunflower – A light oil and easily absorbed. High in vitamin E and non-comedogenic. Is a great emulsifier. Little scent. Soothes irritated skin and improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial.

Choices

There are many other oils available. This is by no means a definitive list. For instance, if I had the money a simple cream made with rosehip seed oil would probably be killer. I love that oil. Of course, it would cost over $54 for the oil alone. That is before I bought the other items needed.

Reading over the list I think I will use a combo of sunflower and jojoba oil. A good combination of a more basic workhorse oil and an extra special delicious oil.

Next week – we have the herb, and we have the oil. What to do next. Hint – it involves a crockpot.