Medicinals and Beverage Making

STILL ROOMS

From Medieval times up to Victorian times, the still room was a distillery room found in most great houses, castles or large establishments throughout Europe. It was a dedicated room or suite of rooms distinct from the kitchen where medicines were made, cosmetics, cleaning products, even home brewed beer and wine for the peasants, since so much of their water was undrinkable/not safe to ingest. Fermentation was essential for sterilization and sanitation.

When Europeans came to this country as settlers, they brought the wisdom of the still room to America. Every home, rich or poor, had an area set apart for this. Up until the Victorian area, when physicians and apothecaries started to become more widely spread with the products made in the still room commercially available,

Girl Power. The still room was the woman’s domain.

I think that’s natural since our roles as healers and caregivers predate written history. The skills a woman brought to her marriage would very well determine whether or not that family would live in comfort, have enough to eat, stay well and prosper. The things we have come to accept as the comforts and necessities of life was not so easily had back then.

A woman’s skills were valued when marriage was on the horizon.

The still room was a vital part of the household. Since the mother or elder female was the boss, she taught her daughters and wardså some of the skills needed to run their own homes in order to make them more marriageable.

How a still room can be valued today whether it’s a dedicated space or the kitchen table.

Fermentation

Think kombucha, pickled products, yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi. Didn’t Nell make kraut?

Herbal vinegars

The properties of herbs can be easily extracted using vinegars and oils. Common apple cider and clear vinegars can be used as a base for infusing herbs and spices. Herbal vinegars make great gifts. And I can still remember when Mr. W made his own concoction of herbal vinegar during a class and it was the best for salads and marinades. BUT NO RECIPE!! (Mr. W - explain!

Good base recipe for herbal vinegar

A good proportion is 1/4 herbs to 3/4 vinegar. One, two, three or even more herbs as long as their flavor profiles work, is good. I love basil, onion chive flowers and a toe of garlic together. The cold infusion method is great - just let it sit at room temperature until herbs wilt and the aroma is right. Strain and use.

NOTE: Check with your health care provider before using any homemade preparation (other than vinegars, etc.). Here’s some of my favorites.

Cosmetic preparations.

An easy one is rose water with mint as a skin toner or for aromatherapy. Just put 2 cups fragrant, fresh, organic rose petals and 1 cup peppermint into 3 cups distilled water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. The color will be gone. Strain, cool and put in a spray bottle. Keep away from eyes. A tiny bit of vodka helps preserve it.

Ointments/Salves

We talked a while back about comfrey salve - infuse leaves or roots in olive oil, strain it, then heat gently with some beeswax to stiffen it up after cooling. Great for sole muscles.

Bay leaf oil for hair and skin. Also good to relieve a tension headache with a few drops rubbed on temples.

It has wound healing benefits. My girlfriend brought me back a bar of bay leaf soap from Turkey and what a lovely fragrance and so healing. Just pound or grind fresh or dry bay leaves and place in jar. Cover with a high quality oil. Strain and use.

Homemade medicinal brandy

I always make a potion of wild cherries, sugar and brandy for coughs and colds. Sometimes I’ll add some anise hyssop for congestion.