We have been asked to include more herbal recipes in our newsletters so here ya go! We will begin with some uses for a few of the herbs in last week's list of herbal pickin's list.

CALENDULA, Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis) is one of the best herbs for any number of skin problems. The petals, dried or fresh, can be tossed directly into your bath water. Calendula, chamomile, and comfrey leaf combined make a soothing herb bath for babies and young children. Calendula petals can also be added to base oils or vinegar. To do this, start with a clean bottle that can be corked. Stuff calendula petals into the bottle filling it about half full. Pour in the oil or vinegar, cork the bottle, and place it in a sunny spot for about two weeks. Choose olive oil or canola oil as the base oil. Don't forget to label the bottle and, after the two weeks is up, store the infusion in a cool dark place. Use your calendula oil as a body oil. It is an excellent replacement for baby oils. Your calendula vinegar infusion makes a wonderful facial wash or hair rinse. It will help to reduce spider veins and add highlights to your hair.

COMFREY, Knitbone (Symphytum officinale) regenerates aging tissues. Now you know why this is my favorite herb. I literally bathe in it. ;-) But, there are many other reasons this herb is my favorite. Comfrey speeds the healing of wounds and broken bones. It is a cell proliferant. A comfrey poultice helps relieve the pain of gout, rheumatism, and arthritis. A tonic made with comfrey leaf, alfalfa, and parsley blended with your choice of fruit juice helps to relieve asthma, ulcers, and rheumatism. It is also an excellent tonic for general good health. To cure vaginal infections, douche with comfrey water. Comfrey water is also useful for inflamed skin rashes, acne and boils, and it is effective on scars, too.

BASIL (Ocimum basilicum) makes an effective poultice to draw out poisonous insect bites or stings. To make this poultice, throw fresh or frozen basil leaves into a blender or food processor and blend to extract the juices. This can also be applied to ringworm, canker sores, and other skin diseases. Holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) helps to stabilize blood sugar levels making it useful in the treatment of diabetes. Use the aerial parts of holy basil to make a decoction and drink a cup each day. It also has a tonic effect on the heart, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and it is considered adaptogenic, reducing stress. Holy basil tea is an excellent general tonic.

SAGE (Salvia officinalis) is another one that relieves insect bites and stings. Rub the fresh leaves directly on the bite or sting. In the bath, sage eases sore, aching muscles and tired feet. As a decoction, sage reduces hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause. It has an estrogenic effect that is not yet understood. Gargling with sage water relieves sore throat and canker sores.

SHOO FLY POTPOURRI

This is a little potpourri recipe I picked up somewhere, I can't remember where, but it does seem to help keep flies away when placed in the center of a dining table.

• 4 cups lavender flowers
• 2 cups dried mint leaves
• 2 cups dried lemon verbena leaves
• 1/2 cup cloves
• 1/2 cup orris root powder
• 5-10 drops citronella essential oil (refresh as needed)
  

And, if you find ants trailing their way into your house, sprinkle pennyroyal along their path.

Here's an easy recipe from Cathe using basil ... Basil Garlic Peas Ingredients: 2 cups freshly shelled peas (or 1 bag frozen peas) 6 -10 large basil leaves 5 -6 cloves garlic, smashed or pressed finely 1 tablespoon butter Place the butter and garlic in a sauté pan . Sauté on low heat for about 2 minutes. Add the fresh peas and basil and cook until the peas are warmed. If using frozen peas, cook them separately according to the directions and then add them, drained, along with the basil and stir over the low heat for about 2 minutes.

This yummy recipe is also from Cathe. Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla) and STEVIA (Stevia rebaudiana) Iced Tea Ingredients: Water Stevia, 20 fresh leaves or 10 dried and powdered Lemon Verbena, 20 fresh leaves 4-5 Tea bags or loose tea in a tea ball In a non-metal pot, infuse stevia and lemon verbena leaves in 3 cups boiling water for 15 minutes. (If you use dried stevia, do not infuse it) Pour the infusion into a glass sun tea container (1-2 gallon size) along with 4-5 of your favorite (ice) tea bags. Fill with water. Let infuse in the sun for at least 3 hours. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or pour over ice and add fresh lemon slices in a glass. Throw in some fresh sprigs of lemon verbena before serving or freeze some leaves in the ice cubes you add to the water.

LEMON BALM CHEESECAKE

This recipe came from The Herb Quarterly. Sinful as it may seem, I couldn't resist sharing it.

Crust

• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
• 1-1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/2 stick of soy or other vegetable margarine
  
• 1/4 cup ice water

Filling

• 1 pounds ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup minced lemon balm leaves
• 5 large eggs, well beaten
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 1 Tbls Grand Marnier

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flour, baking powder, almonds, butter and margarine. Pulse until the butter and margarine form "pebbles" the size of peas. Place the mixture in a bowl and stir in enough ice water until the mixture holds its shape, about two tablespoons. On a lightly floured surface, pound out the dough until it is a quarter inch thick. Fold the mixture over about three times and pound out flat again. Form into a ball and press mixture into the bottom of a greased spring form pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the cheese, almonds, and lemon balm in a large bowl. Put the beaten eggs into a separate bowl and stick in the sugar and Grand Marnier. Gradually beat the cheese mixture into the egg mixture until well combined. Pour into the prepared crust and bake 60 to 70 minutes or until golden brown.

F.A.Q.s

One of our readers recently asked the following questions. Because they are somewhat typical of other questions we have received, I decided to share them with all of you.

QUESTION: "Do herbs need plant food?"

ANSWER: Most herbs do not need extra fertilizer if the soil is "healthy." By "healthy" soil I mean soil that has been amended with compost. Most herbs prefer average garden soil and some actually prefer "poor" soil.

NOTE: We will be offering a wider choice of herb seeds from Horizon Herbs for the next growing season. Horizon Herbs is owned and operated by the Cech Family in Williams, Oregon. They offer a very wide selection of high quality medicinal herbs. When these are added to our product line, we will also include individual growing tips and harvesting tips for each herb on our web site and in our catalog.

QUESTION: "Do herbs need something to keep bugs off?"

ANSWER: Personally, bugs in the garden don't bother me. Unless there is a large infestation, the damage from bugs is so minimal I hardly notice it. I find that healthy plants do not attract unwanted insects. So the trick is to keep your herbs happy by learning where they like to grow and how they like to be treated. In my opinion, the best teacher is trial and error. Pick up as many tips as you can and go for it. If you lose a plant or two along the way, don't sweat it. That's all part of the learning process. You will find that as your garden progresses all of the plants in it tend to improve. It's like watching an environmental marvel.

QUESTION: "Is there a natural something (pesticide) to use for herbs and veggies?"

ANSWER: Yes, there are natural pesticides. BT, bacilus thuringiensis, is a popular one useful in the control of caterpillars and worms (it does not harm beneficial earth worms). Other organic pesticides include pyrethrum, quassia, rotenone, ryania, and sabadilla. Local nurseries or mail order nurseries usually have a good selection. Read the labels or ask about the contents. Some of the above mentioned organic pesticides may have harmful chemical compounds added to enhance their effectiveness. Insist on the pure version. And remember, when in doubt, don't! It may be safer to live with the bugs!

QUESTION: "What is the most effective wash to use in cleaning treated veggies, herbs and fruit?"

ANSWER: Ordinary soap and water would be adequate in most cases, but when dealing with leafy plants, soap and water will not be of much help. If a harmful compound has been sprayed on the plant, it is in the leaf and can not be washed off. When washing vegetables and fruits, a few drops of tea tree essential oil can be added to a liquid soap to improve its effectiveness.

In addition, we received the following from one of our readers and, as Cathe is actively growing so many herbs, she answered it with her usual "good advice." Stay tuned for a future newsletter when she reports on her different experiments with soapwort (body care), henna (cosmetic), lavender (medicinal), and pineapple sage (culinary).

QUESTION: "I would like to know the best and/or easiest way to propagate lemon balm from cuttings. I have been trying for months to get some cuttings to root and so far I am having zero success. I would appreciate any help you could offer. I am having the same problem with my apple mint, and I would appreciate any help you could offer."

ANSWER: The best and easiest way to propogate these two is to layer them. What I do is bend down a portion of the plant, clothes pin it into the ground about 1" deep and cover with soil. Within a few weeks a new plant will be growing there. At that time, simply snip off the part connected to the "parent" plant and transplant the new one.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Another frequently asked question involves the way we list the names of the herbs we talk about. We start with the common name. We sometimes include an also known as (a.k.a.) name. Then the Latin name is given in parentheses. For instance comfrey may be written as follows: Comfrey, knitbone (Symphytum officinale). Comfrey's common name is "comfrey." Comfrey is also known as "knitbone." And, comfrey's Latin name is "Symphytum officinale."

Our goal is to bring collective knowledge together to provide accurate herbal information, giving references whenever possible, for the purpose of being informed when choosing self-help and alternative approaches to health and lifestyle. At no time should this publication be considered prescription or treatment, nor should any information published herein be misinterpreted as such. The publishers can not be held responsible for the mishandling of information by its readers.

Please do not take herbal information lightly.
Remember our motto is ... When in doubt, don't!
Until next Monday I remain,

Herbally yours, Abby

Lynda "Abby" Trahan
Abby's Herb Company
P.O. Box 213
Round Top, TX 78954

lynda@abbysherbshop.com
www.abbysherbshop.com

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