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Oils, Vinegars & Bitters

Greenfeet

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Summer season is in full swing. There are alot of herbs that are at thier peak for harvesting right now and I have been gathering many and hanging them to dry, or making oils, vinegars and bitters out of them.

 

Bitters are new to me. Because my digestive problems respond well when I add bitter elements to my diet, making bitters seemed like a natural avenue to explore for my health as well as my passion for working with plants.

 

I did some Googling and I not having much luck finding information about old fashioned medicinal bitters- but it seems that Bitters, as in flavoring for mixed drinks, are all the rage. There is some info out there on how to make Bitters and how to use them in drinks, soda water or foods, so I have gleaned what information that seemed relevent and bought a big bottle of 190 proof grain alcohol and I am winging it with the bitter herbs that are around me.

 

So here are some experiments I have going at the moment:

 

* Peel from one grapefruit, 5 cloves, 1 1/2 inches of ginger root sliced, handful of sweetgrass. 190 proof grain alcohol to cover. (Digestive aid. Digestive complaints- nausea, diarrhea, gas.)

 

*Peel of one grapefruit, 4 crushed juniper berries, 2 cloves. 190 proof grain alcohol to cover. (Digestive aid. Digestive complaints- nausea, diarrhea & stomach aches.)

 

* Peel of one grapefruit, 5 chicory crowns, 1 Turkeytail polypore, 1 Queen Anne?s lace seedhead. 180 proof grain alcohol to cover. SLV (Digestive aid. Soothes digestive tract, supports liver. Digestive complaints- diarrhea, gas, upset stomach. Immune boost.)

 

*Mugwort and lots of sweetgrass in 190 proof grain alcohol. ( Dreams, spirit travel)

 

Now I just have to wait while they macerate for 2 weeks before I see how they turned out......

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wolfjan1

wolfjan1 25

Posted

Sounds like you are well on your way! I have never tried bitters, and use ginger syrup for a great deal of digestive problems.

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wolfjan1

wolfjan1 25

Posted

Landieth have you tried the ginger syrup as an emergency measure?

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Startella

Startella 44

Posted

I have never tried bitters, let us know how it all works for you. I am very interested..

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Greenfeet

Greenfeet 14

Posted

I have not used ginger syrup, but I carry candied ginger in my purse for emergencies.

 

I just got back from camping and it is time to start checking out how the bitters turned out. .....As soon as I finish unpacking.

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Greenfeet

Greenfeet 14

Posted

I strained the Bitters through white cotton cloth bags tonight- I just couldn't get myself to use the coffee filters I saw suggested online. I stitched up a few bags on my sewing machine, they worked great, and they are reusable.

 

The Bitters smelled interesting. Some of them are real pretty; especially the mugwort & sweetgrass, it is the most amazing green color. I will have to try them out, maybe I will get a chance tomorrow. It is too late tonight, I am too tired to even think of what to do with them.

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Greenfeet

Greenfeet 14

Posted

Summertime barbecues have got me eating more meat then my system can handle. I went to another barbecue last night and I woke up with my stomach bothering me again.

 

So I figured this is the perfect time to test the Bitters. I decided to try the one with the grapefruit peel, cloves, ginger root and sweetgrass. I had a fresh grapefruit and I squeezed the juice into a glass. It was thick, so I added a splash of water and then added a splash of the Bitters. I took my time sipping it down. Didn't taste bad, and my stomach calmed down right away.

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Greenfeet

Greenfeet 14

Posted

I over did it again. This time I tried the Bitters with juniper berries in it. I put a little applejuice in a coffee mug and since sweet things tend to make my stomach problems worse, I squeezed in a slice of lime in it, and then added a splash of bitters. Again it worked wonders.

 

Ginger always helped with the symptoms, but not the underlying problem of lack of digestive juices, the Bitters seem to be helping with the underlying problem. I have been dealing with these health issues for 5 years now, and it is so exciting to find something that really works for me!

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