H erbs
M ake S cents
THE HERB SOCIETY OF AMERICA
VOLUME XXXVII, NUMBER 3
SOUTH TEXAS UNIT
MARCH 2014
Editor - Benée Curtis, 713-663-6416, [email protected]
March 2014 Calendar
March 11 - Tues. – 10 a.m.
March 19 - Wed. - 7 p.m.
Day Meeting at the home of Ann Schrock. Return to the Texas Plant Explorers by Lois
Sutton, and a 10 minute vignette from Helen Norse Webster by Irene Potoczniak.
Bring a dish to share. Due to limited space, this meeting is only open to members.
Evening Meeting at the Judson Robinson Community Center (2020 Hermann Drive
near Almeda) hosted by Thelma Rowe and Suzanne Wessels. Plans for Memorial
Park by guest speaker Jay Daniel. Bring your plate and napkin and a potluck dish to
share. Meeting open to the public.
April 2014 Calendar
Apr. 8 - Tues. – 10 a.m.
Apr. 16 - Wed. – 7 p.m.
April 26 – Sat.
Day Meeting at the home of Martha Burg. Book Review of The Harvester by Lois
Jean Howard. Bring a dish to share. Due to limited space, this meeting is only open
to members.
Evening Meeting at the Judson Robinson Community Center (2020 Hermann Drive
near Almeda) hosted by Irene Potoczniak and host needed. Herbal Skin Magic by
Karen Cottingham. Bring your plate and napkin and a potluck dish to share.
Meeting open to the public.
Herb Day - Cancelled
Herb Day Hiatus
After thirty-one years, we are taking a break from the
Herb Day symposium. The demolition of the Hermann
Park Garden Center left us without a home, so we have
decided to take a break.
The April 26, 2014 Herb Day is cancelled.
Stay tuned for information about our fall Herb Fair.
“LIKE” us on Facebook
The Herb Society of America, South Texas Unit has a
Facebook page now. “Like” us if you want to see our
updates.
Happy Birthday!
3/1
3/3
3/9
3/10
3/11
3/12
3/15
3/16
3/23
3/28
Susan Wood
Lois Holcombe
Eunice Shupp
Vivian Scallan
Joan Jordan
Mercedes Hitchcock
Betsy Clement
Beth Murphy
Lois Jean Howard
Linda Alderman
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
2014 Educational Conference and Annual Meeting of Members
June 20 - 21, 2014
WESTWARD TO CALIFORNIA! START YOUR CALIFORNIA
DREAMING NOW!
The Hilton Concord Hotel
1970 Diamond Blvd.
Concord, California 94520-5718
Registration is now open! Reserve early — up to and including April 30, 2014 — and receive an early bird discount! All
registrations must be received no later than June 4, 2014. Register on line www.herbsociety.org.
Herbie’s Road Trip
From the HSA National Website
www.herbsociety.org
Oh my gosh! This is just too cute! Check out the national
website and look at Herbie the Gnome’s travel log as he travels
from Ohio to California. Features pictures of Herbie in
members’ gardens.
Flowers for the Table
By Sally Luna
Have you ever given, much thought about how we
decorate tables for dining and use flowers for the
centerpiece?
For centuries the western tradition was to use edibles as
the centerpiece - roasted meats, exotic meat pies,
imported delicacies and sugar sculptures which were
later replaced by white porcelain figures. The flowering
of the nineteenth century changed these practices and
flowers for the table became fashionable. With the dawn
of the nineteenth century there was a dramatic increase
in the cultivation of flowers in all social classes, the
appearance horticultural societies, gardening magazines
and commercial and private hot houses. It was not
surprising that cut flowers became important table
decorations.
Of course, there appeared all sorts of rules and
conventions about flower arrangements for the table.
There was a convention that mixed bouquets should be
rejected in favor of themed displays based on one color
appropriate for the occasion which certainly entailed the
language of flowers. In 1816 there was a record noting
that flowers were used on a wedding table in
Philadelphia. The above pencil sketch of a dining table
from Philadelphia dated 1850 was done by James Rush,
former US treasurer. This drawing is thought to be the
first image of flowers used for a centerpiece in America.
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
March To Do List
From Buchanan’s Native Plants
611 E 11th Street Houston, TX 77008
 Mow lawn to help eliminate weeds. Keep weeds
cut back to prevent flowering and re-seeding. Fill bare
patches with St. Augustine sod. Apply lawn food after
three mowings. At this time the grass will be actively
growing and it is a good time to apply Micro Life or
other lawn fertilizer.
 Prune or plant roses. Now is the time to begin
applying rose food on a monthly basis. Use Rose Glo,
an organic fertilizer we keep in stock.
 Plant tomatoes by the middle of the month for a
spring harvest. Plant peppers, okra, cucumbers,
eggplant, climbing spinach and more. Use Cottonseed
Meal or a liquid organic fertilizer like John’s Recipe by
Ladybug for an abundant and healthy harvest.
 Start seeds or set out plants for spring flowers
and herbs. Plant now and get established before heat
sets in. Good herbs to plant include basil, dill,
chives, cilantro, fennel, oregano, mint and
parsley. (Come on in and see our wide selection). Use
a dilute solution of John’s Recipe to improve vigor.
 Plant fruit trees, shade trees, and ornamental
trees. Be sure to apply mulch around the root zone to
keep moist and avoid weeds. Make sure trees are
watered regularly during first few years of growth,
while tree is getting established. Add mycorrhizae to
planting hole to also aid establishment of the tree. Use
Super Thrive or Root Stimulator every few weeks for
the first three months after planting.
 Plant shrubs such as roses and azaleas. Use
Super Thrive or Root Stimulator every two weeks for
the first few months after planting.
 Feed Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Plumeria, with
Nutri Star. This will help plants to put out new lush
growth and plenty of blooms.
 Prune trees and shrubs while dormant. If you
need assistance with the proper way to prune your
crepe myrtles, let us know~!!! Don’t butcher the poor
things. Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as azaleas,
spireas, and redbuds after they’ve bloomed. Feed with
Nutri Star or Micro-life, once after they bloom and then
again in June.
 Apply dormant oil to smother insects before
they become a problem. Apply to hollies,
magnolias, and camellias for scale. Release Lady Bugs
to control insects like aphids and whitefly.
 In mid-March, move houseplants outside into
shade and repot if necessary. Feed with Nutri Star
or a liquid organic fertilizer like John’s Recipe by
Ladybug.
 Plant color annuals such as marigolds, fuchsias,
petunias, osteospermum, perilla, bachelor buttons,
coleus, forget-me-nots, dusty millers, annual phlox,
geraniums, impatiens, begonias and more!
 Plant Sun Perennials Shasta daisy, rudbeckia,
gaillardia, verbena, coreopsis, lantana, perennial
salvias, bee balm, porterweed, mist flower, jatropha,
skullcap are some of the many we offer.
 Plant colorful Shade Perennials like firespike,
shrimp plant, Persian shield, leopard plant, cat
whiskers, ruellias, turk’s cap, sweet potato vine,
creeping jenny, and many more!
 Spread a fresh layer of mulch around trees,
shrubs, and beds to protect roots, retain moisture, and
prevent weeds.
 Clean birdbaths and feeders. Keep feeders full!!
Birds are hungry. We sell feeder cleaning supplies in
the bungalow.
 Put out hummingbird feeders. We are expecting
our first sighting any day now! To keep birds at your
feeder, maintain a fresh nectar supply, and empty and
wash the feeder each time you refill. Hummingbirds
remember where they find a reliable food source –so if
your yard is one of them, they’ll often return year after
year.
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
Save the Dates...
Mercer Arboretum
22306 Aldine Westfield Rd, Humble,
TX 77338
(281) 443-8731
March Mart, Mercer’s largest plant sale, is
held each March and highlights unusual and
choice plant varieties unavailable in local
markets.
http://www.hcp4.net/Mercer/marchmart/index.htm
March Mart "Members Only" Plant Sale
Thursday, March 13, 2014*
VIP Membership: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
TMS Members: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
March Mart Plant Sale
Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15, 2014*
Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.;
Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The 19th Annual Herbal Forum at Round Top
http://www.herbsocietypioneer.org
“CELEBRATING ARTEMISIA”
Herb of the Year 2014
Saturday, March 22, 2014
With Optional Workshops on Friday,
March 21st
Friday, March 21, 2014 from 9-6
Workshops, Plant Sale
Saturday March 22, 2014 from 8-4
Speakers, Plant Sale
Reservations may be made by
phone at 979-249-3129 or on-line at
www.festivalhill.org.
Payments may either be made with
PayPal, credit card or by a check pay
Bellaire Garden Club Plant Sale
Saturday, March 22, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Nature Discovery Center
7112 Newcastle
Bellaire, TX 77401
Urban Harvest
Fruit Tree Sales at the Farmers Market
The Fruit Tree Sale at our Saturday Farmers Market is a
smaller version of the big sale we have every January.
You'll find an excellent selection and receive expertise on
fruit tree care from our sellers while you do your weekly
shopping at the farmers market. Get there early because
we sell out fast!
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Saturday, April 12, 2014
At the Eastside Farmers Market location
3000 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77098
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Cockrell Butterfly Center Spring Plant Sale
Saturday, April 5, 2014
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Prices:
$8.00 plus tax for 1 gallon pots
$3.00 plus tax for 4" pots
Location:
Seventh Floor, Museum Parking Garage
5555 Hermann Park Drive
Houston, TX 77030
Offering a wide variety of nectar plants for butterflies
and host plants for their caterpillars.
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
Herbs Between the Covers
by Karen Cottingham
Regular readers of the South Texas
Unit’s newsletter, Herbs Make Scents,
will probably be curious about this new
column, “Herbs Between the
Covers”. Has our publication gone
X-rated? Are we going to experiment
with
herbal aphrodisiacs? Are we advocating sleeping with
herbs between our blankets so we can foretell the
future?
As tempting as these activities may be, the covers I am
talking about are the covers of a book. The book lovers
in our group spend a lot of time between these covers
and surely have discovered many literary gems featuring
herbs, herbalism, or healing. This is the place to share
these discoveries, and I encourage you to submit your
own reviews of herb-related literary books you’ve
enjoyed. I particularly enjoy historical fiction; others
may gravitate toward other areas such as anthropology,
botany, biography, or ancient traditions. Let’s all learn
from each other.
Today I would like to recommend an award-winning
novel by Ami Mckay, The Birth House (2007). This is the
story of Dora Rare, a woman born in the early twentieth
century with a caul (amniotic membrane) over her head,
which was believed to signify the gift of “sight”. Living
in a remote area of rural Nova Scotia, Dora felt out of
place in her family of rambunctious brothers and
preferred the company of Marie Babineau, an Acadian
midwife, known locally as the “Cajun Witch”. Dora
eventually became her apprentice. In Marie’s kitchen,
filled with herbs and folk remedies, Dora learned the arts
of midwifery and herbalism.
The
clash
between
traditional and modern
obstetrical care came
when a newly-qualified
male
medical
doctor
established a “modern”
women’s clinic, complete
with
chloroform
and
forceps and the expertise
to treat “hysteria”. The
resolution of this conflict
between traditional and
modern ways is the story
of the novel.
The author’s inspiration
for writing this novel is
an equally compelling
story – a discovery about her old Nova Scotia
farmhouse. I love how she describes this on her
website: “While exploring an unfinished room over the
kitchen, I discovered the walls had been sealed with
seaweed and horsehair plaster and then covered with
newspapers. Each layer of paper dated back to a
different era. Advertisements for 1930’s appliances were
pasted over pictures of the Hupmobile Coupe…cars and
washing machines gave way to testimonials for Lydia
Pinkham’s female toners and home remedies.”
Later, pregnant and in search of a midwife, the author
learned from her neighbors that her farmhouse – its
walls papered with early twentieth century history – had
once been the home of the community midwife.
Remarkably, this woman opened her home to the
pregnant women of the area, saw them through labor
and delivery, and cared for both the mother and child for
a week or more following the childbirth. Intrigued, the
author located the midwife’s daughter, an elderly woman
in an area nursing home, for further history. Thus the
book was born.
The author’s interest in historical context and accuracy
also led her to include newspaper clippings,
advertisements, diary entries, and letters of the era in
the narrative of her novel. I particularly enjoyed this
aspect of her work, learning about local historic events
such as The Halifax Explosion and The Great Molasses
Flood.
There is also an appendix of sorts consisting of a
selection of herbal remedies and recipes still in use by
midwives at the time and place of the novel. My favorite
is the novel use of cayenne pepper in the delivery
process. You will have to read the book to find out what
it is.
I also enjoyed learning about “Groaning Cake”, also
called “kimbly”, which is a spice cake that was
traditionally baked during or following birth. From the
author’s website: “Wives’ tales say that the scent of a
groaning cake being baked in the birth house helps to
ease the mother’s pain. Some say if a mother breaks the
eggs while she’s aching, her labour won’t last as long.
Others say that if a family wants prosperity and fertility,
the father must pass pieces of the cake to friends and
family the first time the mother and baby are “churched”
(or the first time they go to a public gathering) after a
birth.”
I prepared the traditional Groaning Cake from the recipe
given in the novel. Based on the results, I found it to be
more satisfying for its social history than its culinary
appeal.
Perhaps the author agrees with my assessment. Her
website includes a modified recipe more in keeping with
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
our modern tastes and ingredients than the traditional
one presented in the novel. I have not tried the modern
version of Groaning Cake, but it looks delicious.
GROANING CAKE
2 ½ Cups Flour
3 eggs
2 tsp. Baking powder
½ Cup oil
1 tsp. Baking soda
½ Cup orange juice
2 tsp. Cinnamon
¼ Cup molasses
½ tsp. Ground cloves
1 1/3 Cups sugar
1 ½ cups apple (grated, no skin)
1 tsp. Almond extract
Sift dry ingredients together. Add apple. Beat eggs.
Add oil, orange juice, molasses and sugar. Add to dry
ingredients. Mix well. Add almond extract. Bake at 350
F. for 35-40 minutes. Makes two 9 x 5 loaves, or about
18 muffins.
Additions: raisins, dates, dried fruits, or nuts.
Doesn’t this sound like a unique and thoughtful gift for
the next friend or family member bringing a new child in
to the world?
I hope some of you will be inspired to seek out Ami
McKay’s excellent novel, The Birth House and that you
enjoyed this book review. I will occasionally write about
books with “Herbs Between the Covers” for our
newsletter and encourage anyone else who is interested
to do the same. Let’s help each other learn something
new and interesting about herbs and the people who use
them.
My Journey to the Land of
Mardi Gras
By Lucia Ferrara Bettler
Part I
2014
It is midnight, and I have a task ahead of me—to
organize my notes on New Orleans—cuisine, memories
and Carnival. Seems like Christmas is barely over and I
am wondering how to get into the mood –shifting from
the peace of January and post- Christmas into the wild
exuberance that is New Orleans.
I get out my Louisiana history and cookbooks first.
The titles begin to stir me a bit; Gumbo Ya Ya, The
Romantic Louisianians, Creole Gumbo and All That
Jazz…..and my favorite title: Who’s Your Mama, Are You
Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux?
It all begins to come back to me—our trip to New
Orleans in the ‘90’s.
I recall the steamy nights and Creole smells wafting from
open French Quarter doors. There was that trip down
into bayou country to visit Alzina
Toups, my Cajun angel—her lazy
dialect and recipes a part of me
now. I put on some special
music—a little jazz piano, some
Louis Armstrong, and a bit of
Cajun accordion and all of a
sudden the Big Easy entered the
room and I was transported to my
father’s hometown and the city I
heard tales of since the day I was
born.
Looks like it is Carnival time once again.
My father, Lucio Rosalino Ferrara was born in 1909 in
New Orleans to Sicilian immigrant parents: Lucia and
Antonio Ferrara. They owned a corner grocery store on
the northeast corner of N.Rampart and Spain, outside of
the French Quarter.
Dad met my mother, Santina Loverde in Texas at Sylvan
Beach. After a courtship of visits and letters, they
married in 1932 and moved to New Orleans to run the
grocery store with Grandma. They spent the Depression
and the war years running that neighborhood
store…making sandwiches for the school kids, winning
prizes for store window displays and going kodaking on
Sundays to Audubon Park.
Sometime after the war, Tena and Richard ( as they
were called by then) , moved themselves and their son
Ritchie to Houston so Mama could be closer to her huge
family…….8 brothers and sisters !
I was born in 1948 and I grew up eating fried shrimp,
crawfish bisque, breaded veal, spaghetti and meatballs,
and shrimp and crab gumbo….of course there were
numerous tales of NOLA and Carnival for spice.
Dad told the story of how one year when he was a
young man, he and a few of his friends rented a flat bed
truck for $20 for the whole day, and a band for $20 plus
$2 a couple. They rode all over town picking up their girl
friends on Carnival Day, dancing the day away. He
danced so much he wore a hole in one of his shoes! It
was nothing, he said, to walk two miles to the location of
a Mardi Gras parade, where they would yell, “Throw me
somethin’ Mister !”
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
My brother and sister remember the fun when our Uncle
Charlie and Aunt Sadie and their noisy brood showed up
from New Orleans with a burlap sack filled with live
crawfish!
Mama was ready for them with a huge enamel pot of
boiling water on her Chambers Range. The red and
white porcelain table top would be covered with
newspaper and we’d eat until we couldn’t eat any more.
You never heard such laughter and tall tales!
My sister Mary Jo and I remember riding the Southern
Pacific train in the ‘50’s at Thanksgiving time , dressed in
our red dotted Swiss blouses and navy blue taffeta skirts
with matching jackets ( all handmade by Mama). I am
sure we were even wearing black patent leather shoes !
In the evening, the porter would turn down our beds in
the tiny train compartment, we’d look out the window in
our matching pajamas as little towns, all lit up, whizzed
by. The sound of the train on its tracks would lull us to
sleep, visions of pralines dancing in our heads! After
breakfast, we would look at the little towns waking up as
we looked into people’s backyards, clotheslines filled
with flapping sheets and clothing. Soon we would arrive
in the Crescent City.
There was always so much to do and see. How we loved
riding the streetcar, then roaming around the French
Quarter with Mama and Aunt Tee. A favorite spot was
Royal Street with all its mysterious shops and dusty
antique stores. One time we ate in the Courtyard of the
Two Sisters, a bubbling fountain in its center. We toured
the Cabildo, the St. Louis Cathedral, and the perfume
shops. We loved the Spanish influenced grill work on the
balconies, dripping with flowers and greenery.
There was one particular praline shop, Aunt Sally’s,
where you could watch the women make this delicious
creamy confection before your very eyes…and no trip
was complete without a stop at Café Dumonde for
beignets and coffee. Of course, later we had to have a
snow ball, very thinly shaved ice covered with banana
syrup, or chocolate, or any flavor you could imagine. A
visit to Bracado Brothers Italian Bakery was a must to
get a dozen cannoli to bring back to
Aunt Lena’s house for dessert. You
can see, our trip there revolved
around food! There was fried
shrimp, oyster po’ boys at
Casemonte’s on crusty French bread,
gumbo and more.
When we were a little older there were rides across Lake
Ponchartrain, dinners at The Elmwood Plantation, with
mounds of pink boiled shrimp and crabs. Our cousins
would drive us all through Bourbon street at night,
where we caught quick glimpses of “pink ladies” dancing
in the bars…not a place for children!
But most of all, I remember the music—the sounds of
jazz and the soft moan of the trumpet coming out from
the open doors.
Only once did I ever get to the actual Mardi Gras…but I
remember the crowded streets, the
Rex Parade, the beads, and the
colorful floats filled with the mythic
creatures and gods and goddesses I
had learned about in Latin class. New
Orleans became a fantasy land , a
magical other worldly place, filled with
costumed people ,frivolity, and abandon.
As my aunts aged, and Grandma passed on, we went
back infrequently……and I did not return until I was
married, and before you know it, 25 years had passed.
Something stirred in me. The music never left me…that
unique New Orleans music, and I was still cooking the
food Mama had made her own. I realized, as the song
said, that I knew what it meant to miss New Orleans. I
was asked to teach some Cajun/Creole cooking classes. I
knew we just had to go, to get the feel for it all again.
Some things had changed, some had not, but my Dad’s
hometown came alive for me. I researched the roots of
Carnival, and my love for this imperfect, decaying,
elegant city grew. I created for my new students “A
Night in Old New Orleans”, ‘Cooking in the Big Easy”,
“Bayou Country Cooking”, and more classes.
At every cooking class, the dining table became an altar
to my Dad’s beloved city. There was a coffee grinder, a
French Market coffee mug, overflowing with green, gold
and purple beads ,an antique Luzianne Coffee tin, very
old 1950’s Carnival beads, old spice tins, a photo of
Ferrara’s grocery store , and the quote: “Jazz is played
from the heart”. My students were greeted with the
sights, sounds and smells of this unique American city—a
melting pot, a gumbo of so many marvelous cultures. I
thought about my grandparents and Mama and Daddy
smiling down on us all, maybe dancing to the rhythms,
and happy that I had rediscovered New Orleans, his
hometown on the river.
Stay tuned for Part II
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
Herbal Bitters
Bitter herbs can be classified into 4 main types:
By Jacqui Highton
 Astringent bitters (cinchona bark)
It is the policy of the Herb Society of America not to
advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use.
This information is intended for educational purposes
only and should not be considered as a recommendation
or an endorsement of any particular medicinal or health
treatment.
 Simple bitter (gentian root, bogbean and centaury)
What are Herbal Bitters?
They are digestive aids that were
once sold as patent medicines that
later became key ingredients in classic
cocktails. And that they are made by
extracting, with alcohol, a range of
active and bitter compounds from
herbs and spices.
Effect on the body
 Bitter foods are said to stimulate all digestive
secretions (saliva, hormones and bile, etc). Each of
these acts as solvent in the process of breaking down
food for absorption. The quality and quantity of these
fluids ultimately ensures proper nutrition. It’s thought
that inadequate production of these secretions is
common in those people lacking bitter foods in their
diet.
 When the taste receptors in the mouth recognize the
presence of bitters they stimulate a system wide
response:
 Salivation breaks down starches and begins to work on
fats.
 In the stomach bitters stimulate the secretion of
hormone gastrin which regulates the prod of gastric
acid. They also increase production of the enzymes
pepsin that helps break down protein and intrinsic
factor that essential for absorption of B12.
 Bitters also act on the pancreas, the liver and gall
bladder affecting the normalizing blood sugar,
promoting the release of pancreatic enzyme and bile
which aids in digestion of fats and oils.
 A healthy flow of bile helps rid the liver of waste, and
prevents the formation of gallstones and emulsifies
lipids.
 They enhance peristalsis and lubricate the intestine.
 The net result is that bitter foods are said to restore
the appetite and decrease chronic indigestion. Some
herbalists go as far as to identify a condition they term
Bitter Deficiency Syndrome.
 Aromatic bitter
wormwood)
(angelica,
bitter
orange
peel,
 Acrid bitters (ginger, galangal)
Bitter herbs often used in making commercial
bitters:
Cinchona Bark
 Cinchona bark is a variety of species from the cinchona
genus. In the family Rubiaceae (madder family). 23
species make up the genus. C. pubescens provides
the highest dose.
 Arguably the plant with one of the most important
roles in medicine and also in the history of cocktails.
 With a range through South America, it has flavored
tonics, bitters, aromatized wines and other spirits.
 It is the source of quinine which saved humanity from
malaria. The saying a spoonful of sugar helps the
medicine go down is perhaps never more appropriate
that with quinine. It is incredibly bitter, taking it mixed
with soda water and some sugar improved the flavor.
British colonists also found that adding a little gin
improved things an extra level and so the gin and
tonic was born.
 As well as antimalarial properties modern medical
research shows that cinchona also seems to be
antibacterial, antifungal and to inhibit tumor
development
 The medicinal properties of quinine that occurs in the
bark was discovered by the Quechua Indians of Peru
and Bolivia. Jesuits first brought it to Europe where it
became the first effective treatment for malaria in the
17th C and remained so up until the 1940s.
 The quinine alkaloid is a highly fluorescent chemical
and when a UV light is shone on tonic water it is
excited by the UV and glows bright blue
Gentian
 Gentiana lutea in the Gentianaceae family. There are
400 species in the genus
 Grows wild and is harvested in alpine meadows of
France, Spain and the Balkans and is also known as
bitterwort, bitter root or devils taint
 It is found as an ingredient in literally hundreds of
spirits eg Campari, angostura bitters and even gives its
name to the spirit gentiane. It’s in French Suze and
German after dinner digestif called underberg
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
 Records of medicinal use dates back 3K yrs. It is
documented on Egyptian papyrus from 1200 BC. Pliny
the elder wrote about it.
 In 1989 when cigarette makers were required to
identify their ingredients it was found to be an additive
in several brands.
 Hard to cultivate and harvesting the root involves
destroying the plant so in some parts of Europe it is
actually protected.
Wormwood
 The root is loaded with seco-iridoids the primary ones
being Gentiopicroside and amarogentin.
 Amarogentin is one of the most bitter naturally
occurring compounds known, has been investigated
for its ability to promote salivation and other digestive
juices.
Germander
 Teucrium chamaedrys in the mint family Lamiaceae.
 A low growing perennial herb often seen as the edging
to traditional knot gardens.
 Mediaeval physicians prescribed it for a variety of
ailments and it became a bittering agent in vermouths
and bitters. But there is a lot of concern regarding
safety of the chemicals in germander with respect to
liver toxicity
Quassia
 Quassia amara.
 Common names include bitterwood or bitter ash. It is
a small tree or shrub, native from Mesoamerica and
the Caribbean to Brazil.
 The genus was named after a former slave from
Surinam, Graman Quassi in the 18th C. He is said to
have discovered the medicinal properties of the bark.
 It is used as a digestive aid, to treat liver and
gallbladder problems and as a febrifuge by the
traditional healers of Brazil. I have found several
references for its use as an insecticide including
treatment of head lice. Extracts contain quassinoids
that are particularly effective against aphids on crop
plants.
Cascarilla
 Croton eluteria from the Euphorbiaceae or spurge
family
 Highly fragrant small tropical tree whose bark contains
many of the same compounds found in pine,
eucalyptus, citrus and rosemary. And also the spices
clove, and black pepper.
 It’s not only an important ingredient in bitters but is
also in vermouth, rumored to be in Campari and is also
used as a base note in the perfume industry.
 Native to West Indies but has naturalized throughout
the Amazon basin region. As a member of the spurge
family the sap can be irritating to handle.
 Artemesia absinthium
 Famed ingredient in absinthe. It was added to beer to
add a bitter flavor and antimicrobial properties before
the widespread use of hops.
 Wormwood and the thujone it contains has probably
been blamed unfairly as the reason for absinthe’s
hallucinogenic effects on the French art crowd late
19th C. Absinthe contained extremely high levels of
alcohol (70-80 ABV twice that of gin or vodka). But
wormwood was blamed even though culinary sage has
even higher levels of thujone. The levels of thujone in
absinthe has been shown through mass spectrometry
to be miniscule.
Cocktail Bitters
Using the term in the context of cocktails, bitters are a
common bar ingredient that really were considered an
essential ingredient in cocktails. Most of the brands
started life as medicinal tonics but found their way into
cocktails as concentrated flavor stimulants
Angostura Bitters
This has a woodsy, spicy flavor with a clove like scent.
It’s the most widely known and popular brand of bitters
on the market today. An essential ingredient in the
Manhattan, Pasco sour and the Champagne cocktail
It was created by Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Sievert a
German army surgeon who was based in Angostura,
Venezuela. Research with tropical herbs led to his
creating a secret blend in 1824 with the intent of curing
a variety of illnesses. They were originally called Dr.
Siegart's aromatic bitters.
The exact ingredients are not known as it’s a closely
guarded secret. And the company managed it’s was
through 30 yrs of litigation without revealing the recipe.
But it does contain gentian root and some of the
principal flavorings are cinnamon, clove, lemon, bitter
orange peel, galangal, ginger and tonka bean.
Peychards
These bitters have an anise and aromatic root scent.
They date from 1830 and were made by Antoine
Amedee Peychard, a Creole apothecary from Haiti. An
essential ingredient in the sazerac cocktail. They are still
made today by the Sazerac Company but in Kentucky,
not New Orleans.
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
Orange bitters
Made from peels of Seville oranges, cardamom, caraway
seed, coriander and burnt sugar. Was once the most
popular type of bitters used in cocktails. There are lots of
references to these bitters in pre prohibition cocktail
books. They fell out of favor but recently there has been
a resurgence with several companies now making them.
Campari and Averna are better known as liqueurs but
are also bitters
Medicinal bitters
Some bitters that did not get absorbed into the bar
tenders repertoire are sometimes termed theriacs. They
were potions or ointments that were originally
formulated to counter the bites of venomous beasts. The
word comes from Latin theriaca meaning antidote to
poison. The most well-known theriac today is sold as
Swedish bitters which has been a herbal remedy for over
500 yrs., originally created by a Swiss physician Phillipus
Paracelesus in 1541 and rediscovered in the 1800 by
another Swedish doctor Claus Samst.
Making herbal bitters and herbal tinctures
It’s true to say that not all tinctures are bitter but
essentially all bitters are based on tinctures. That’s to
say alcohol is used as a solvent to make a concentrated
herbal extract of the active ingredients and the flavor
from the plant. You might see the solvent being referred
to as the menstruum.
Alcohol is a potent solvent and also an effective
preservative. It can extract medicinal qualities from a
herb that are not extracted by water alone.
Although not technically tinctures, non-alcoholic tinctures
can be made using vegetable glycerine or apple cider
vinegar (glycerites and acetuums). Particularly those
using vinegar will need to be stored in the fridge and will
only last a few months. While true alcohol tinctures have
a shelf life lasting years.
Most Alcohol consists of a % of pure alcohol (ethanol)
and the rest is water. The alcohol extracts substances
that water cannot and vice versa.
 85-95% (190 proof grain alcohol) which would be used
for resins and gums and to extract those aromatics
and essential oils that are more tightly bound in the
plant.
Use glass or ceramic jars to steep and store. Metal and
plastic can react in time and leech out dangerous
chemicals. Important as with any herbal preparation to
sterilize the containers and use good hygiene practices.
 Fresh: Chop or grind clean herb to release the juice.
Rule of thumb 2/3 - ¾ fill jar with leaves or ¼ - ½
with root. Top off with alcohol. Don’t use wet material
as this will dilute the alcohol even further.
 Dried: Fill jar ½ - ¾ with leaves or ¼ - 1/3 with root
Important to cover the material completely with alcohol,
don’t leave any exposed to the air or it might mildew.
Store in a cool dark place and shake several times a
week. Add more alcohol of the level drops due to evap.
I have seen all kinds of steeping times recommended
from a 7 days to 2 months.
Herbs and spices usually take 7-10 days while dried fruit
can take 2-3 weeks.
Most recipes call for all the ingredients to be added
together. But an interesting alternative is to make the
infusions separately rather than mixing all together. One
advantage is that different ingredients take different
amount of time to extract the flavor. But also as a
beginner you can really hone in on which ingredients you
like. Plus it gives you the opportunity to make a lot of
different recipes combinations from the same
ingredients.
Typically use about teaspoon of ingredient to 4 fl oz
vodka. Simply cover and set aside.
Dampen a piece of cheesecloth with boiled water and
filter the tincture through a cheesecloth lined funnel and
squeeze out the excess. Pour the contents into an amber
glass jar.
As with all things very important to label with date,
name, parts used, % alcohol etc.
You can use either
How to use bitters
 40-50% alcohol (80-90 proof vodka) good for dried
material or fresh herbs that aren’t too juicy. Also good
for water soluble compounds. Vodka is colorless and
odorless so doesn’t interfere with the flavor of the
herb
Can be used in cooking soups salad dressings, pumpkin
pies and apple pies.
 Mix of ½ vodka and ½ 190 proof grain alcohol.
Extracts the most volume of aromatic properties. Good
for fresh material particularly high moisture herbs e.g.
lemon balm, berries.
Try adding angostura bitters to coleslaw, white or
cheese sauces, devilled eggs. Added just before serving
a pot of beans they really lift the flavor, rather like
adding sour vinegar.
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
Norouz – Persian New Year
From npr.org
Ringing In Norouz, A Time For Family And Good Eats
by Sanaz Meshkinpour
March 20, 2012
It's the first day of spring, and for most people, that
means, longer days outside, getting out the garden
tools, and the beginning of barbecue season. But for
Iranian-Americans and for others from the Middle East,
Central and South Asia, today is the beginning of a New
Year.
The holiday is called Norouz. In Persian, it literally means
a "new day." It's seen as a time of rebirth and renewal,
and like most holidays, Norouz is all about spending time
with family, and eating lots of great food.
These two recipes are excerpted from Donia Bijan’s
memoir/cookbook,
Maman's Homesick Pie
A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen
By Donia Bijan
Spring Rice with Fresh Herbs and Orange Peel
This recipe came from Bijan's mother and folds parsley,
cilantro, dill and leeks in layers of orange zest, cinnamon
and saffron. The chopping of the herbs "teaches you
that good cooking does require a lot of patience," Bijan
says.
3 cups Basmati rice
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley
1 bunch fresh dill
2 leeks
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
Zest of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon saffron dissolved in ½ cup hot water
1 stick unsalted butter
1 piece of lavash or a flour tortilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Wash and drain the rice. Soak with a tablespoon of salt
for 2-3 hours.
Rinse the cilantro, parsley, and dill. Use a salad spinner
to dry the herbs and chop finely.
Wash and trim the leeks, cutting them in half
lengthwise. Blanch in boiling, salted water for 3-4
minutes until tender, drain and rinse with cold water. Pat
dry.
Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil in a non-stick
pot. Drain the rice and pour into the pot to blanch for 6
minutes. Stir once or twice with a wooden spoon to
loosen the grains that may stick to the bottom. Drain the
rice in a colander.
In the same pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 1/3
cup water. Place the lavash or tortilla over the butter to
fit snugly on the bottom of the pot. Add two spatulas of
rice, one spatula of fresh herbs, a teaspoon of orange
zest, a sprinkle of cinnamon, half a leek and a clove of
garlic. Repeat while alternating layers of rice, herbs,
garlic, leeks, orange peel, and cinnamon in a pyramid
shape, ending with a layer of rice. Cover and cook over
medium heat for 8 minutes.
Remove the lid and pour the saffron water and the
remaining butter over the pyramid.
Wrap the lid in a dishtowel and place over the pot to
cover firmly and avoid steam from escaping.
Cook the rice over medium-low heat for 45-50 minutes.
To serve, you can invert the rice onto a platter, or use a
spatula to mound the rice on your serving platter and
carefully remove the crust to serve on the side.
Herbs Make Scents
MARCH 2014
Salmon with Seville Oranges, Tarragon, and Tea
Leaves
Bijan adapted this recipe using techniques she learned at
Le Cordon Bleu. Marinating the fish in salt, sugar and tea
leaves for two days creates a smoky flavor without the
help of a meat smoker.
4 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons Lapsang Souchong loose tea, (for a
distinctive smoky flavor)
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
2 Seville oranges, zested
1 side, (approximately 2 pounds), wild salmon fillet, deboned, skin on
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Seville orange juice with pulp
1 medium shallots, sliced thinly
Two days before serving, toss the salt, sugar, tea leaves,
tarragon, orange zest, and shallot in a bowl. Lay the
salmon on a long piece of foil. Rub the salt mixture on
both sides of the fillet. Lay another piece of foil on top
and neatly seal the edges. Place a weight on the fish,
the equivalent of 5 to 6 pounds (6 cans on a tray will do;
2- or 3-pound hand weights work well, too) and
refrigerate for 48 hours.
Rinse away the herb and tea mixture under cold running
water. Pat the fish dry with paper towels, brush with
olive oil and lemon juice. The salt and sugar marinade
has partially cooked your salmon so grill or broil no more
than 2-3 minutes for a tender, flaky fish to serve with
your herb rice.
From Wikipedia
Haft Sîn or the seven 'S's is a major traditional table
setting of Norouz. The haft sin table includes seven
items starting with the letter 'S' or Sīn in the Persian
alphabet.
The Haft Sīn items are:
 sabzeh – wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a
dish – symbolizing rebirth
 samanu – a sweet pudding made from germinated
wheat – symbolizing affluence
 senjed – the dried fruit of the oleaster tree –
symbolizing love
 sīr – garlic – symbolizing medicine
 sīb – apples – symbolizing beauty and health
 somaq – sumac berries – symbolizing (the color of)
sunrise
 serkeh – vinegar – symbolizing age and patience.
New Year Dishes and Desserts
 Ash-e Reshteh: A noodle soup traditionally served on
the first day of Noruz. The noodles are symbolic, as
the waves and knots made by the noodles represent
the multitude of possibilities of one's life. Untangling
the noodles are said to bring good luck and fortune.
 Sabzi Polo Mahi: The New Year's Day traditional meal
is called Sabzi Polo Mahi, which is rice with green
herbs served with fish. The traditional seasoning for
Sabzi Polo are parsley, coriander, chives, dill and
fenugreek. The many green herbs and spices in this
dish are said to represent the greeness of spring.
 Reshteh Polo: rice cooked with noodles which is said
to symbolically help one succeed in life.
 Dolme Barg : A traditional dish of Azeri people, cooked
just before the new year. It includes some vegetables,
meat and rice which have been cooked and embedded
in grape leaves and cooked again. It is considered
useful in reaching to wishes.
 Kookoo sabzi : Herbs and vegetable souffle,
traditionally served for dinner at New Year. A light and
fluffy omelet style made from parsley, dill,
coriander, spinach, spring onion ends, and
chives, mixed with eggs and walnut.
 Nowruz Koje: A traditional New Year's dish of the
Kazakh people, which includes water, meat, salt, flour,
cereal, and milk; symbolizing joy, luck, wisdom,
health, wealth, growth, and heavenly protection.
 Naan Berenji: Cookies made from rice flour.
 Baqlava: A flaky pastry filled with walnuts, almonds or
pistachios. Flavored with rosewater.
 Samanu: Sprouted wheat pudding
 Noghl: Candied almonds.
The South Texas Unit is a non-profit educational
organization incorporated under the State of Texas.
The South Texas Unit has no paid employees. Our
activities are accomplished through the efforts of our
volunteers.
The Herb Society of America
South Texas Unit
P.O. Box 6515
Houston, TX 77265-6515
The Herb Society of America is
dedicated
to
promoting
the
knowledge, use and delight of herbs
through
educational
programs,
research and sharing the knowledge of
its members with the community.
Find our Unit on the web at:
www.herbsociety-stu.org
Herbs Make Scents – March 2014