Medicinal Honey

Raw honey has any number of health benefits on its own.  It can be helpful in anything from wound treatment to seasonal allergies.  This cold and flu season in addition to diffusing essential oils and in light of last Christmas' nightmare making sure everyone had their flu shots, I decided to infuse some honey to aid in pesky sore throats and coughs.

I filled a pint jar about a quarter full with Cassia and Ginger chunks and dried orange peel.  Then I topped it with some of the honey that we harvested this past January.  I left it on the counter for two weeks, and inverted the jar a few times each day.

This morning I strained the honey and oh my what a wonderful flavor!  It will be the perfect comfort in a cup of hot tea or the occasional toddy!

Liquid Sunlight

What better way to prepare for the Autumnal Equinox tomorrow, than to bottle little bits of liquid sunlight. 

So far 21 pounds (~ 10 liters), and we may get one more pound.  Not too bad for a first season and harvesting only a box and a half!

Homemade Hooch

The last couple of days have been all things fermented.  We did our final racking of the 9 gallons of wine we put down last fall.  The remnants of the wild grape wine made a fine sangria, and the little taste of the elderberry/rhubarb did not disappoint.  I cannot wait until this fall!

Last year I made homemade vanilla extract, which has a rather large vodka component.  This year in the spirit of the cordials that I have learned to love, I found a recipe on pinterest for  rhubarb gin. 

 

Well 'tis the season, rhubarb season that is.  So the rhubarb gin is steeping.  Such a simple recipe and process, I cannot wait to taste the rewards in just about a month!  By the way, I have a new favorite word....macerat.. the act of allowing the rhubarb, in its natural form, to just steep in it's juices with sugar...and get oh so happy!

I have also begun my first homemade sourdough starter, but that fermented diddy will be for it's own post once I get further into the process...and process it is!  I'm looking forward to our pending homemade hooch.  There is after all, more to come.   What do you think a good chunk of that honey is going towards in the fall???  Why mead, another little venture into homemade hooch.