Sunday 31 May 2009

Sage vinegar and tea

I'm having a bit of a sage fest this weekend (she says, sipping her sage, lemon and honey tea). Why sage (or salvia officinalis)? Well there have been a few coughs and sore throats around of late, not to mention the start of the hayfever season (although I'm a bit late with that as it should be taken ahead of the season). 

Fortunately the sage in my garden has really bushed up recently, meaning that I could harvest some for tea and also for making vinegar...


...I learnt about making herbal vinegars at one of Sarah Head's workshops last November. I made up a batch of sage vinegar then - stashing it away in the warm of my airing cupboard to brew for a couple of months - thinking it may come in use during the winter. Recently my mum got a bit of a stubborn cough/ cold on the chest. She's been taking the sage vinegar with honey and warm water, by gargling and then drinking it. Although reluctant at first it seems she's quite warming to it - plus it does seem to have helped in clearing away her symptoms.

Pleased with this I made up a new batch yesterday. With the weather so gloriously sunny its been sitting in the garden soaking up the sunshine - I like the idea of it soaking up the sun's energy rather than just getting heat from my hot water pipes.

Although, as I mentioned its a bit late for this hayfever season I am finding the sage, lemon and honey tea quite soothing as I get a bit of a prickly throat.

So basically, sage rocks! :-) I even use it in one of my herbal shampoos - sage and yarrow shampoo - as it is helpful for oily hair.

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