I like gifts that come from the heart. I especially like
gifts that are handmade. I've always been interested in making gifts that
represent the person that I'm giving the gift to. When I became interested in
the study of herbs I found it very, very enjoyable to put together herbal gifts
for my friends.
These gifts can be themed from your kitchen and edible, spa
and bath, practical, or decorative. The types of gifts one can make include
bath salts for soaking, lotions, soaps, oils for the body or oils for cooking.
One can also make craft items such as candles, sachets, scented pillows, potpourri,
wreathes. Possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Herbal crafts are
gender-neutral as gifts, or by creator
The gift of an herbal creation says not only do I love you;
I care about your health and your well-being. In these times of economic stress
it seems we should be focusing on expressions of love. During occasions of
personal celebration, birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other holiday
consider giving a gift from the heart.
If you’re an herb gardener consider sharing the bounty of the herb harvest with others. Perhaps the best place to start is by creating an
herb infused oil. An herbal infused oil can be made with different purposes and
mind. One purpose would be culinary something that you use in the kitchen, or
one could create an herbed oil for massage to soothe and heal the body.
Let's focus on easy herbal oil for the kitchen. Most
carrier oils are good for the body inside and out. You can buy a variety of
base oils in any grocery store. The oil you choose defines how the herbal oil
can be used in cooking. Be sure to include a simple list of ingredients with
the gift of infused oil so that it can be used properly and not damaged in the
cooking process. We want our loved ones to get the full health benefits of the
herbs and the oils.
This is a list of my favorite oils and their smoking point
when cooking. High smoke point (best
suited for searing, browning, and deep frying): Almond, avocado, hazelnut,
palm, sunflower, light olive oil. Medium-high smoke point
(best suited for baking, oven cooking or stir
frying): grape seed, macadamia nut, extra virgin olive oil, and peanut. Medium
smoke point
(best suited for light
sautéing, sauces and low-heat baking): hemp, pumpkin seed, sesame, walnut,
coconut. No-heat oils*
(best
used for dressings, dips or marinades): flax seed, wheat germ. Toasted sesame,
extra virgin olive oil and walnut oils also work well in no-heat preparations. Do
not use an oil at too high of a temperature
as this damages the oil and creates free radicals. Easy research can be done
online if you want to know more about cooking oils and their health benefits.
Great herbal combinations to add to your choice of carrier
oil:
- Sage, rosemary, tarragon, and marjoram---used to pan-fried chicken or to make
herbal salad dressing.
- Dill
and lemon--- great for baking grilling or pan-frying fish.
- Thyme
---is excellent for brushing over chicken before roasting.
- A
Mediterranean combination, rosemary, thyme, marjoram---can be add to tomato
sauces, chicken, or lamb stews.
- Basil
and chili---best over Italian style bread's or added to tomato and
mozzarella salad.
To create an herbed oil gather the herbs you wish to
infuse. If harvesting them straight from your garden, the herbs must be clean
and dry to the touch. You can also use dried herbs. Keep in mind that herbal
oils are unprocessed, so their typical shelf life is a couple of months. Follow standard USDA guidelines on sterilization
for canning products. For this information visit the USDA at http://www.usda.com/.
1. Always use
sterilized jars and bottles. For fresh herbs, be sure your herbs are dry and
free of chemicals and dirt. If you buy dried herbs they are most likely fine
but I would check for ugly plant matter, stems etc. and remove these.
The process is fairly easy and requires approximately two
hours to prepare. The herbed oil needs a minimum of one week to steep before it is ready to
use. Choose jars and bottles that have eye appealing and airtight lids. Fresh
herbs yield a more robust flavor with greater potency and health benefits.
2. Fill a
clean jar with the plant material you've collected. (There are mini lessons demonstrating the preparation of infused on "You tube") The plant materials (leaves, flowers or roots) can be chopped before.
Label the jar with both the contents (herbs and oil) and the date.
3. Add the
carrier oil (depending on the intended use). Be sure to fill the jar completely
with oil, covering the top of the herbs or flowers, then seal tightly.
4. Set your
jar on a shelf that is NOT in direct sunlight. Once a day, gently turn the jar upside down for a few seconds, and
then return it to a right side up position. Repeat this process for a minimum
of one week---up to six weeks for appropriate infusion.
5. Strain
your oil using a cheesecloth or by adding a paper coffee filter to the mesh
type strainer. Be sure to transfer only to clean, sterile, and moisture free
containers. You may add clean, dry herbs to the bottle for visual effect.
Even though this infused oil was originally intended for
cooking, don’t be limited by this. I can think of nothing more soothing than
massaging olive oil or almond oil into the skin.
If infused oils do not appeal, there are other wonderful
herb gift ideas found in books such as Herbcrafts: Practical Inspirations
for Natural Gifts, Country Crafts and Decorative Displays, Tessa Evelegh (1997).
http://www.yummly.com/recipes/herb-infused-oil
http://www.ehow.com/how_5598853_make-herb-infused-oils.html#ixzz2mkBYiYqW
