HERB - Horehound

[Walter J. Wakefield]

Hoarhound is definitely an acquired taste.  My father liked it (probably
was one of the few sweets they had when he was a boy).  I have found that
bitter can be gotten used to, but it takes a while.  

I make an excellent cough syrup that includes hoarhound and that most
people (including kids) like.  The base is equal parts of honey, lemon
juice, and brandy (or rum or bourbon).  Add herbs and let stand 2 - 3
weeks.  Filter through coffee filter.  Gives a clear golden syrup that
looks like Crown Royal, and will cure most coughs, colds, etc. in about 3
days time or less.  I use a mix of herbs, with equal parts of hoarhound
and licorice, and a bit more chamomile - this balances the flavor and the
bitterness of the hoarhound disappears (the chamomile is mostly for
flavor in this instance).  I also add other herbs as indicated, including
echinacea, red sage, mullein, coltsfoot, pleurisy root, boneset - add
whatever works best for you.  This is quite popular, so I usually end up
making about a quart at a time.  For a quart of liquid, I would add about
2 tablespoons of mixed herbs, which usually works out to about a tsp of
each herb - although I don't measure exactly most times.

I had good luck growing hoarhound for several years here in Texas, and I
am not real good at watering in the summer sometimes.  Around here I
would recommend part sun - other places maybe more.  It has a pretty
grayish, fuzzy leaf, which is where the "hoar" comes from (think hoar
frost).  Mine never got real big - Mother says that is because I keep
cutting off my plants to dry them!  
Suzanna, herbalist, Barony of the Steppes, Kingdom of Ansteorra (Dallas,
TX)

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