[Herbalist] making infusions
Sheron Buchele/Curtis Rowland
foxryde at mail.frii.com
Mon May 21 22:07:52 PDT 2001
I have been using one of those roaster ovens to make my oil and herb
infusions for years now.
I have a mark that shows me where about 110 degrees F is. That warms the
oil and releases the different compounds without crisping the herbs. The
herbs soak and heat for 2 or 3 days for my Fighter Fixer Salve and are
still green at the end of the process. The olive oil I use is also much
greener at the end.
I strain several time, the first thru a large ss colander to get the big
chunks out, then to finer and finer strainers until all but the dust is out.
When I melt the beeswax in, I try to heat only a small amount of the oil to
above 110 degrees F to melt the wax and then I blend in the rest. It only
works sometimes when I remember to temper it.
sigh.
I don't infuse in the sun. Sun increases the free radicals in the oil and
speeds rancidity.
I find that heat and sun are the enemies of oil. Also check to see how
stable your oil is. A lot of the fixed oil sellers on the internet have
shelf-life info available.
I never use moist herbs for infusions. Scarey things happen with water and
oil and time - I can tell you this story about a fresh basil oil I made
about 25 years ago....
Here in Colorado, herbs dry so quickly. I mostly just bundle up about an
inch diameter of stems in a rubber band and hang on some wire I have strung
in the corner above a desk. Things dry in a matter of a couple of days.
The hard part is finding the time to process the herbs leaf from the stem.
I harvested a big batch of hearts ease today. That is always so hard to
do, but it is one of those herbs that I can't buy more of if I run out.
YMMV,
Leonora
Fox Ryde Gardens - Herbal Innovations for Health and Cuisine
7743 West First Street
Loveland, CO 80537
970/669-3835
Visit our website: http://www.foxryde.com
A nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground.
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