Nutmeg Milk by Rosalee de la Forêt
There are so many ways to learn about herbs and many different methods to organizing herbal information. Sometimes we learn herbs by herbal actions such as nourishing herbs or stimulating herbs. Other times we might memorize which herbs are good for which condition.
In herbalism there is a long tradition of learning herbs by how they taste. If an herb tastes pungent, sour, sweet, salty or bitter then it gives us an idea on how we can use that herb.
Developing your sense of taste is a powerful way to connect to plants!
This herbal recipe is an exploration of the pungent taste.
Nutmeg milk is a classic bed time drink to help induce a deep slumber. Nutmeg is a wonderful relaxing nervine. It is commonly used in sweet treats as it has a delicious and spicy taste. Nutmeg is safe to use in small amounts (like the recipe below), but shouldn’t be taken in large doses. If you take a bit too much you’ll feel groggy the next day. Take waaaay too much (like an ounce) and you’ll get a nasty reaction or sort of high that teenagers try once in a while, which then makes the headline news. Nutmeg isn’t dangerous, just pay attention to the dose!
Nutmeg is, by far, best when freshly ground. You can buy special grinders for nutmeg; I just use the smallest grind of a cheese grater. Once it is ground it loses its oomph rather quickly (within days) so it’s best to just grind as much as you need from whole nutmeg rather than buying it pre-powdered.
The following recipe is part of the upcoming Taste of Herbs Course.
What you’ll need...
8 ounces of warmed milk or milk substitute
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon of rose water (optional)
honey to taste
Warm the milk gently, being careful not to scald it. Once warmed, add the nutmeg and let it sit for five minutes covered.
Add the rose water and honey. Stir well.
Drink 1-2 hours before bedtime.
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This recipe is an excerpt from the upcoming course, Taste of Herbs. Taste is an amazing way to learn HOW herbs work.
Rosalee created the Taste of Herbs Flavor Wheel to help people learn herbalism using their sense of Taste.
Click here to Get the free Taste of Herbs Flavor Wheel.
Rosalee de la Forêt is the creator of Taste of Herbs, a new course by LearningHerbs and Mountain Rose Herbs. Rosalee is a clinical herbalist, herbal educator and founder of Herbal Remedies Advice.
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