Bitter tonics have been used for centuries

I’m really chuffed to be hosting the first ever UK Herbarium blog party, back in 2008 when I set up the UKH I never dreamed that so much would come out of it, I’ve made many new herbal friends in blogland, so many enthusiastic people sharing what they know and learn on their herbal journey’s, it’s amazing and keeps me sane. I’m really thrilled with all the contributions received this month, it’s been interesting to read the posts and I’ve learnt things I didn’t know, which for me is one of the main reasons for these blog parties, to share our knowledge and learn from others.  It was Sarah that came up with the topic for January’s blog party.

Martin (Earth Gazer) - Wrote about how he knew very little about bitters before the blog party, then took us on his own journey of discovery from his first Herbal Bitters experience with dandelion, the biological process that occurs when we take bitters. Martin writes about the American herbalist Jim MacDonald and his Blessed Bitters article and using some of his books on herbs and internet refrences he wrote a little about 7 different bitter herbs: Angelica, Agrimony, Burdock, Dandelion, Hops, Mugwort & Oak. 

Brigitte (My Herb Corner) - In My Favourite Bitter, Brigitte who lives in New Zealand wrote about Mugwort a herb I’ve always avoided because of it’s bitterness, but one thing this blog party and everyone’s posts has shown me is the importance of adding bitters to the diet. Although this had been highlighted in the past I hadn’t done much more with the information, so this year will be a bitter year in the nicest possible way, I’ll try some of the recipes that Brigitte posted next time I have access to fresh mugwort.

Elizabeth (Apotheblogary) - Wrote 7 Interesting Things To Know About Bitter Herbs, in which she describes how she came to know about bitter herbs via Swedish Bitters, that famous bitter herb formula that has been around since it was introduced by the Swedish doctor Dr Claus Samst in the 18th century. The formula was actually credited to Dr. Phillipus Paracelsus also of Swiss decent 1493 - 1541, the chap who is credited as giving the chemical element Zinc the name Zincum, but I digress. Elizabeth shares previous blog posts she did on Swedish Bitters including one she made whilst researching making a Swedish Bitters Cream.

Sarah (Tales of a Kitchen Herbwife) - Wrote in praise of bitters in her blog post Citric Bitters, it was Sarah that gave me my first taste of medicinal herb bitters when she offered me some Motherwort tincture at one of her workshops, I remember the earth shuddering experience and walking away thinking that bitters weren’t for me, my opinion changed when at another of Sarah’s workshops we made and sampled a Grapefruit Bitter Aperitif, and since then I’ve been using tinctures of yarrow, dandelion, agrimony and cramp bark, all of which have bitter principles. Sarah’s post has some lovely bitter recipes to try, I’m going to have a go at the Seville Orange bitter this weekend, assuming I can find some Seville Oranges.

Sarah also hosted on her blog a post by Danny Proudfoot who wrote about his experiences doing a kidney detox using a kidney herb mix which contained bitter herbs Steaky & Kidney Pie.

Claire (Hedgerow Hippy) - Newly qualified as a Medical herbalist wrote about Yarrow one of her favourite herbs, she writes about the benefits and virtues of the bitter principals of this contrary herb.

Lusach (Wild Crafty) - Another herby blogger joining us from New Zealand wrote about How To Eat An Artichoke, in which she talks about the value of bitters in the diet, and gives a detailed explanation of how to prepare and eat an artichoke, that bitter herb disguised as a vegetable.

Debs (Herbaholic’s Herbarium) - My blog post is called My Favourite Bitter - Do I Have One? I thought I didn’t use bitters but looking at our daily diet more closely I discovered I use a lot of bitter herbs without knowing it! I also wrote about a bitter experience I had with Ben Fogle when I appeared on BBC’s Countryfile in 2008 and included my Dandelion Soup & Salad recipes.

Jackie who is one of Sarah’s new apprentice’s submitted a late entry to the blog party, she wrote about a member of the labiatae family White Horehound which is a bitter used to help with respiratory disorders  Bitters and White Horehound. Jackie talks about her surpirse at learning that bitters can be used for respiratory problems as she’d only assoaicted them with digestive problems before. White horehound has a bitter principle called marrubiin as its chief constituent, something it shares in common with Hyssop, Black Horehound and some of the other members of the labiatae (Mint) family.

If you’d like to join the UK Herbarium Webring and you live in the UK or a Commonwealth country then please join us via the webring link above, you can take part in next months blog party if you missed this months, details of the next blog party topic and date will be posted soon both here and on Sarah’s blog and anywhere else we can fit it in :)