Fennel Cough Syrup and Fennel Honey

I am having an amazing experience studying with Jade Shutes who is the director of education at the East West School of Herbal and Aromatic Studies.  EWSHAS has a great blog with all kinds of herbal and aromatic information.  Jade recently posted on the benefits of fennel and has numerous ways of using both the oil and seeds.

Jade includes both a fennel and licorice cough syrup and a fennel honey cough syrup.  I am ordering the supplies to make these tonight from Mountain Rose Herbs, as I work to build my own family medicine chest.  I'm especially looking forward to trying the fennel honey and her recipe for vanilla infused jojoba oil that you can find here.

To read the entire post on fennel, please click here.

Here is an excerpt with the recipe for the fennel cough syrup.

Fennel Licorice Cough syrup

Fennel Cough Syrup ingredients

• 1 ounces licorice root and 16 ounces of water

• 1 ounces fennel seed and 16 ounces of water

Prepare a decoction of the licorice root by placing 1 ounces of dried licorice root into 16 ounces of cold water. Allow the roots to sit in the cold water for at least 1 hour or longer. Then gently bring to a boil, turn heat down and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Licorice roots Glycyrrhiza glabra

Licorice in Water

Next, prepare the fennel seed infusion. Lightly bruise/crush the fennel seeds. Place all 1 ounces in a 16 ounce canning jar. Bring 16 ounces of water to a boil then pour over fennel seeds. Place cap on jar and allow to sit for 10- 15 minutes. Strain.

Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds infusing in hot water

Once both teas are made prepare a double boiler. Place 1/2 cup fennel tea and 1/2 cup of licorice root tea and 2 cups honey into the top pot. Heat gently until the honey and herbal teas have mixed together.

Honey and Fennel/Licorice teas in double boiler

Pour into a sterilized canning jar, label and use within one year. You can also add essential oils to this. I add: 7 drops Eucalyptus radiata, 7 drops Fennel and 5 drops Peppermint. Mmmmm…..

Cough Syrup Bottled

Fennel Honey

Fennel Honey Ingredients

Fill 1/4 to 1/2 of an 8 ounce sterilized canning jar with gently crushed organic fennel seeds. Cover with local honey then stir with chop stick making sure all the seeds are covered.

Pouring honey over fennel seeds

Fennel and Honey stirring

You will need to add in more honey and continue to stir until seeds and honey are mixed well. Be sure to top off with more honey. Then secure lid. Be sure to label jar with the ingredients and date it was made. Each day you can open the jar and stir a bit. Let infuse for 2-4 weeks.

Fennel seeds in honey

To decant: Place jar into water in the top part of a double boiler. Bring water in the bottom pot of double boiler to a gentle boil. This will heat the water on top, but don’t let it boil. High temperatures denature the honey.

Fennel honey infusion

When the honey appears a bit thinner you can then strain through a fine mesh strainer. And voila, beautiful fennel honey to add to teas or take a little teaspoon to soothe dry irritated spasmodic coughs.

References

Alberrrt-Puleo, M. Fennel and Anise as Estrogenic Agents. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2 (1980) 337 ·344
© Elsevier Sequoia S.A., Lausanne – Printed in the Netherlands

Foster, S. (nd). Herbal Renaissance. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith.

Herb Society of America (2005). Fennel. Kirtland, OH. www.herbsociety.org

Hoffman, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.

Lad V and Frawley D. (2001). The Yoga of Herbs. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press.

Mills, S., and Bone, K. (2000). Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy. London: Churchill Livingstone.

Pole, S. (2006). Ayurvedic Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

Romm, Aviva. (2010). Botanical Medicine for Women’s Health. St Louis, MO: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

Van Wyk, B., and Wink, M. (2004). Medicinal Plants of the World. Oregon: Timber Press.

Wood, M. (2008). The Earthwise Herbal: A complete guide to old world medicinal plants. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

Resources

Interesting videos:
Making Herbal Honeys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFVKJl_0evA

Great article on How to make Herbal honeys
http://www.cauldronsandcrockpots.com/medicinal-herbs/making-herbal-honeys-and-elixirs/


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