How to Make Your Own Rose Herbal Coffee

I am motivated by tea.

Yes, I’m motivated by justice and kindness and those I love and the work I do, but I’m also living in an earthy body that craves earthly pleasures. One of those pleasures is hot drinks - whether herbal tisanes, black teas or matcha lattes. So my Rose Herbal Coffee is a recipe that I love to make to help motivate and nourish my body and supports the work that I do.

Rose (Rosa spp), like Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) is a much-needed herb to help our ancient bodies deal with modern demands. I think Rose is a great herbal ally if you’re an activist and organizer because they remind us that we need to know how to be gentle as much as we need to be fierce. Equipped with thorn magick, my Rose Herbal Coffee recipe supports our emotional wellbeing along with our physical wellbeing. It also includes some lovely gut and liver nourishing herbs to support our bodies inherent ability to release and renew. I add in Cacao Nibs (Theobroma cacao) because I love a bit of a cocoa taste but if you’re not inclined to chocolate or find it too stimulating you can easily remove the nibs and still be left with a delicious tea.

My Rose Herbal Coffee is grounding and helps to draw energy down and out of the body. So, if you’re someone who wakes up feeling agitated and a bit anxious you might find this brew really helpful. Because it’s caffeine-free you can enjoy a cup of Rose Herbal Coffee in the evenings, too, and it’ll help with post-meal digestion.

Rose Herbal Coffee

• 4 parts Roasted Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale)

• 2 part Roasted Carob (Ceratonia siliqua)

• 2 part Cacao Nibs (Theobroma cacao)

• 1/4 part Rose (Rosa spp.)

• 1/4 part Anise (Pimpinella anisum)

• 1/8 part Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)

I prepare my herbal coffee in two parts. First, I add the Dandelion and Roasted Carob into my pot of water (about 1 tablespoon of herb to 1 cup of water), bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes, and then strain. Into that strained brew I add the rest of the herbs to steep for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then I add it some milk of choice and a bit of sweet, but it’s also delightful all on its own. 

Enjoy! Looking for more recipes? You can find all of my recipes and tutorials here. 

The Woods at Samhain : A Cold Care Tea Recipe

I feel that the best way to treat a cold is to prevent one. But when I do catch a cold I try to work with my body’s natural healing mechanism to clear out viruses and infections. I do that by reaching for herbs that help strengthen immunity and support my ability to self-heal. When autumn and early winter roll around I always make sure to have a rotation of warming teas stocked in my apothecary cupboard, including the one that follows.

My most recent cold care brew combines herbs of Libra (the sign that the Sun is for the majority of the time between Mabon and Samhain) with a nod to Samhain magick. And it uses just three herbs all of which are considered generally safe for most folks. The tea has a woodsy, comforting taste and smell making me think of gatherings of Witchkin and their familiars in secret forest circles. My hope is that The Woods At Samhain tea will help you prevent or overcome any sort of cold that comes your way so you don’t miss your coven gatherings.

Image via freestocks.org

The Woods at Samhain
Cold Care Tea Blend

In addition to making a great tea blend, The Woods at Samhain would also make an effective tincture. For extra magick, brew it when the Moon is in the sign of Libra to help bring harmony into your life.

Combine together the following three herbs:

• 4 parts Wood Betony (Stachys hyssopifolia)
• 4 parts Elder Berry (Sambucus nigra)
• 1/2 part Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

Wood Betony (Stachys hyssopifolia) : I only started working with Wood Betony and one of the things I love about this herb is it’s taste - it is reminiscent of black tea without the caffeine. Wood Betony has long been used in traditional western herbalism, whether as an Anglo-Saxon charm of protection or as a well-regarded panacea. Within our blend, Wood Betony helps clear out congestion in the head, whether from respiratory infection or from anxiety and stress which has brought on brain fog. It also helps with sore throats, headaches, and general aches and pains that come along with having a head cold. 

Elder Berries (Sambucus nigra) : If I could only choose one herb to use for colds and ‘flus, it would be Elder. I can attest to the incredible preventative and healing power of Elder - it’s an incredible Crone of Medicine tree. In fact, Elder was one of the first herbs I wrote about on this here blog and you can read more about it’s healing gifts here.

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) : Anise Hyssop is a delightfully aromatic herb that officially falls under Mercury when it comes to planetary guardianship, but it is still an Air herb (Libra is an Air sign) and it’s sweet fragrance ties it to Venus, too. Medicinally, Anise Hyssop soothes sore throats, calms coughs, and relieves indigestion. It also lends our tea a naturally sweet flavor.

Recommended Dosage: 1 teaspoon tea per 8 ounces of water. 3 - 4 cups daily when you have a cold. 1 - 2 cups daily for prevention. Brew for 10 - 15 minutes or longer.

If you’re looking for more recipes for Samhain (including my other favorite cold care tea, Witch’s Delight) be sure to check out my ebook, The Haunted Apothecary. From a cold care elixir straight from the cauldron to a herbal powder for the brain so good it'll have zombies salivating, The Haunted Apothecary is full of some of my favorite and most used recipes.

Have you worked with any of the herbs listed above? Or do you have your own favorite cold care botanicals? Let me know in the comments!

Spiced Blood : Premiere Vampyre Tonic Recipe

We are headed as fast as the furious horde into the season of Hallows, clever ones, I can't wait!

I have always loved Halloween and when I was called to my Pagan path, Samhain became one of my most beloved of holy days. Maybe it is my Leo Moon that believes that we are all performing, some of us are just less aware than others, and Halloween is a time to try on different roles or better yet, be a bit more like we really are for all to see. While I celebrate Halloween as a cultural holiday, I look forward to the sacred sojourn of Samhain each year. I make sure to take time off around Samhain every year because it is such an important holy day and opportunity to connect with loved ones both living and of blessed memory as I start the new year (Samhain is, in part, a celebration of the New Year). 

The fall and early winter are also times of great creativity for me. I dream up more of my remedies during this time of the year than any other time, including all of the recipes found in The Haunted Apothecary. I am looking forward to an extra-special Hallows celebration this year with a bunch of friends and family gathering together - so my Halloween decorating dreams are in full swing. I love giving away little gifts, so I decided to make a tea for everyone to take home with them. In the spirit of gift-giving I'm sharing the recipe with you!

I wanted to make a warming, spicy blend that was caffeine-free and a delicious red color. Hence, Spiced Blood: Premiere Vampyre Tonic for all of my night-kin, fancy Hallows tea drinkers, and midnight dancers. 

If you're purchasing the herbs needed for this tea, I recommend checking out your local tea or herb shop if you are lucky enough to have one in your town. Otherwise, I recommend online sellers like Mountain Rose Herbs for your herbal needs. 

Blend together the following herbs in your cauldron pot:

• 4 parts of Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis)

• 1 part of Roasted Carob (Ceratonia siliqua)

• 1 part of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)

• 1/2 part of Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)

• 1/4 part of Rose (Rosa damascena)

The tea blend can be brewed immediately, but it is better bottled in a tight sealing jar and left to mingle and awaken in the dark for at least one weeks time. Brew 1 teaspoon per cup of hot water.

I hope you enjoy your Spiced Blood either on a solitary night under the moonlit sky or with a gathering of wild-hearted kindred. Happy start of the Hallows season, clever ones!