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savethelastdan · 4 years

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Kagura Week 2020 Day 4: Avarice/Greed

Concept by @dearestpartnerofgreatness

“So this is what you do for a living.”

Hands pressed together fingertip-to-fingertip, Kagura bowed her head slightly with a mock-thoughtful hum. The tree’s leaves above her head moved only slightly in the breeze. When she glanced back up through her bangs to look at the monk’s face, it looked deceptively calm.

The slight tremor in the hand holding his Shakujo staff, however, gave the game away.

Silently, he settled cross-legged on the ground a few feet from the foot of the tree where she herself reclined. His staff, along with the bag of goods that he’d received from thankful customers, settled easily into his lap.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Lady Kagura.” The forced pleasantness in his voice stung her ears. “Usually you are in the village with Rin and Kohaku.”

“I like to travel,” she said, keeping the words close and cutting. “Thought for a moment that I’d been sloppy, after all those human farmers started freaking out about a ‘demonic presence’. But, as it turns out, that’s just a little trick you play. For what?”

Miroku’s lip quirked. “What do you think? My children need food and clothes. My wife needs to replenish her stores of weaponry. Not to mention armor repairs, medicine, and nice things for Rin and Kohaku.”

What boring prizes. Placing a finger to her chin, Kagura eyed the sack in his lap as though trying to see through it to its contents. “Despite your rather dramatic performance--the scratches on the shrine walls were a nice touch, by the way--don’t you think it’s quite likely you’ll be caught? After all, most demons don’t just disappear when vanquished.”

“Vengeful spirits do,” he retorted, but the faint few lines forming in his forehead undermined his confidence. “Besides, you don’t seem like the type to judge a man for his exploits, rooted as they are in survival.”

With a snort, she lay back against the tree’s trunk, feeling the rough bark dig in through the many layers of her outfit. “Of course not. I want in.”

Miroku stared at her for a few moments, expression frozen in serenity. “Excuse me?”

The dark slash of her mouth turned up. “You need a demon to defeat. I’m willing to play the part. So long as we don’t hit the same town twice, we should be able to pull it off easily.”

Shrewd eyes searched her face for a hint of jest. “I’m afraid any explanation for why you’d want to do so escapes me.”

“If I help, then you’ll have to split your bounty with me.” Waving a hand at the sack, she added, “Defeating a demon of my caliber, you could inflate the prices handsomely.”

Miroku released a short, quiet laugh before he could stop himself. Pressing one hand to his mouth in a feigned coughing fit, he sighed, “What an idea…”

“Look.” Kagura pushed herself to her feet. The leaves of the tree shook harder, a few raining down on her shoulders only to be quickly whisked away. “It’s not like I can support myself in any normal way. And it won’t be long before everyone figures out you’re a fake--you don’t exactly have the best reputation to start with.”

Shuffling about until he matched her standing position, Miroku managed a rueful smile. “I suppose you have a point there. Although I don’t see how choreographing your own defeat would be fulfilling.”

One shoulder bobbed nonchalantly. “Anything’s fulfilling enough, at the right price.”

“Can’t argue with that, Lady Kagura.” Shouldering the sack, he gave her a deceptively casual nod. “Well, let’s try it and see where it goes…”

“Wind witch!” Eyes bugging out from his head, Jaken swept his head in a dramatic line from Kagura’s chin to her toes. “Running around with all that nauseating razzle-dazzle again! I bet you’ve been off looting sad little villages in your spare time. Just like a greedy vulture--”

“Oi, Sesshomaru, I think your little lackey ate some poisonous berries again.” Cutting her eyes in the kappa’s direction, Kagura snapped, “His tongue’s so swollen that I can barely understand half of what comes out of that nosy little beak.”

From where he sat on the edge of the hill, watching Rin play with Shippo and Kohaku, Sesshomaru didn’t bother to turn around. Kagura and Jaken stuck their tongues out at each other before Kagura turned away, muttering to herself.

One fingertip ran repeatedly over the column of bracelets gracing her left wrist, letting them slide into each other with delicate clinks.

“Kagura.” Still facing the opposite direction, Sesshomaru’s voice was as cold and void of urgency as ever. “Your excess in embellishment is distracting.”

“Huh?” One hand went to shade her eyes, sending the bracelets jangling in the wind.

Jaken huffed. “He means all the pointless accessories, you stupid witch! All those gaudy little trinkets, as if you have anyone to dress up for!”

“Why shouldn’t I have nice things if I want them?” Baring her teeth in Jaken’s direction to make him jump, Kagura added, “Besides, I worked hard for these.”

The magnitude of the kappa’s eye roll could have shifted mountains, but it was true. Just last week, she and Miroku had put together a dramatic death scene that rivaled her actual death scene, just to convince a four-generation family of innkeepers. Her now handsome bracelet collection was the result--the monk always gave her any jewelry he received in payment, since Sango preferred not to wear anything that could accidentally scratch the babies. She’d also scored a pair of earrings, and a Fukurokuju charm that lay cold against her skin on a thinly braided cord beneath her kimonos.

“It’s noisy.” Sesshomaru stated, shoulders tensing a bit as the wind jostled the silver and jade rings she’d threaded through the holes in her ears. “Take them off.”

Kagura glared at the back of his head, more than a little tempted to thumb her nose at it. “No. They’re mine, and I’ll wear them if I want to.”

“Stealing things doesn’t make them yours,” Jaken sniffed, crossing his arms petulantly. Kagura made to grab his staff, so that she could finally put into reality her fantasy of thrashing him about the head with it, but her reflexes were just a touch too slow with the added weight on her arm.

“If you don’t shut--”

Sesshomaru glanced just over his shoulder. “Does the slayer know her husband has given you such expensive tokens?”

She nearly fell over and rolled down the hill; from the stretch of Jaken’s wide-open maw, he was even more horrified by her antics than usual.

“How the fuck did you know that?”

Gold eyes flicked to each earring, then the subtle line of the necklace cord where it curved behind her neck. “His scent is all over them.”

“Ew, what the--” It figured, since by the time she met back up with Miroku after her “demise”, he’d be carrying their payment for a while. Still, did Sesshomaru really think her to be so desperate as to accept gifts from a perverted human man? “Obviously it’s not what you think. The whole thing is just business.”

“Busi-” Jaken squawked, but this time Kagura was faster. The clunk of his staff as it made contact with his skull was practically melodic; even more so when it was followed by a solid thud, as Jaken fell back into the grass.

“Seriously.” She met Sesshomaru’s eyes, unconsciously fingering the edge of one earring between her thumb and forefinger. “He didn’t give them to me. It’s more of an...extremely temporary middleman situation. It’s not anything for you to worry about.”

Turning back around, Sesshomaru muttered something in a low tone that she couldn’t catch. But he didn’t bring up her jewelry again.

Over the next few months, Kagura built up a sizable collection of gaudy little baubles, each of which she made a point to thoroughly wash in the river before wearing. She also ended up with a remarkable amount of darkly-humored inside jokes with Miroku, that served to discomfort pretty much all of their friends whenever they made them in mixed company.

Jaken still grumbled, calling her greedy and sneaky and all that. But for the price of her new hobby and adornments, Kagura felt confident that she could put up with it.

#kagura #miroku #sesshomaru #jaken #kagura of the wind #kagura week 2020 #kagura week

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kariachi · 4 years

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Popular Fruits of Eri

Haldi- a long, narrow green fruit with three distinct sides, thin edible skin, and crisp yellow flesh, the fruit grows directly off the branch in a vaguely corkscrew shape, reaching lengths of 4 feet and weights of over 3lbs, and containing several large, flat black seeds, the trees are common in temperate regions and of little use for building, with short branches and soft, almost springy wood, but the thick leaves attain a pretty dark red color in the fall. Hundreds of flowers are produced each year, large and white with broad petals. The fruit comes in both sour and bitter varieties, the former of which is typically eaten fresh and the latter pickled

The leaves are also edible, with spring leaves having a light, fresh taste often eaten fresh, and dark fall leaves having an almost spicy bent. The latter are often dried in the sun and ground into a powder, which is used to season dishes

Crii- a small, glossy red berry with a thin edible skin, translucent red flesh, and tiny, edible seeds, grows in clusters, grows on a short (for Eri) shrub-like tree common in tropical regions, which produces thousands of small white flowers. The fruit is slightly tart, and eaten fresh or dried. Fresh fruit is often eaten as a dessert with honey

Eggfruit- an eggshaped yellow fruit (shocking I know) about three inches long with a thick, rough peel and firm white flesh housing three round black seeds, grows off a thick vine common in temperate and tropical rainforests, which produces lacey leaves and rings of ornate orange flowers. The flesh of the fruit is creamy, with a taste similar to a sweet custard. They don’t take well to drying or pickling and so are generally eaten fresh, sometimes with honey

The heart of the vines is mashed and combined with other ingredients to create a natural insect repellent

The leaves are a popular ingredient for necromancers, when dried and ground they can be added to potions to help ease muscular pain

Carit Bean- a large, fuzzy brown pod containing 10-13 fleshy pale segments, each of which holds a single large, angular seed, the trees on which they grow are tropical and subtropical, are popular colony trees, and produce fibrous leaves that can be used for weaving. Trees produce multi-colored, bell-shaped flowers with a strong vanilla-y scent. The flesh of the fruit isn’t particularly flavorful, but it takes on flavors well and as such is popular for pickling. The seeds aren’t normally eaten, but are edible when cooked and have a very savory, almost meaty taste

The husks are a common source of feed for several species of beetle

The name of the fruit comes from the name of the flower (the carit flower) which comes from the seemingly random shades they come in, which are similar to the seemingly random colors in which you get carits

Mildit- a large, angular fruit, purple with a thin, heavily dimpled rind and pale yellow flesh covering up to ten pale seeds, reaching up to a pound in weight and grown on thin-trunked, wide-crowned trees in temperate regions, which produce small, green flowers. The flesh of the fruit is very bitter, but healthy, and is commonly juiced and combined with either other juices or honey water to make it palatable. The rind, on the other hand, is very spicy, and often dried and ground to use as a spice

The bark of the tree is often sun-steeped and drunk as a tea or used as part of potions to bolster the immune system

Rime- a mid-sized, scaly yellow-green fruit with a thick, inedible skin, and bold pink flesh studded with small black seeds, grows in clusters from palm-like tropical and subtropical trees, which produce large purple catkins. The fruit is sweet with a hint of tartness, and a taste best compared to a strawberry. Is eaten both fresh and dried.

The catkins are also edible, and eaten fresh or pickled

Zeba Fruit- a small, ovular blue fruit with purple flesh and several small, edible seeds which grows in the canopies of tall trees native to temperate regions, these trees produce thousands of fragrant, densely-petaled blue flowers- with some varieties having up to six layers of petals. The fruits themselves have a very savory flavor and while they become very grainy when dried they’re popular fresh, salted, and pickled. It’s also common to grind fresh fruits with nuts, herbs, and spices to make a very flavorful dip, spread, or marinade.

The flowers are also edible, with a very strong herbal flavor, and often used to mask the taste of medicinal potions

Luat- a spiky, tubular yellow fruit with thin skin and white flesh encircling a core of disc-shaped seeds, which grows on trees in tropical regions which are often host to hives of foul-smelling insects and which produce orchid-like white flowers. The fruits are sweet and eaten fresh or dried, with the skin on or off, often with honey.

Young twigs of the tree are edible when prepared properly, namely by pounding with a heavy implement until the thin bark falls away. The taste is best compared to rosemary, and these twigs are often eaten to freshen the breath and aid in cleaning the teeth.

Bibim- a very heavily ribbed gourd in shades of red and purple, often striped, with a hollow, seed-filled center, thick skin, and soft yellow flesh which grows on a family of thick-trunked trees found across Eri. The flowers of these trees vary, with smaller, lighter colored flowers found towards the poles and boldy colored flowers that can be as wide as a Erinaen is tall towards the equator. Flowers come in shades of white, blue, purple, and green. The fruit has a nutty flavor and is most commonly served mashed with spices, honey, or both, though with the introduction of regular cooking they’ve become the popular cooked produce, mostly being roasted.

The flowers of the trees are edible, and plucking the petals from pollinated flowers to use as wraps is common in the tropics.

Gwendil- a large, round red fruit with a thick skin and firm white flesh filled with several inedible seeds, grows on trees in tropical and subtropical regions, produced by round yellow flowers with a red ring surrounding a brown center. The fruits are sweet and often juiced or dried. The most popular preparation for fresh eating is dipped in ground mildit rind.

Vinegar Fruit- a small round fruit- typically orange, red, or yellow- with a thick, smooth rind and dark, jelly-like flesh containing a single large brown seed, the trees are popular colony trees in temperate and subtropical areas and produce several thousands of tiny orange flowers per season, each of which produces a fruit. While very sweet, the fruit isn’t very easy to consume, with only the flesh being edible, but is commonly distilled into wine and then into a very strong, slightly sweet vinegar that is used for pickling

The rind can also be steeped in the sun to use as a dye, the color staying true to the rind. Ripe rinds produce a paler color, while dried rinds’ color is very rich

And to end on, the #1 most popular fruit on Eri, the

Easu- an ovular, bright yellow fruit, about 2 inches long, with a thin, edible skin, yellow flesh, and hundreds of tiny, edible seeds. Easu trees are semi-aquatic and only grow in subtropical, saltwater swamps, where their branches dip down into the water and their flowers grow beneath the surface, producing a ‘tasty’ gel with which they lure in small crab-like pollinators who carry the sticky gel containing their pollen from flower to flower. The fruits are salty and sweet, tasting something like a salted caramel mixed with a kiwi, only a few hundred are able to be harvested off each tree at the maximum, and they’re dangerous to harvest, making the Easu- while one of the most delicious of Eri’s fruits- also one of the most rare outside of it’s range. Luckily it’s since been able to be grown on several colony worlds, which has bolstered it’s availability.

#erinaens

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astrocassette · 4 years

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oc aesthetic - seren

tagged on this one by @undyingembers, thank you!!

mostly under a readmore cause i was feeling poetic and found myself writing!

Bold for always Italics for sometimes

COLORS

red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. cobalt blue.

the green of the forest and the blue of the sky are the colors they chose to adorn themselves with, colors they could drink in for as long as they could want to. but they are not the only colors that follow them. the earthy browns of their horns and their fur, the shiny wheat yellow of their hair, the vivid green that’s wrapped around their body and shines in their eyes all trail after them as well. and the twinkling blues and purples that surround them as they watch the night sky, dipping to cascade over their shoulders in a cape made of starlight. all of these are the colors that follow this watcher.

ELEMENTS

fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. magic.

seren is a child, born of the earth, but knowing only the sea and the sky. they take joy in the rushing of waves underneath, the salty breeze through their hair, the feeling of sunlight on their skin, all of the colors that paint and dapple the sky when day turns to night. this is what they know, but when this adventure is over, they will find themself again in the sound of rustling leaves, the feeling of dirt under bare feet, the softness of lying in a clover patch. these are their elements, earth, sea, and sky.

BODY

claws. long fingers. fangs. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. feathers. webs. sweat. tears. feline. scales. fur. chubby. curvy. short. tall. average height. muscular. lean. piercings. tattoos. lithe.

they look so small, so unassuming at first glance, small horns, floppy ears, and freckle-flowers, wandering around the ship barefoot, smiling as easily as the sun shines. they are themself, of course, always, but even still it’s enough to give pause when they strip at the bathhouse, seeing the bruises and scrapes and scars of battle that decorate their skin, and the hints of lean muscle underneath. they are small, maybe, and sunny, but that does not negate how dangerous a foe they are.

WEAPONS

fists. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. venom. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. pyre. teeth/fangs. rifles. words.

seren has known many weapons in their lifetime, wielded and suffered, but not all remembered. wands and rifles fit easily into their hands, and somehow the weight of a mace did too. really, though, all of those came second. they could do so much with a thought, crush, splinter, pierce. use peoples’ phantasmal insides to break their tangible outsides. it was... rather unnerving when anyone else thought about it for too long.

MATERIALS

gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics.

seren’s mind makes itself out of wool and paper, out of iron and cloth and clay. it comes out in the weaving of wool, the scratching of lyrics on paper, the rush of breath through an ocarina. they collect rocks with their hands and dirt with their feet, and their days are segmented by iron weapons and cookware alike. the watcher is made up of many things, but most of all, themself.

NATURE + WEATHER

grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. lavender. sunflowers. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rainforest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. poppies. galaxies. stardust. sky. rain. storm. sunny.

a child of the earth, a child of nature, they appreciate everything they can get from it. plants, trees and flowers and crops are petted as seren passes by. barefoot, they dig their toes into grass and dirt and sand alike, reveling in the texture. they lie on beaches and meadows, watching what the sky has to offer at any time of day.

ANIMALS + MYTHICAL CREATURES

lions. wolves. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles + tortoises. bugs. spiders. doves. robins. ducks. vultures. whales. dolphins. fish. octopus. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. rabbits. hares. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. rats. livestock. tigers. panthers. deer. foxes. bats. bears. crocodiles + alligators. coyotes. seals + sea lions

seren knows of many animals, but only has experience with a few. they know stories of falcons and snakes and turtles and panthers, but does not remember learning them. caring for cats and rabbits and chickens is much the same, during the few occasions they help a local corral their livestock. the one that always makes them light up, though, their favorite, were bats. as dusk fell, they’d watch the diminutive shadows flitting from tree to tree, grinning and pointing them out to whoever was with them.

FOOD + DRINK

sugar. salt. bitter. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. soda. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. burritos. pizza. french fries.

fruits and meats and grains are their favorites, preferring savory and sweet. humming happily at the taste of honey glazed hen, sharing orange slices with whoever happened by on deck, flapping their hands at the spiciness of fire kelp but going back for more, crunching on candied nuts as they peruse the shops of queen’s berth. to them, food is very much a joy, and something to be shared.

HOBBIES

music. art. watercolors. gardening/growing plants. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. comic books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electric guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. flight. climbing. running. swimming. healing/medicine.

they like everything surrounding music and the fiber arts, but there are other things, too. sparring with friends is something they enjoy, light fare to make days sailing more interesting. reading books, both fiction and non to pass the time in a gentler way, card games similarly when they want to spend that time with people. neither they nor their crew puts on theater, but in ports, seren loves stopping to watch, enjoying the story and the questionable acting skills in equal measure. being the herald of berath and the hound of eothas does not allow excessive room for hobbies, but they make time anyways.

STYLE

lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. shirt. sweater. boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. duster. trenchcoat. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sunglasses. eye contacts. makeup. ties. uniform.

a brigandine and cape, forest green, sky blue, and white, are their battle armor, heavy but maneuverable. it is what they choose to wear for the necessity of it, but outside of battle it is not something they’d choose. they favor light shirts and tunics, open necklines and half sleeves, pants cut at the knee, secured with a sash that flutters after them when they run. an item cherished is their cape, the cape of the fallen star, that surrounds them in the beauty of the night sky and makes them a sight to remember on the few occasions they wear it.

MISC.

balloons. bubbles. cityscape. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. kisses. diary. fairy lights. mental health problems. sadness. bittersweet. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. revenge.

seren is kind. kind, and light, and optimistic. their task is a heavy one, tense, and worrying, and precarious, so they do what they can to bring light, to show kindness against the uncertainty of the world.

#hwoo i have no idea where the writing part of this came from but it was fun!!#i keep meaning to get back to playing adfvsdgb #the saturday d&d campaign i'm in recently got BUCKWILD in the best way so that's what's been occupying my brain space as of late #but i'll get back to pillars eventually #watcher seren

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outlanderbooktalk-blog · 5 years

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Daily Lines, Posted February 5, 2019

By mid-afternoon, I’d made great progress with my medicaments, treated three cases of poison ivy rash, a dislocated toe (caused by kicking a mule in a fit of temper), and a raccoon bite (non-rabid; the hunter had knocked the coon out of a tree and went to pick it up, only to discover that it wasn’t dead. It was mad, but not in any infectious sense.).

Jamie, though, had done much better. People had come up to the house-site all day, in a steady trickle of neighborliness and curiosity. The women had stayed to chat with me about the MacKenzies and the men had wandered off through the house-site with Jamie, returning with promises to come and lend a day’s labor here and there.

“If Roger Mac and Ian can help me move lumber tomorrow, the Leslies will come next day and give me a hand wi’ the floor joists. We’ll lay the hearth-stone and bless it on Wednesday, Sean McHugh and a couple of his lads will lay the floor with me on Friday, and we’ll get the framing started next day; Tom MacLeod says he can spare me a half-day, and Hiram Crombie’s son Joe says he and his half-brother can help wi’ that as well.” He smiled at me. “If the whisky holds out, ye’ll have a roof over your head in two weeks, Sassenach.”

I looked dubiously from the stone foundation to the cloud-flecked sky overhead.

“A roof?”

“Aye, well, a sheet of canvas, most likely,” he admitted. “Still.” He stood and stretched, grimacing slightly.

“Why don’t you sit down for a bit?” I suggested, eyeing his leg. He was limping noticeably and the leg was a vivid patchwork of red and purple, demarcated by the black stitches of my repair job. “Amy’s left us a jug of beer.”

“Perhaps a wee bit later,” he said. “What’s that ye’re making, Sassenach?”

“I’m going to make up some gall berry ointment for Lizzie Beardsley, and then some gripe-water for her little new one—do you know if he has a name yet?”

“Hubertus.”

“What?”

“Hubertus,” he repeated, smiling. “Or so Kezzie told me, the day before yesterday. It’s in compliment to Monika’s late brother, he says.”

“Oh.” Lizzie’s father, Joseph Wemyss, had taken a kind German lady of a certain age as his second wife, and Monika, having no children of her own, had become a stalwart grandmother to the Beardsleys’ growing brood. “Perhaps they can call him Bertie, for short.”

“Are ye out of the Jesuit Bark, Sassenach?” He lifted his chin in the direction of the open medicine chest I’d set on the ground near him. “Do ye not use that for Lizzie’s tonic?”

“I do,” I said, rather surprised that he’d noticed. “I used the last of it three weeks ago, though, and haven’t heard of anyone going to Wilmington or New Bern who might get me more.”

“Did ye mention it to Roger Mac?”

“No. Why him?” I asked, puzzled.

Jamie leaned back against the cornerstone, wearing one of those overtly patient expressions that’s meant to indicate that the person addressed is not particularly bright. I snorted and flicked a gallberry at him. He caught it and examined it critically.

“Is it edible?”

“Amy says bees like the flowers,” I said dubiously, pouring a large handful of the dark purple berries into my mortar. “But there’s very likely a reason why they’re called gall berries.”

“Ah.” He tossed it back at me, and I dodged. “Ye told me yourself, Sassenach, that Roger Mac said to ye yesterday that he meant to come back to the ministering. So,” he went on patiently, seeing no hint of enlightenment on my face, “what would ye do first, if that was your aim?”

I scooped a large glob of pale yellow bear grease from its pot into the mortar, part of my mind debating whether to add a decoction of willow bark, while the rest considered Jamie’s question.

“Ah,” I said in turn, and pointed my pestle at him. “I’d go round to all the people who’d been part of my congregation, so to speak, and let them know that Mack the Knife is back in town.”

He gave me a concerned look, but then shook his head, dislodging whatever image I’d just given him.

“Ye would,” he said. “And maybe introduce yourself to the folk who’ve come to the Ridge since ye left.”

“And within a couple of days, everyone on the Ridge—and probably half the brethren’s choir in Salem—would know about it.”

He nodded amiably. “Aye. And they’d all ken that ye need Jesuit bark, and ye’d likely get it within the month.”

Anyone have any thoughts? Are you excited for the next book?

#outlander #outlander book talk #claire beauchamp #jamie fraser #go tell the bees that i am gone #book nine #daily lines

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tipsycad147 · 3 years

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Meet The Plants | Elderberry Benefits & Uses

Written by Sass Ayres

In the late summer, just as you start to feel a tiniest hint of cooler temperatures slip in, the elderberries start to ripen and it’s a race to harvest before the birds eat them all. Every year, it’s me versus the birds and I can’t say there’s ever a clear winner, but I think that’s the way it should be. As a highly nourishing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant plant, the food and medicine of elderberry is abundant and there’s enough for us all.

Say Hello to Elder

Meet elder. Elder is probably most known for its berry these days, as elderberry has become quite the herbal champion of immune health, ridding folks near and far of cold and flu symptoms. But there’s so much more to this plant. Here’s the skinny:

Elderberry is a small tree or bush found commonly in pastures, meadows, and light forests.

Often found growing near water, elderberry likes to keeps it roots a little wet. It grows well in the sun with a bit of shade and once it’s established, elder can survive drought and intense heat. Elder is an incredibly resilient plant.

The flowers are creamy white and come in large clusters that eventually give way to clusters of small blue-black or deep purplish berries. Elderberry’s leaves are elongated, toothed leaflets arranged on opposite sides of the stem.

Aside from the beautiful flowers and berries, another distinctive feature is its hollow stems filled with a white pith.

There are many medicinal species of elderberry, but only the ones bearing bluish-black berries are safe to eat. Red elderberries are toxic and can cause stomach upset.

The history is elderberry comes with some fascinating ancient lore!

The generic name Sambucus comes from a Latin term for a musical instrument. Ancient legend says that the country folk thought that the most eerie and haunting music was made by instruments crafted from the wood of elderberry.

In northern Europe, the elderberry tree was associated with a powerful woman called the Elder Mother. To pick the plant without making an offering was considered potentially fatal and it was most common to offer the promise of one’s body eventually being returned to the earth.

Western European legends say that the elderberry tree served as a doorway to the Underworld.

“Planting an Elder in the corner of an herb garden is considered to be beneficial to the medicinal plants growing there because the Elder serves as a sort of [guardian] spirit for herbs.”

Mathew Wood, from The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicine

The Medicinal Benefits of Elderberry

In European tradition, it’s said that the elder tree was nearly an entire pharmacy in itself. And while all parts of the elderberry have historical use as medicine, today’s Western plant medicine only uses the flowers and ripe berries. The bark, stems, and roots are all considered toxic and can cause nausea, vomiting, and other unpleasant things.

However, the berries of the elder are nourishing and tonifying to the blood. They are antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. For this reason, they are important plant allies to our immune systems and overall health. We often see elderberries made into syrups, vinegar infusions, or oxymels (ie. an apple cider vinegar infusion sweetened with honey).

The flowers of elder are also medicinal and, like the berries, are anti-inflammatory. Elderflowers are nourishing to our nervous systems, soothing to our mucous membranes, and can help rid our bodies of excess mucus. The flowers can be made into teas, syrups, or tinctures. The medicine of elderberry is safe for all ages, a gentle and powerful herbal ally for both adults and children.

How Elderberry is Used as a Food

In addition to all the medicine you can make with elder, it’s also a delicious food plant. If you can catch the flowers while they are in bloom, the creamy white clusters can be dipped into batter and fried into fritters just like dandelions. Although, because the stems can cause stomach upset, just use them as little handles to nibble off the delicious fried flowers. Maybe drizzle with some dandelion flower infused honey?!

The flowers are also great for making infused boozy concoctions. They’re the star herbal ingredient in St. Germain (a classic elderflower liqueur), and are beautiful edible flowers to decorate your cakes and cookies with. Plus, doesn’t elderberry champagne sound delicious?!

Once the flowers give way to the small black-blue or deep purplish berries, they can be made into jellies and jams, or syrups to drizzle over pancakes or ice cream. They can be baked into pies and made into shrubs or other beverages as well. Although, due to the noxious potential of stems and seeds, the berries are best consumed cooked.

Elderberry 101

Species Sambucus mexicana & Sambucus nigra & Sambucus canadensis (blue & black varieties only)

Family Adoxaceae (the moschatel family)*Formerly part of the Caprifoliaceae (or honeysuckle) family

Part(s) UsedFlower & ripe berries

Origin Native to Europe, but now found in most temperate & sub-tropical regions of the world (much more commonly found in the Northern Hemisphere)

When to Harvest Flowers are harvested through summer. Berries are harvested when they ripen to a black-blue and/or purplish color in the late summer/early fall.

Flowers: Diuretic, Anti-inflammatory, Soothing to the nervous system, Promotes wound healing (vulnerary), Soothes irritated mucous membranes (demulcent), Helps the body remove excess mucus (expectorant & anti-catarrhal)

As a Medicine Berries: Antiviral, Nutritive, Alterative, Antioxidant, Mild laxative Anti-inflammatory

As a Food High in vitamins A & C (berries), High in quercetin & bioflavonoids (that may, help reduce allergy symptoms)

Caution(s) The seeds of the berries can be irritating to the tummy. Unripe fruit, leaves, root, & bark can causes GI upset including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Fruit is best eaten cooked due to the potential of GI upset.

**Always consult with a practiced herbalist or physician knowledgeable about herbal medicine if you are pregnant or have any concerns.**

Other Uses Elderberry juice is used as a colourant and natural food additive, and can be used to dye fibers. Hollowed twigs can be used to tap maple trees for syrup and have also been used to make instruments.

If you’ve been elderberry curious, I hope this fueled that curiosity into welcoming this amazing tree and its incredible medicine into your life. It’s a gentle medicine that is as much food as it is plant medicine, and those are my favorite kinds of plant medicines… the ones that end up on our plates and work their magic without us hardly even noticing.

https://www.botanyculture.com/meet-the-plants-the-food-medicine-of-elderberry/

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geohoneylovers · 5 years

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POLYFLORAL HONEY

Beechwood Honey

It's popularly known as Honeydew honey and mainly produced in New Zealand's South Island. It has extraordinary aroma & comes from the sap produced by aphids on the bark of beechwood trees giving distinct stature in the honey index. Beechwood honey is fondly mixed into smoothies, sauces, pancakes, and fruits like a sweet drizzle. This honey is a good supplement for improving the body's immunity and digestive system.

Berry Honey

Berry Honey is a rich source of anthocyanin flavonoids having good anti-inflammatory properties. It's considered good for eyes and even helps in fighting against colon cancer.

Black Bee Honey

This is absolute form of raw honey- unpasteurized & unblended. Majorly found in Exmoor National Park has a smoky aroma and becomes runny on heating

Canola Honey (Brassica napus)

Canola is an ideal habitat and food source for honeybees: Canola flowers produce high amounts of nectar and this nectar has a good sugar profile for honey production. The large amounts of pollen offer a good nutritional balance of amino acids, protein and fats.

Canola honey is one of the most delicate in flavour, crystalize easily & have low acid levels. Being prepared from species of rapeseed, holding 80% of Canadian honey sales.

Golden Honey

Velvety-Smooth honey having a deep flavour with a blend of clover and wildflower honey varieties. It has a sweet taste entwined with delicate floral undertones.

Jamun Honey (Syzygium cumini)

Jamun Honey is sourced from bees that feed and forage primarily on Indian blackberry commonly known as JAMUN Jamun. It is collected from the south Karnataka region and is harvested in August when the Jamun flowers blossoms. It is dark amber in color and comparatively less sweet than other honey.

Jamun (Syzygium cumini) honey is famous for its antihypoxic activity. A specific dose of this honey can be topically applied to cure the deadly Fournier gangrene.

Since it has high osmotic pressure and viscosity, it prevents microbial growth and promotes wound healing when applied to the affected areas.

Jamun honey is renowned for anti-hypoxic activity. A specific dose of this honey can be topically applied to cure the deadly gangrene. Since it has high osmotic pressure and viscosity, it helps in microbial growth and promotes wound healing when applied to the affected areas.

Kashmir Honey

Gently nourishes skin with natural single flora of Kashmir Honey. It has all beneficial components which help in boosting immunity.

Chestnut Honey (Castanea sativa)

Of the common species of Chestnut trees, the Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) grown mainly in Europe produces honey, and the Allegheny Chinkapin (C. pumila) grown in Eastern USA produces a strong and bitter honey.

The chestnut tree belongs to the same family as beeches and oaks. For thousands of years the chestnut was a primary source of nutrition in the mountainous areas of the Mediterranean where grains did not grow well. The primary honey producer, the sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa) is common in Europe where it was introduced from Sardis (in what is now Turkey) thousands of years ago, hence the name Sardinian Nut, now known simply as the chestnut…not to be confused with Sardinian honey, so called because it is produced on the Italian island of Sardinia.

It possesses a unique aroma and some of its varietals are reported to taste bitter. This amber-colour honey is mildly sweet and its low Glycemic Index makes it honey suitable for diabetics.

Maple Honey (Acer macrophyllum)

The western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bees worldwide. The genus name Apis is Latin for "bee", and mellifera is the Latin for "honey-bearing", referring to the species' production of honey.

Has the aroma of maple trees in bloom, with a sweet almost medicinal scent to it. Maple Blossom Honey is only available during the earliest days of spring from the blossoms of big leaf maple trees.

Cotton Honey (Gossypium hirsutum)

Cotton honey first sounded like a joke to me. I mean, cotton is for clothes, for good quality clothes, breathable and soft.

The only image I had in mind of the plant named cotton, was from an old movie where black slaves were gathering white balls of fluffy cotton from a huge field. I remember the contrast between their black ebony hands and the white balls.

I never imagined honey can be produced from those plants, because in my mind there were no flowers attached. But then, I thought the same when I first heard of pine honey. Pines don’t have flowers and yet honey can be produced from them.

Made from the visiting the flavours of cotton plants, it doesn't taste light cotton, but rather has a complex flavour with both sweetness and tartness, unique and delicious.

Neem Honey (Azadirachtaindica)

Neem honey is a popular Ayurvedic treatment and can be commonly found in India where Neem trees (Azadirachtaindica) are common. It is used to lower high blood pressure, diabetes, skin problems, allergies, dental illnesses, and throat infections. Highly valued in Ayurveda for its medicinal properties, Neem honey is as appreciated as Maharishi honey. It is known to be anti-inflammatory, anti-coughing and antiseptic. Folk medicine uses it in lowering high blood pressure and to treat diabetes (!), skin problems, dental diseases, infected throat, and allergies.

Medicinally valued Neem honey is a Bitter-tasting variant mainly produced in warm tropical countries like India. It’s an Ayurveda medicine for lowering high blood pressure, treating diabetes, skin problems, dental diseases, infected throat, and allergies.

Pine Tree Honey (çam balı)

Pine honey Turkish: çam balı is a type of honeydew honey. It is a sweet and spicy honey, with some woody notes, a resinous fragrance and dark amber color. It is a common breakfast dish in Turkey, where it is drizzled over yoghurt and eaten with bread.

Pine honey is an unusual honey because it is not produced entirely by honey bees. It is produced by bees that collect honeydew (sugary secretions) from a scale insect species called Marchalinahellenica, which lives on the sap of certain pine trees. The marchalinahellenica can be found on the Turkish Pine (Pinus brutia), as well as the Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis), Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra), Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Stone Pine (Pinus pinea).

Pine honey is produced in eastern Mediterranean Pinus brutia forests. Turkey produces 92% of the world’s pine honey. Muğla Province accounts for 80% of Turkish pine honey production.

Pine Tree honey (also known as forest honey, fir honey, honeydew or tea tree honey) holds the majority of honey production in Greece. It is not particularly sweet and tastes a little bitter with a strong aroma. Relatively rich in minerals and proteins, this honey is resistant to crystallization.

Pumpkin Blossom Honey (Cucurbita)

Pumpkin honey is one of the rarest of honeys, so it is a special treat when available. It is an excellent honey for cooking, baking, canning, and wonderful for marinades, sauces, and dressings. Whip it into a tasty honey butter and you wont be disappointed. Pumpkin Honey is reminiscent of pumpkins and other squash, even having an orange cast to the color. It is wonderful for fall and winter cooking.

Pumpkin Blossom honey is dark amber-coloured having a light floral fragrance. It’s a suitable topping for dishes and desserts and tastes good when paired with savoury or spicy barbeque sauce. It also tastes great when drizzled with sweet potatoes, yoghurt, and desserts.

Rainforest Honey (Apis Dorsata)

The bees that produces this precious honey is called Apis dorsata or Giant Honey Bees, and they would only build hives on canopies of Koompassiaexcelsa, also known as Tualang tree - Hence the name Tualang honey.

Having a rich floral aroma, rainforest honey originates from rainforests of Brazil, Australia, Tasmania, Thailand, the US, etc. It is popularly used in cooking and baking and hailed as an excellent sauce ingredient, also favorite among the children & used as a breakfast jam or mixed into a honey drink

Rata Honey (Metrosiderosrobusta)

It contains live enzymes, minerals and vitamins, making it a tasty super food, perfect for displays with cheeses but also healthy and nutritious as well. Our Rata honey is sourced from the protected Rata tree found in New Zealand's National Forests.

Rata is one of several species of Rata found in New Zealand but is the one that most regularly produces a honey crop, although even this honey is sometimes in very short supply. Anyone who has seen the Rata flowering in January in the Otira Gorge west of Christchurch cannot forget the sight of this brilliant red carpet covering the mountains. This area produces the purest Rata honey, very white in colour with a subtle, distinctive flavour, mild and rich - but not sweet, almost salty, considered by many to be the best of New Zealand Honeys.

Rata honey is a light colour & buttery smooth varietal that has impressed many serious honey enthusiasts. It has a mild, subtle taste and yet very memorable, pleasantly sweet aroma. Rata honey has a relatively high glucose content. It crystallizes quickly and thus is usually processed into a cream, honey. When mixed with water, it makes an absolutely delicious, soothing tonic with a fruity hint.

Tualang Honey (Apis Dorsata)

Tualang honey (TH) is a Malaysian multifloral jungle honey. The honey is produced by the rock bee (Apis dorsata), which builds hives on branches of tall Tualang trees located mainly in the north-western region of Peninsular Malaysia.

It is claimed to contains more nutrients & minerals than Manuka Honey. Tualang Honey has one of the lowest glycemic index in honey, despite its savoury sweet taste. Eating it does not spike your blood sugar levels as much as other honey. It has half the GI of table sugar and even lower than white bread, making it the perfect, super healthy alternative for table sugar and can be easily incorporated into any diet or recipe. Tualang Honey contains the highest amount of antioxidants & anti-inflammatory agents in honey. It improves cardiovascular health, stimulates fast wound healing, reduces scarring and is extremely effective against persistent coughs & sore throats or other viral-borne diseases.

The tualang honey is a multifloral jungle honey, produced by an Asian type of bee called Apis dorsata, in nests hanging from the high branches of the tualang trees.

Referred as the "champagne of honeys" or "Queen of honey", this honey is produced in the Southeastern U.S. swamps. It is usually light golden amber with a mild, distinctive taste. Tualang honey is one of the sweetest honey varieties because of its high fructose content and it hardly granulates.

Tulsi Honey (Ocimumtenuiflorum)

Tulsi Honey is prepared by infusing Krishna tulsi leaves with unprocessed honey. Honey an elixir, when mixed with Tulsi, works out wonders for your body and mind. It strengthens the immune system and reduces stress and induces sleep when consumes at night with hot water. Good for throat infection, shows best result against anti-bacterial effect. Reduce cough.

Good for throat infection, reduce cough and shows the best result against the anti-bacterial effect.

Tupelo Flower Honey

Tupelo honey is a premium honey produced in northwest Florida. It is heavy-bodied and is usually light golden amber with a greenish cast and has a mild, distinctive taste. Because of the high fructose content in Tupelo honey, its granulates very slowly.

Tupelo Honey (Nyssa)

Named as the "champagne of honeys", "Queen of honey", "Southern Gold", Tupelo honey is a premium honey produced in the Southeastern U.S. swamps. It is usually light golden amber with a faint greenish glow, and has a mild, distinctive taste. Because of its high fructose content, Tupelo honey is one of the sweetest honey varieties and it hardly granulates. More details in: Tupelo Honey - Queen of Honey.

Tupelo Honey or the “Southern Gold”, as it is popularly known as, is produced in the Southeastern U.S. swamps. It is usually light golden or amber in colour with a faint greenish glow and a mild & distinctive taste. Tupelo honey is one of the sweetest honey varieties courtesy the high fructose content and its ability of not granulating like most other types of Honey.

Wildflower Honey

Wildflower is often described as polyfloral honey from miscellaneous and undefined flower sources. Its colour varies from very light to dark and flavour range from light and fruity to tangy and rich, depending on the mix from the different seasonal wildflowers.

Visit www.geohoney.com to get more details!

#wildflower honey #polyfloral honey

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noblecrumpet-dorkvision · 7 years

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Druid Week: Herbalism for D&D 5e (part 1)

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Here I’ve made a slew of tables to roll on to help you generate random herbs for your campaign! Now those Nature checks can actually yield some results! In part 2 I will offer some ways to use these herbs with some herb-related alchemy!

Where the Herb Can Be Found

Rarity:

Determine an herb's rarity using your discretion. If you are searching for an herb outside of its native biome, treat it as one level of rarity higher. Rare herbs cannot be found outside of their native biome. You should limit how often the PCs can search for a particular herb. I would suggest once per hour in a forest region, once per day in any other region, or only once per square mile. If a player knows any hints as to an herb's location, grant them advantage on their Survival check. If a plant is usually found near a waterfall, or in shady areas, or near certain animals, for instance.

Common: Found with a DC 13 Survival check. Identified with a DC 10 Nature check.

Uncommon: Found with a DC 17 Survival check. Identified with a DC 15 Nature check.

Rare: Found with a DC 22 Survival check. Identified with a DC 20 Nature check.

image credit: JordyLakiere

Native Biome (1d20):

Herbs are not native to every environment/climate. Randomize where they can be found. If a particular herb is uncommon, roll 1d20+2. If rare, roll 1d20+5. Otherwise, roll 1d20 or just choose from the list below.

1-5: Forest

6-10: Tropics

11-12: Savannah

13-14: Swamp

15: Mountains

16: Underwater

17: Tundra

18: Desert

19: Underground/Dungeons

20+: Unique Biome (See Below)

Unique Biomes (1d12):

Use this list if the herb is especially difficult to come by and the PCs must put in extra effort to quest for such an herb. These are just ideas, but you can also have an herb be native to an environment that you want the PCs to travel to as a railroading tool.

Bottom of the ocean

Good-aligned Outer Planes (like Celestia, Elysium, Arborea)

Evil-aligned Outer Planes (like Baator, Hades, the Abyss)

Inside of active volcanoes

In poisonous, disease-ridden swamps

A particular named location in your world

The Underdark

Near powerful undead or in ancient burial sites (Vampires, Liches, Mummies, Dracoliches, Death Knights)

Sites of arcane disturbance (Wizard Towers, Lich Lairs, Portals, Rifts, Dragon Lairs)

The Feywild

Lairs of powerful aberrations (Beholders, Aboleths, Mind Flayers)

One of the Inner Planes (Elemental Planes, Energy Planes, Ethereal Plane, Shadow Plane)

image source: Getty Images

Herb Description

Here’s a generator for random herb descriptions. You can roll up a completely new plant or just use a few of the different tables.

Herb Type (1d100):

1-15: Fungi

16-50: Diminutive Plant

51-70: Tiny Plant

71-85: Small or Medium Bush

86-90: Vine

91-00: Large or larger Tree

Leaf Shape (1d12):

Whorled: Leaves attached to stem in spiraling groups (White Bedstraw)

Lobed: Leaves have distinct protrusions (Sassafras)

Dissected: Leaves with deep repeated partitions (Ferns, Buttercups)

Compound: Leaves are in small clusters of leaflets (Clovers)

Undulating: Leaf margins have a wavy plane, specially towards the edge (Common Burdock, Cocklebur)

Toothed: Edges of leaves are toothed, or serrated (Peppermint)

Ovate: Standard large, round base and pointed tip leaves (Common Nightshade)

Elliptical: Common oval-shaped leaves (Rhododendron)

Lanceolate: Leaves shaped like a lance head (Goldenrod)

Heart-Shaped: Shaped like a heart (Eastern Redbud)

Needles: Clusters of needle-shaped leaves (Pine Trees)

Large Leaves: Roll again and make the leaves big (ignore a result of 12)

Flower Type (1d6):

An herb is 50% likely to use flowers to reproduce. Otherwise roll on the seed/fruit/berry table.

Solitary: Flowers borne singly on isolated stems (Daffodil)

Raceme: Many stalked flowers attached to a central stem, elongated cluster (Bluebells)

Spike: Many stalkless flowers attached to a central stem, highly elongated cluster (Smartweed)

Corymb: Many small flowers form a cluster (Common Yarrow)

Head: Tightly compact flowers seem to form a single head (Thistle)

Panicle: A compound raceme (Goldenrod)

Flower Color (1d10):

Orange

Purple

Yellow

White

Red

Pink

Blue

Black

Striped (Roll twice, ignore 9/10)

Spotted (Roll twice, ignore 9/10)

Root Type (1d4):

Fibrous

Tuberoid

Branched

Bulbous

Bark/Stem Type (1d6):

Roll on this table for bushes, trees, or vines.

Smooth

Peeling

Cracks

Scales

Plates

Ridges

Seed/Fruit/Berry (1d10):

If an herb doesn't have flowers, it most likely has seeds, berries, or fruit.

1-3: Spherical (apple, poppy seed)

4: Spikes, Ridges, Ribs (sycamore seed pod, durian)

5: Seed Pod (silk tree seed pods, pomegranate)

6: Oblong (zucchini, beans)

7: Teardrop (pumpkin seed, avocado, gourd)

8: Fuzzy (dandelion seed, peach)

9: Covered in Leaf/Shell/Rind (tomatillo, most nuts, oranges)

0: Unique (get creative!)

Mushrooms/Fungi (1d12):

If the herb is a fungus, roll on the table below. If a player identifies a fungus incorrectly, there should be a high chance that using the herb causes poison damage or applies the poisoned condition. You can roll on the Flower Color table to give it a unique color.

Convex Cap

Concave Cap (Red Cup Fungi, Black Trumpet, Chanterelle)

Star-Shaped Cap (Earthstar)

Fuzzy (Hairy Mycena)

Cluster of Mushrooms

Ridged (White Morels, Turban Fungus)

Cage/Tendrils (Cage Fungus, Veiled Lady, Anemone Stinkhorn)

Scaled (Lichen)

Slime (Scrambled Egg Slime)

Shelved (Hen of the Woods)

Warted (Fly Agaric, Blood Tooth)

Puffball

Special Qualities

In D&D, herbs can be fantastic and magical! Don't be afraid to roll on the table below to find out if a given herb has anything special going on with its appearance or if it has any abilities.

Special Herb Qualities (1d100):

1-40: None

41-50: Thorns: Deals 1d4 piercing damage if touched. DEX save DC 10 negates.

51: Hallowed: This herb has a random iteration of the Harrow spell cast upon it, which fades once harvested.

52: Dryad: The herb is protected by a dryad that lives within this particular herb. The dryad must either be killed, convinced to give up their home, or taken with the herb.

53: Explosive: To gather the herb, you must make a Nature check with a DC of 15 or else the herb explodes and deals 3d10 fire damage to those that fail a DC 13 DEX save. Half damage on a successful save.

54: Bless/Bane: Harvesting the herb grants the effects of a Bless or Bane spell for 10 minutes.

55: Conductive: The herb zaps those that touch it for 2d8 lightning damage. Recharge 5-6.

56-59: Coated in Oil or Slime: Deals 1d6 acid damage if touched

60-63: Emits Magic: It can be detected with a Detect Magic spell and gives off a faint aura (good, evil, chaos, or magic; not law, though)

64: Makes Noise: The herb either mimics noises it has heard, plays music, shrieks, crackles, or ticks. Sometimes this can deal 1d6 Thunder damage in a 15' radius if it emits a loud enough noise.

65-66: Carnivorous (harmless): It just eats insects or small animals.

67-72: Carnivorous (dangerous): It eats humanoids. Use a Vine Blight (CR 1/2), Awakened Tree (CR 2), or Shambling Mound (CR 5) statistics.

73-88: Poisonous: Harmful to either ingest, touch, or smell (DM’s choice). CON save DC 13, 5d8 poison damage.

89-91: Poison Spores: The herb lets out a cloud of spores that deals 3d8 poison damage to those within 10' that fail a DC 12 DEX save.

92: Charming: Those attempting to gather the herb must make a DC 15 CHA saving throw or become charmed by the plant for 1 minute.

93-96: Bioluminescent: Glows a color. Sometimes has the ability to blind those that fail a DC 10 CON save for 1 minute.

97-98: Animated: 5′ move, fly, burrow, swim, or climb speed.

99: Sentient: Has an INT of 3 and can communicate telepathically.

00: Roll twice, ignore results of 1-40 or any previous results.

image source: link

Preparing the Herb

Here are some tables for how to use the herb once you've found it! Different parts of the plant might have different uses and can mean the difference between vital medicine and toxic death. Good luck with your Nature checks!

Which Part of the Herb is Used (1d12):

1-3: Reproductive System:

Stamen

Pistil

Seeds/Fruit/Berries

Petal

4-8: Leaves

9-11: Roots

12: Shoots/Bark

How the Herb is Prepared (1d10):

Balm/Salve: Mix the herb with white wax, oil, or fat

Decoction: Boiling the herb in water (tea is included here)

Infusion: Soaking the herb in water, oil, or honey

Paste: Macerating the herb with a bit of liquid and its natural juices

Poultice: Holding the processed herb against the skin with gauze

Powder: Grinding the herb with a mortar/pestle

Raw: Eating or rubbing the herb on the skin without other preparations

Syrup: An infusion with sweetener to combat the herb's foul taste

Tincture: Extracting the nutrients of an herb in alcohol

Vapor: A decoction where only the steam is inhaled, perhaps because the herb is toxic in large doses

#herbs #dungeons & dragons #D&D #herbology #druid #ranger #dungeons and dragons #DnD #D&D 5e #DnD 5e #druid week #plants #homebrew #alchemy #medicine #healing #potions #fungi #biome #random

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rogerkingspices-blog · 6 years

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Spices on Sale!!!

Anise Seed - Not to be confused with Star Anise, Anise seeds are small and look similar to Dill and Fennel seeds. Their aroma is sweet and licorice-like while their flavor is a bit fruity and warm. They are most notably used in Italian pizzelles, Australian humbugs and Peruvian picarones.

Annatto/Achiote Seed - One spice with two names, Achiote is the name of the spice created from grinding Annatto seeds. This spice is typically used for coloring more than flavor but can be cooked in oil to infuse a little flavor. It has a pleasant peppermint and flowery aroma and is essential for making Yucatan Recado Rojo and achiote paste.

Arrowroot Powder - Virtually flavorless, Arrowroot powder is a gluten free starch that can be used as a thickener in sauces, clear glazes, gravies and pie fillings. It can be substituted anywhere flour or cornstarch is called for and is in some cases considered to be superior to the two previously mentioned.

Asafoetida - Another popular spice for those following gluten free diets, Asafoetida is the dried latex that comes from the taproot of several species of Ferula (a perennial herb). Primarily used in Indian cooking, it has an aroma that might have you second guessing its culinary use at first smell. Once cooked in oil the aroma mellows and the onion-like flavor can shine through a bit more.

Beetroot Powder - Beetroot Powder is used as both a colorant and flavoring component. Made from dehydrated beets, Beet Powder is sometimes add as a sweetener in juices or sauces.

Bell Peppers - Technically part of the chile pepper family, bell peppers come in a wide variety of colors and range in flavor from a tiny bit sweet to crisp and almost tart. Bell Peppers have a SHU rating of 0.

Cacao - Sometimes confused with cocoa (hot chocolate), cacao is the pure, unprocessed and dried seed of Theobrama cacao. It can be found in nib form or ground into a powder. The flavor is intense with a subtle mouth - cooling finish. Cacao is the ingredient that is emphasized on wrappers of dark chocolate bars.

Caraway Seed - Most notably used to flavor rye bread, Caraway Seed has a sharp pungent aroma like dill and a sweet, warm, biting flavor that is reminiscent of anise. It seems to counteract the fattiness of meats including pork, duck and goose. It is also used in a variety of foods such as cabbage soup, goulash, pickles, sauerbraten, sauerkraut, sausages and German kummel liqueur.

Cardamom - Cardamom aka the Queen of spices in India (with pepper as her King) is used to intensify both sweet and savory flavors. Cardamom itself has a light lemony flavor, with an aroma that is rugged, but gentle, biting and fruity. Cardamom can be used in its whole pod form or the seeds can be extracted and ground into a powder depending on the type of dish being prepared.

Celery Seed - Our conventional Celery products is cultivated in India. Celery seeds and Ground Celery Seeds have more “earthy” taste that is still fresh and light. Depending on the season of the latest harvest, our organic Celery Seeds and Ground Celery is sourced from Egypt, India, the Netherlands and the US.

Chia Seeds - Chia Seeds are an incredibly versatile seed. When dry they are similar to poppy seeds, but once you add them to water they can increase in size up to 12 times their original size. Chia seeds are a popular Super Food because they contain more Omega-3 than any other natural source by volume. Their flavor is nutty and changes to slighty sweet when submerged in liquid. Chia seeds can be used in chocolate, oatmeal and jams. You may also find them on breads or pastries.

Chiles - Chiles vary in size and application, but generally add a small level of heat to a dish. We offer a variety of whole dehydrated chiles, as well as chile powders and flakes.

Cinnamon - Cinnamon is the oldest known spice, being referenced in written text in the 5th century. There are 4 distinct types. It actually comes from pieces of tree bark that have been sun dried. After drying, the bark is cut into strips or ground into a powder. There are a variety of cinnamon types, and each has a slightly different flavor as well as a different volatile oil content that determines its intensity. Cinnamon is used in baking and can also be found in an assortment of savory dishes.

Citrus Zests and Juice Powders - Fruit zests are the outermost skin of citrus fruits that do not include the white pith between the fruit and the peel. Zests can be reconstituted and used in baking recipes. They are also extremely popular with beer brewers for any beer that features a fruity flavor. The juice of these different fruits can also be dried and converted into a pure powder. These powders are popular in baking and cooking when a liquid component is not necessary.

Cloves - Cloves are probably the only spice that can be used by stabbing it into the food you’re cooking and just letting it sit. This popular way to flavor a holiday pork roast or ham is truly unique and also provides an aesthetic appeal. They can also be used whole when cooking liquids, such as cider, but they should be removed before serving. Ground cloves are used in spice blends such as Pumpkin Pie Spice, Chinese Five Spice and Garam Masala.

Cocoa Powder, Black Onyx - Cocoa powder is the processed, sweeter version of the natural cacao. Black Onyx Cocoa Powder had an extremely smooth flavor and gives color to one of America’s most iconic cookies, the Oreo. The sweet flavor works well with desserts, smoothies and even as a secret ingredient in steak rubs.

Coriander - The plant that produces coriander seed is one of three plants that produce both an herb and spice. The herb produced by this plant is Cilantro. Coriander is popular in Indian and Mexican dishes and provides a warm earthiness to dishes along with citrusy undertones. It is a popular ingredient with beer brewers.

Cubeb Berry - The flavor of Cubeb can be described as a mix between black pepper and allspice, with a small kick of spiciness. Cubeb berries can be used in the same applications as cloves and allspice, as they have a distinct, intense flavor. It works as a great ‘secret ingredient’ or as a substitute for black pepper.

Cumin - Cumin has long been an essential ingredient in cuisines around the world and has only relatively recently become mainstream as a spice in the US. Cumin has a very distinct earthy, nutty and spicy flavor with a warm aroma with hints of lemon. It is an ingredient in many spice blends and is used in bean, couscous, curry, rice and vegetable dishes.

Dill Seed - The plant that produces dill seed is a plant that produces both a spice and an herb, with the herb being dill weed. In the United States, dill is probably most associated with the flavor of dill pickles. In German, Russian and Scandinavian cuisines it is a popular spice used in cooking cabbage, onion, potatoes and pumpkin. The flavor is clean and pungent with anise undertones.

Extracts - Extracts made strictly with a spice or herb and a form of alcohol and should not be confused with “natural flavorings.” The spice or herb is submerged in the alcohol for a period of time, and therefore infuses the alcohol with flavor. The spice or herb is then typically removed from the alcohol before using. When making homemade extracts the herb or spice does not need to be removed, but keep in mind that the flavor will continue to intensify for as long as the herb or spice is submerged.

Fennel - Fennel Seed, called “the fish herb” in Italy and France, has two types, sweet and bitter. Bitter Fennel is the type that is typically referred to when the word ‘fennel’ is used in the United States. It has a warm, licorice type aroma with a flavor that is slightly sweet with camphorous undertones. It is used in beet, lentil, potato and meat dishes and adds flavor to Sauerkraut.

Fenugreek - Fenugreek seeds look more like small, caramel colored pebbles than seeds. They are extremely popular in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking and are used in a variety of curry powders. The flavor is nutty and bittersweet with a pungent, spicy aroma that has undertones of butterscotch and sweet nuts. The plant that Fenugreek Seeds come from also provide us with the herb Fenugreek Leaves.

Galangal Root Powder - Galangal Root Powder is a star ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisine. Galangal is a cousin of ginger and has a more piney and menthol flavor. Galangal Powder is extremely popular in Asia for its medicinal properties. Galangal pairs well with beef and works well in soups, stews and curries.

Garlic - Vampires beware, Americans eat an average of 3 ½ pounds of garlic per year and are thus almost inedible to all vampires! Garlic has been eaten by humans from the time the pyramids were built and continues to be a great addition to almost every savory food around. It tastes wonderful in combination with most spices and herbs.

Ginger - The ginger plant is a rhizome, producing a plant above the dirt’s surface and a horizontal stem below. These stems are what we consider ‘ginger’. The flavor is fierce and peppery with lemony undertones. Ginger can be used fresh and its juice is promoted as a superfood, being featured in probiotic drinks across the US. Ginger is also extremely popular in desserts like gingerbread and pumpkin pie spice.

Grains of Paradise - Also known as seeds of paradise, Grains of Paradise is a seed from West Africa that can be used in many of the same ways that peppercorns are used. The flavor is peppery and pungent with bitter fruity notes and the aroma is similar to cardamom and clove. Ground Grains of Paradise can be used wherever pepper is called for if you want a more flavorful profile. Grains of Paradise is extremely popular by beer brewers when making summer wheat beers, session pale ales and Belgian witbiers.

Horseradish Powder - Horseradish Powder is an excellent addition to egg or cream-based sauces for a zingy, potent end result. Horseradish Powder is an essential ingredient in cocktail sauce and adds a welcome warmness to winter meat dishes, especially roast beef or prime rib.

Juniper Berries - Juniper Berries come from an evergreen shrub that grows throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In Europe Juniper Berries are used in marinades for pickled elk and beef. Juniper berries are also important to flavoring sauerkraut. In the United States these berries might be most notably use as a flavoring for gin.

Long Pepper - Long Pepper is now considered an exotic spice, but it was used just as often as black pepper before the discovery of the “new world.” During this time Long Pepper was used wherever some extra heat was called for. After the discovery of the “new world” and the commercial transportation of chile peppers, it decreased in popularity, as cooks had access to ingredients that better fit the heat component called for in a variety of dishes.

Mace - Mace is the little known, lacy covering of nutmeg. Mace is removed from the outside of nutmeg in strips known as mace blades and can be ground after drying for easy culinary use. The flavor is warm with hints of lemony sweetness. It is often described as similar to but more delicate than nutmeg. Mace is considered a savory spice and works well as a replacement for nutmeg in lighter colored dishes where the dark specks of nutmeg are unwanted.

Malheb - Mahlab is the dried kernel of the St. Lucie Cherry Tree. It has a delicate almond flavor with hints of cherries and roses. It works especially well in combination with apricots, rose water, pistachios and dates. Maleb is not very popular in American dishes but is used by Greek-Americans as an ingredient in baked goods.

Mustard - Mustard seeds come in a variety of colors including yellow (also called white), brown and black. The darker the mustard seed, the more intense the flavor is when ground. Ground mustard is used to make mustard sauces and whole mustard seeds are used for pickling applications.

Nigella Sativa - Nigella Seeds are popular in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking. They are typically added to curries and vegetarian dishes after they are roasted. The seed itself has a little bit of a crunch which makes is a nice topping for flatbreads and rolls. Nigella seeds work well with other earthy spices like cumin, fennel seed and turmeric.

Nutmeg - Nutmeg is the seed of a yellow brownish edible fruit that grows on an evergreen tree. When picked, the nutmeg seed is covered in mace which is scraped off and sold as a separate spice. Nutmeg is typically solid all the way through and is most commonly used in its ground form. Nutmeg works well with hearty dishes such as lamb and mutton recipes, tomato sauces and vegetable stews. Nutmeg is always a popular flavor in baking and cold weather beverages.

Onion - The onion is also known as the onion bulb or common onion. When used fresh onion is considered a vegetable and in its dried, ground form is considered a spice. Onion is very popular inside of the United States, but also outside of this country with Libyans eating an average of 66.8 pounds of onion per capita.

Paprika - Paprika is a mild chile powder used frequently in South American, Hungarian and Spanish cuisine, with the popularity in the US rising consistently in the past 10 years. It has complex flavor undertones including a smoky flavor from smoked paprika and a slightly sweet, earthy flavor from domestic paprika.

Pepper - Peppercorns come in a variety of colors. Black, green and white peppercorns all come from the Piper nigrumplant. The color differences depend on the maturity of the berry as well as the drying process. Pink peppercorns are not peppercorns at all, instead they are berries from the Peruvian peppertree. Peppercorns are similar to wine in the way that the flavor nuances of the peppercorn will be determined by the area in which it is grown.

Poppy Seed - Poppy seeds are extremely tiny ‘blue’ seeds. It takes 900,000 of these seeds to make up a single pound of weight. Poppy seeds are popular in salad dressings, vegetable dishes, muffins and rolls. They give food a little crunch and have a nutty flavor profile.

Porcini Powder - Porcini Powder is made from ground dehydrated Porcini mushrooms, and has a much more intense and concentrated flavor compared to their fresh counterparts. Porcini Powder can be used to add depth and umami to a dish with an even flavor distribution, and without the texture of whole mushrooms.

Saffron - Saffron is the most expensive and most counterfeited spice in the world. The production of saffron is extremely labor intensive, as saffron is the pistil of a flower that must be picked by hand, with an average of only three to five pistils being produced per plant. Saffron is used in a variety of applications including being a seasoning, fragrance, dye and medicine.

Sesame Seed - Sesame Seeds come in a variety of colors including white, yellow, black and red. They are popular in Chinese stir fry and Middle Eastern spice blends. Sesame Seeds can also be used on baked goods such as breads, hamburger buns and pastries.

Shallots - Shallots have a flavor profile somewhere between onions and garlic. They are a delightful replacement for either in a dish that you want to give a little extra flavor. Shallots are often used in Indian curries and different types of lentil dishes.

Star Anise - Not to be confused with anise seed, star anise is a spice that has a shape similar to a star and typically has 8 points, but can have more or less. In the United States star anise is used similarly to cloves in application. The whole pods are used as mulling spices and the ground pod is used in baking and cold weather beverages.

Sumac - Sumac is a ground berry that is native to the Mediterranean region. It has an astringent, tart but fruity taste and a very faint aroma. Sumac is extremely popular in Middle Eastern dishes where you can find it in salads, meat and fish dishes and rice.

Sweeteners - Sweeteners encompass much more than just sugar these days. From dehydrated molasses to dried agave powder there is a wide selection of sweeteners for everyone whether you want a secret ingredient for your BBQ sauce or you are trying to make more health-conscious decisions in your eating habits.

Turmeric - Most likely known for its health benefits, turmeric is a powder ground from the plants rhizome. Turmeric is a main ingredient in masalas, Ras el Hanout and curry powders and pastes. Turmeric can also be used as a natural coloring for foods or even clothing, as the powder’s intense color will stain cooking ingredients, your clothes and even your hands.

Vanilla - Vanilla is the second most expensive spice in the world after saffron, but even with a high price tag it is extremely popular for its heavenly flavor. The most popular types of vanilla beans are grown in Madagascar, Mexico and Tahiti, and they each have their own unique flavor nuances. Vanilla beans are also grown in Papua New Guinea and Uganda, although these types are lesser known. Vanilla is commonly used for making desserts, beverages and liquors.

Herbs

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Basil - There are more than 50 species of basil, but almost all basil used in the United States is one species that comes from either California, Egypt or France. Basil has a better flavor when dried, as opposed to fresh. Dried basil has anise, pepper and minty undertones and it somehow sweet yet savory at the same time.

Bay Leaves - Bay leaves are the whole dried leaves of a tree in the laurel family. Bay leaves have a much more pleasant flavor when dried, with has a higher volatile oil content. Bay leaves are used in their whole form in soups and stews and are removed before serving. Ground bay leaves are added to seasoning blends and dishes to give an earthy flavor with undertones of nutmeg and clove.

Celery Flakes - Celery Flakes add a great authentic celery taste, though rehydrate they do not accurately mimic the texture of fresh celery. With a bright and fresh flavor, they can also be used as a garnish.

Chervil - Chervil is not very popular in the United States on its own but is used to make the blend Fines Herbs. Even in France Chervil is not very popular, most likely because it is related to an infamous English weed called Cow Parsley. For this reason, the French only use chervil in the previously mentioned Fines Herbs or in making béarnaise sauce.

Cilantro Leaves - Many people know cilantro as the herb that people love or hate, saying it either has a delicious flavor or tastes like soap. Cilantro is a key ingredient in authentic Mexican, Caribbean and Asian dishes. In the United States cilantro is used in beans, salsas, soups and dips.

Curry Leaves - Curry leaves are an essential part of Southern Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines. They are used in a similar way to bay leaves, but unlike bay leaves they do not need to be removed before serving because they are much softer. Curry leaves are used in curry, fish, lamb, lentil and vegetable dishes.

Dill Weed - In the United States dill weed is most recognized for the “dill flavor” that it gives to dill pickles. Besides pickles, dill is used to give fish a recognizable crisp flavor. In Europe, dill weed has a much wider range of uses. It is considered a key herb in dishes such as salads, sauces, spreads, soups and fish. Visually it is similar to rosemary, but it is a more vibrant green color.

Dried Chives - Chives are the smallest member of the onion family, and instead of eating the bulb it is the scapes (the long flowering stems that rise from the bulb) that are utilized. They can be used in any recipe that calls for green onion and work well in cream-based products. Some of the most popular uses for chives are flavoring butters, cream cheese and sauces or dressings.

Dried Fenugreek Leaves - Dried Fenugreek Leaves are extremely aromatic, with a strangely addictive bitterness. Though they are often used as a garnish, they are very flavorful and it can be easy to overwhelm a dish.

Dried Rose Petals - There are two different types of roses, with the most common being the deeply colored flowers that come in a bouquet. The second type of roses are culinary roses which have been developed to have a much more pleasing flavor and less of an aesthetically pleasing color. Culinary rose petals are most popular for their use in rose water and are also used in desserts or jams.

Epazote - Epazote is a Mexican herb that gets similar reactions to cilantro when smelled and eaten. Those who enjoy epazote describe the aroma and flavor as earthy and bitter with hints of mint and citrus. Those who do not enjoy epazote describe the flavor and aroma as similar to gasoline, perfume and turpentine. Epazote is used in a number of traditional Mexican recipes including papadzules, bean dishes, enchiladas and moles.

File Powder - Pronounced fee-lay, File Powder is a spice made from dried, ground sassafras leaves. File powder is most notably used in gumbo as a flavoring and thickener all in one. File powder can also be used to season shrimp, scallops and other seafood with rice.

Kaffir Lime - Kaffir lime leaves are the leaves of a bitter lime tree in which the limes are only used for their zest and not their juice. These leaves are popular in Cambodian, Balinese, Malaysian and Thai cuisines and are removed before serving. Kaffir lime leaves are used in the popular Thai dish tom yum and they work well with chicken and snails.

Lavender - Also known as culinary lavender, lavender has an intense floral flavor with a hint of bitterness that can quickly overpower dishes. The aroma of lavender is spicy and slightly floral with undertones of mint and lemon. Lavender is delicious when used in desserts, but it can also be used in savory applications such as chicken, lamb and rabbit dishes.

Lemongrass - Lemongrass is part of the grass family and is popular in Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. It is best when used fresh, but if using dried it should be soaked before use when the dish does not have a large liquid component. Lemongrass provides a light fresh citrus and floral flavor to foods and can even be used to make tea.

Marjoram - Marjoram has a minty, sharp and bitter flavor profile and is popular in European cuisine. It can be used in almost any dish that you would include basil, oregano or thyme in and is an extremely versatile herb. In the United States marjoram is used commercially in salad dressings, soups, cheeses, bologna and poultry seasonings.

Mint - Spearmint is the most called for of the two mints, with peppermint being the lesser called for. Spearmint has a refreshing and mellow pure flavor that is popular in Greek, Middle Eastern and Turkish cuisines. Peppermint on the other hand has a more intense flavor and provides that ‘cold’ sensation on your tongue. It is popular in baking, chocolate sauces and liquors.

Oregano - Oregano is commonly associated with Italy and pizza, but there are two main types of oregano, Mediterranean oregano and Mexican oregano. Mediterranean oregano is the type used in Americanized Italian dishes and Mexican oregano is more like marjoram and has citrusy, lime-like undertones.

Parsley - Parsley is a popular garnish because of its bright green color, but it can be eaten too! Parsley has a vegetable aroma and flavor that is prominent in Middle Eastern recipes for hummus, baba ganoush and tabbouleh. Parsley also works well in grain-based dishes, with fish and in pastas and soups.

Rosemary - Rosemary has a very distinct, strong flavor that is minty, cooling and somewhat balsamic. The aroma is just as strong and has hints of eucalyptus. Rosemary works well with meats of all kinds, especially lamb, pork, veal and wild game. It also works well with dairy based foods such as cream cheese, butters and cream sauces.

Sage - In the United States sage is an herb that stays in its comfort zone, being an ingredient in poultry seasoning, sausages and cheese, but we think you should take a note from the Brits and make this a staple herb in your kitchen, as it can bring flavor to an incredible number of dishes. With a robust peppery and savory flavor sage can be added to any dish that is rich in fat or has a savory component. It can even be added to dark iced teas for a deliciously new flavor.

Summer Savory - Also known as just ‘savory’, summer savory has a peppery bite and light herby flavor. It is like a cross between mint, marjoram and thyme. Summer savory is slightly milder than its close relative winter savory and is used in hearty dishes such as beans, stews, cabbage, potatoes and stuffing for meat pies. It is sometimes a special ingredient in pickling mixes.

Tarragon - Tarragon is most notable for its use in French cooking. The flavor is light, warm and sweet with hints of anise and mint. It is a key ingredient in the herb blend Herbs de Provence and is typically used in combination with other herbs to highlight their individual flavors. Tarragon works well with dill, parsley, chives and basil and can be used to flavor chicken, mushrooms, eggs, seafood and vegetables.

Thyme - Thyme, the subject of many a spice pun, is popular in a plethora of European cuisines for its strong, fresh, lemony flavor. It is used to give flavor to sauces, vinegars, soups and stews. In the United States thyme is most recognized for its use in Creole cooking to add flavor to blackened meats and fish. It is used in turkey stuffing, sausages and New England clam chowder.

Weirdies

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Apple Cider Vinegar Powder - Our Apple Cider Vinegar Powder is made from dehydrated Apple Cider Vinegar. Powdered malic acid can be used to flavor sauces and rubs when liquid apple cider vinegar is not available or less practical.

Bonito Flakes - Bonito Flakes are actually very thin, delicate flakes of dehydrated fish. They have a rich umami taste and add a deep and complex flavor to dishes. Our Bonito Flakes come from Japan.

Citric Acid - Citric Acid is a natural preservative that looks like fine grain salt or sugar. It is treasured for its mouth puckering, sour flavor. It occurs naturally from the fermentation of crude fruit sugars of citrus type fruits and is used to flavor softs drinks and as a substitute for salt in some salt-free seasonings blends. Sour Patch Kids, anyone?

Cream of Tartar - Produced by a variety of fruits, tartaric acid is most commonly known as a by-product of winemaking, where it appears as crystals on the sides of wooden casks during fermentation. After being processed these crystals are turned into a white, odorless, acidic powder used to stabilize egg whites in baking known as cream of tartar. This can be used to prevent syrups from crystallizing or prevent boiled vegetables from losing color as well.

Curing Salt - Curing salt has somewhat of a deceiving name, as it should never be used in the same way that you would use any type of table salt. Curing salt is used specifically to preserve meat such as bologna and summer sausage while it is aging. There are two types of curing salt depending on how long you are curing your meat and whether it will be cooked before consuming or can be eaten as-is.

Granulated Honey - Granulated Honey is a unique product in that combines traditional honey with the ease of use as table sugar. It contains approximately 7% of honey and 93% of sugar.

Maple Sugar - Maple Sugar is made from the boiling down of maple syrup. Our Maple Sugar is from Vermont, and can be used as a substitute when granulated sugar is called for.

Salt - Salt comes in a range of shapes, sizes and colors. These different qualities of salt are determined by the area of the world where they are mined and the way in which they are harvested or processed. The two primary elements that form salt are sodium and chloride. Depending on the type of salt there may be additional minerals in the makeup of the crystals that are highly sought after. One such salt is Himalayan Pink Salt, an ingredient coveted for its 84 trace minerals. Salts can also be smoked over different types of wood giving them a smoky flavor. These are a delicious addition to any food you would like to taste like it came straight off the grill.

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Amari 101: Your Guide to Italy’s Essential Bitters...

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An array of amari at New York’s Amor y Amargo [Photographs: Vicky Wasik]

The most exciting thing about amari can often also be the most frustrating—the style’s incredible range and diversity makes it nearly impossible to define. Though the word amaro translates literally to “bitter,” the term is applied loosely to the entire family of bittersweet Italian liqueurs, and, more recently, any bittersweet, herbal liqueur. Once left to gather dust on the bottom shelf, these days the incredibly complex liqueurs are getting their long-overdue time in the spotlight.

At the most basic level, an amaro is made by resting some combination of macerated flowers, herbs, roots, and other natural bittering agents in a neutral spirit to yield a high-proof infusion, which is then sweetened to taste. (There’s an entire book that will teach you how to make your own.) But what best defines the amaro family as a whole isn’t any particular set of ingredients, which can range from wormwood and gentian bark to cardamom and mint. Rather, it’s the centuries’ worth of traditional drinking culture steeped in every bottle.

“There’s a romantic quality to amaro,” says Sother Teague, an erstwhile chef heading up the beverage program at the bitters-centric New York cocktail bar Amor y Amargo. “They not only stimulate your appetite, they stimulate conversation and mental activity. It’s about what’s happening outside of the glass as much as in the glass.”

For the purposes of this beginner’s guide, we’ll stick with time-honored varieties from Italy, though similar products—both new and old—are made in France, Germany, and even the US. It was the Italians who invented the art of the amaro, and have been imbibing the stuff since the 1800s, originally for medicinal reasons, and, in modern times, as pre-meal aperitifs and post-meal digestifs.

As Teague explains, the aperitif hour, which typically takes place a little earlier than the American happy hour, is a drinking experience that involves a completely different mentality from the “get-drunk, bang-for-your-buck version” of the States. Even when served straight, as is commonplace in Italy, amari are poured conservatively and sipped leisurely. And effervescent, amaro-based cocktails—often served with olives, toasts, or other tapas-like nibbles—are typically low in ABV, featuring combinations of amari and club soda or sparkling wine. Teague suggests that aperitifs help trigger your appetite while digestifs speed up the digestive process.

So how do you choose, and use, an amaro? As with the production of amari, there are no rules about where to start. Some of you reading might already be familiar with the likes of popular bottlings like Aperol, of spritz fame; Campari, one pillar of the Negroni; and even Montenegro, a mellow sipper that Teague considers to be his gateway amaro, along with Nonino. Others, like Sfumato, may be tough to find and even tougher to acquire a taste for, with in-your-face bitterness and overwhelming aromatics. But regardless of which bottle you start with, Teague recommends drinking it by itself. “Every amaro is an entire cocktail on its own,” says the barman. “Take Montenegro: It’s made from 40 herbs and spices. That’s a 40-ingredient cocktail. You should get to know these flavors on their own, with just an ice cube or soda, before you start trying to mix with them.”

Ready to get started? From bright-red and citrusy to dark and herbal, here are 12 excellent bottles of amaro to grab off the bottom shelf today (and dozens of recipes to make them most of them once you’re well acquainted).

Averna

Averna’s slogan is “the full taste of life,” and to that end, the delightfully herbaceous Sicilian tonic offers a deep, rich flavor, caramelly sweetness, and a full-bodied texture. First crafted by the Benedictine monks of Abbazia di Santo Spirito, the recipe was given to a 19th-century merchant named Salvatore Averna, who then left it to his son, Francesco. It’s since been passed down from generation to generation, and has, according to the company, remained relatively unchanged. Many of the ingredients remain undisclosed, but the list includes pomegranate and the oils of bitter orange and lemon, yielding notes of orange and licorice tempered by myrtle, juniper berries, rosemary, and sage. Enjoy it as a digestif or in the Black Manhattan, which swaps sweet vermouth for Averna.

Find Averol online here, or get our favorite Averna cocktail recipes right this way»

Aperol

The Aperol Spritz must be one of the most evocative cocktails of all time. The pure essence of summer in a glass, it has a backbone of bright, red-orange Aperol—a mildly bitter concoction of orange, gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona, among other ingredients. First produced in 1919, Aperol gained immense popularity after World War II and can now be found at any cocktail bar worth its salt. With a low 11% alcohol content, mellow flavor, and pleasant woody notes, it’s perfect for session-able cocktailing or sipping with soda.

Find Aperol online here, or get our favorite Aperol cocktail recipes right this way»

Braulio

When you take a sip of Braulio, close your eyes and imagine the cool air and crisp, piney scent of the Italian Alps. This storied amaro is produced in Bormio, Valtellina, near the Swiss border, and screams “alpine” with minty, juniper-forward notes. Made by aging 20 aromatic herbs and botanicals in sessile oak barrels, it nods to the history of amari as medicinal potions—the recipe was created in 1875 by chemist Francesco Peloni as a digestive aid.

Find Braulio online here, or get our favorite Braulio cocktail recipe right this way»

Campari

Vibrant-red Campari is perhaps the most famous of the bunch, and an essential for any well-stocked bar. The infusion of bitter herbs, aromatics, and citrus fruits (such as chinotto oranges) may look similar to Aperol, but it packs a higher alcohol content and notes of orange rind and and sweet red fruit. Its harmonoious balance of cinnamon-y spice, herbal bitterness, and fruity sweetness make it a versatile player in traditional recipes like the Negroni and the Americano, as well as modern classics like Giuseppe Gonzalez’s beloved Jungle Bird. Campari hails from northwest Italy, where it was first created in 1860, and in fact, Campari Group now owns half the other bottles on this list.

Find Campari online here or get our favorite Campari cocktail recipes right this way»

Cynar

Artichoke might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re hankering for a cocktail, but that’s only if you’ve never had Cynar (pronounced “chee-NAHR”). To be fair, the vegetable joins 12 other herbs and plants in creating the beloved dark-brown digestivo, which doesn’t actually taste like artichoke. Known for hitting extremes of both sweet and bitter, it’s perfect on ice with a splash of soda and citrus juice, or subbed for Campari in a Negroni variation. Angelo Dalle Molle, a Venetian businessman, created the original, 33-proof recipe in the 1950s; a 70-proof version was released in 2015.

Find Cynar online here or get our favorite Cynar cocktail recipes right this way»

Amaro CioCiaro

Once you’ve gotten accustomed to the sweeter, lighter amari, CioCiaro is a nice middle-of-the-road next step before taking on some of the more aggressively bitter varieties. With a gentian base, this dark-hued amaro bursts with floral notes and baking spices alongside hints of cola and lemon. Production of this bottle, the brainchild of Vincenzo Paolucci, has stayed in the Paolucci family since 1873. Try it in the Blue Collar cocktail, created at the legendary, now-shuttered Milk & Honey: rye, sweet vermouth, CioCiaro, maraschino liqueur, and Angostura and Regan’s bitters.

Find CioCiaro online here »

Fernet-Branca

A class of its own within the larger amaro family, Fernet is known as the “bartender’s handshake”—what bartenders order when visiting a comrade who’s working behind the stick. Milan’s Fernet-Branca, founded in 1845 and by far the most well-known producer of the style, is distinguished by its heady zing of black licorice and green herbaceousness from a secret blend of ingredients known to include myrrh, saffron, chamomile, and gentian. Mixing with Fernet can be tricky, as it requires complementary ingredients that aren’t easily overpowered. It’s popularly sipped on ice, with soda, or even Cola.

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Amaro Lucano

Hailing from the southern Italian town of Pisticci, this dessert amaro is a pleasant sipper before or after a meal. It was created by pastry chef Pasquale Vena in 1894, and the fourth generation of the Vena family still oversees production today. Lucano is made with wormwood, clary sage, and holy thistle, but like most amari, the full recipe is cloaked in secret. The profile blends citrusy and floral notes to achieve an excellent balance in both flavor and mouthfeel. Drink the stuff on ice or splash it with sparkling wine or soda, and you’re set.

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Amaro Montenegro

Ah, the gateway amaro: pleasantly sweet, not too bitter, with perfect velvety richness. Teague says he’s never poured a shot of Montenegro that wasn’t well received. A whopping 40 botanicals—sweet and bitter oranges, coriander seeds, marjoram, cloves, and artemisia, among others—come together to produce a wonderfully complex yet approachable sipper that’s at once bitter, herbaceous, fruity, sweet, and fresh. Dubbed the “liqueur of virtues,” it’s the most popular amaro in Italy for good reason.

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Amaro Nonino Quintessentia

Another alpine amaro, Nonino employs a base distillate of grappa that’s steeped with mountain botanicals—ranging from standard gentian and saffron to licorice, rhubarb, and tamarind—then aged in oak barrels for five years. A bit sweeter and mild on bitterness, the light-red liqueur makes for a nice stand-alone pour and can even be used as a substitute for Cointreau or triple sec. Produced using a family recipe since 1897, Nonino is another great entry-level bottle for newcomers to the style.

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Ramazzotti

Created by Ausano Ramazzotti in Milan in 1815, this funky, bitter amaro has become fairly popular in the US. Star anise, cinchona, and gentian are a few of the 33 herbs and roots that give this bottling its distinct vanilla root beer–esque quality. More often consumed after than before a meal, Ramazzotti can come across a little strong at first, but it’s easy to love.

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Sfumato

No, Sfumato doesn’t make it into many beginner’s guides to amari. The assertive, bracingly smoky amaro, produced by the renowned Cappelletti family, isn’t so approachable, but it’s gaining traction among bartenders for the significant impact even a small amount can have on a cocktail. An exemplar of the rabarbaro, or rhubarb, style of amaro, it features prominent spice and earth tones thanks to the use of Chinese rhubarb grown near the border of Italy and Austria, complemented by alpine herbs and berries.

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shareyoursmile · 6 years

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Amari 101: Your Guide to Italy’s Essential Bitters...

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An array of amari at New York’s Amor y Amargo [Photographs: Vicky Wasik]

Averna

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Aperol

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Braulio

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Campari

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Cynar

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Amaro CioCiaro

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Fernet-Branca

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Amaro Lucano

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Amaro Montenegro

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Amaro Nonino Quintessentia

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Ramazzotti

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Sfumato

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cookszone-blog · 6 years

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Amari 101: Your Guide to Italy’s Essential Bitters...

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An array of amari at New York’s Amor y Amargo [Photographs: Vicky Wasik]

Averna

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Aperol

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Braulio

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Campari

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Cynar

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Amaro CioCiaro

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Fernet-Branca

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Amaro Lucano

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Amaro Montenegro

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Amaro Nonino Quintessentia

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Ramazzotti

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Sfumato

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cucinacarmela-blog · 6 years

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Amari 101: Your Guide to Italy’s Essential Bitters...

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An array of amari at New York’s Amor y Amargo [Photographs: Vicky Wasik]

Averna

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Aperol

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Braulio

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Campari

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Cynar

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Amaro CioCiaro

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Fernet-Branca

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Amaro Lucano

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Amaro Montenegro

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Amaro Nonino Quintessentia

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Ramazzotti

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Sfumato

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