Thursday, July 30, 2009

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (and lemon and roses too)





No, it's not just a song, it's not just words on a page or lyrics recorded. The mixture of these ingredients form the base of a strong and potent tea that when drunken by the one you love, all is well between you. If you drink it, and I do actually all the time, you become a more loving and caring person. It's probably the thyme that does that - - but who knows? WHO KNOWS? The herbalists know!! That's who knows! Remember Professor Sprout in the Harry Poter films? She's the crazy teacher in the back of the castle with the living plants. Well, before her there were many many herbalists who for centuries have been teaching us how to make recipes for teas and other uses - - us meaning the people of the woods you know...Celts. Yes, yes it is true, I am an ancient Celt. I'm living in this body you know temporarily, but I tell people I'm a Highlander - - mainly for fun, and to see their reaction. I'm smiling when I say it. (holding a cup of homemade tea brewed to make me live forever!)

OK, back to a minute of reality - - just a minute mind you, no sense in being too serious when we're writing and playing on the internet.

In the famous Simon & Garfunkel song "Scarborough Fair" the man singing is addressing the issues surrounding his true love. He basically gives this woman he loves several tasks to perform in order to show her true love for him - - like most men he realizes he's not worth the effort, so he gives her an out. He tells her that if that doesn't work she can always brew him a tea of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Which of course he repeats over and over again - -reminding us that he realizes she's not going to get around to making him that seamless shirt, or whatever else he comes up with for her to prove her love for him. He does however, realize she is fully capable of making the tea! Which I'm sure she does and they run off into the woods and live happily on mushrooms and finer things that grow such as fern, wild berries and other good growing things that can only be found in the Celtic world. (I did say we would only be in reality for moment, did you not believe me?) silly.

So, to prove my point I made a batch for my kids to drink. They needed a bit of love in their hearts and the parsley is actually not a poison as it was once believed, it is actually a cancer fighting herb that when steeped is powerful and quite handy to have around. It has more anti-oxidants than blueberries and causes free radicals to DIE...DIE..DIE....no really, go look it up. You don't even have to go to Scarborough Fair or any other Fair, just Google the benefits of drinking or eating parsley. You can juice it too, and believe me, it's quite strong so you only need a bit.

As for the thyme, rosemary, and sage - - they have their spicy benefits too. I throw in lemon (real lemons, yes I literally simmer lemons) and I put in a rose petal or two until they are drained of their color - -whatever color they may have. The potion itself is a tea and you drink it like you would any other tea (please be wise and strain it first) and drink it often to give you both vitality and a healthy immune system...which by the way clears the path of the hormones necessary for...well, true love.

What are you waiting for? Grab the next Celt and have yourself a FAIR!

2 comments:

Rush said...

In Harry Potter, the Herbology teacher was Professor Sprout. My inner nerd revealed D:.

But this was a very good read! I apologize for not knowing my grocery anatomy, but where can I get the spices? I look forward to trying this whenever I get the opportunity to "brew" it up.

jstringfellow said...

Thank you RUSH for the correction on the professor's name in Harry Potter. I changed it! You are awesome. I am going to write the book on teas soon I hope. I will tell you any recipe you need. Just e-mail me. (The spices can be picked up at any good Farmer's Market or the grocery store should have most in dry or fresh)