Making Medicine

Ah yes. The fine art of medicine making. I strained my elecampane elixir into my thrifted potato ricer-repurposed-as-herb press, through a reusable coffee filter, set into a funnel for stability, on top of wire strainer used to span the distance of the measuring cup, upon which this whole precarious leaning tower rests. Miraculously, it did not topple over! The elixir will be delivered later today to my garden neighbour who hasn't been able to shake a heavy mucous producing cough for many months now. I hope this helps.

There's no white coats or sterile labs filled with test tubes here. This is homegrown, backyard, folk herbalism. You don't need fancy, expensive equipment for that. Most things you'll already have in your kitchen, and the rest you can find in the thrift stores. Which isn't to say that this is a sloppy or careless operation. I harvested the elecampane roots at the right time of year, in a place free of contamination. I processed them properly. All the equipment I use is clean, clean, clean. The final bottle the elixir goes into is sterilised and thoroughly dry. It is correctly labelled and clear instructions are given on its use.

I whispered an incantation over the potion, standing under the light of the full moon, while turning three times counter-clockwise. O.k. that's not true. :) But my best wishes for the recovery of the recipient do go along with this preparation and I hope she gets better soon!