Rose Syrup

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," wrote Shakespeare, but historically, a rose isn't just any rose when it comes to medicine. Roses such as R. damascena (Damask rose) and R. gallica officinalis (Apothecary rose) are, specifically, herbal roses.

Today, roses are commonly placed in gardens and lawns for their beauty, but in medieval times, the herbal roses were mostly grown for medicinal purposes. The Apothecary Rose, in particular, was used historically to treat a variety of ailments, such as sore throat and indigestion. Classically, in ancient Rome, the rose was also used to treat hangovers. On that note, Roman author and naturalist Pliny the Elder wrote of thirty-two remedies made from the rose.

Titus Pullo could  probably use some of dat rose med.
From HBO's series, Rome.

A decoction of the Rose, wrote 16th herbalist Nicholas Culpeper, is good for headaches, and pain in the eyes, ears, and throat. I have seasonal allergies which gives me a sore throat, and I am an eccentric, so I wanted to be my own guinea pig and make a Rose syrup, using  a very basic recipe with my own UNSPRAYED Apothecary Rose petals (R. gallica officinalis), freshly picked from my personal garden. If curious, you can probably buy rose syrup online, but please consult a doctor before consumption, to be safe. The following is the result of my own experimentation, and, like the rest of this post, is intended for educational purposes only.

In a saucepan, I slowly brought the sugar water to a boil. I then turned off the stove and removed the saucepan from the stove surface to allow the mixture to simmer. When the mixture cooled, I added my own Apothecary Rose petals to the mixture, stirring occasionally. I allowed the petals to simmer in the mixture for several hours, stirring occasionally. The mixture turned a gentle pink in color. I then strained the mixture through a sieve before bottling.

Simmering Apothecary Rose petals.

Apothecary Rose Syrup... what's left of it, anyway.

Needless to say, I am very pleased with my homemade Rose syrup. The subtle flavor of the rose in the syrup is lovely. Not only did I add the syrup to smoothies, drinks and dishes, I used it medicinally, taking a tablespoon of it before bed to help a sore throat from allergies, and soothing the mucus felt in the throat. For me, personally, I was pleased with it, overall. Rose Syrup FTW!


This post was written strictly for educational purposes only, is not approved by the FDA, and is only to reflect my own personal experiences with herbs.The rose recipe linked and the rose notations is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease and is to reflect my own experience. Do not use or treat yourself with any herb, especially while pregnant or nursing, before consulting a physician.
For more information, please see: 

The Apothecary's Rose, by Rosemagazine.com

Plant Profile: Rose by sacredearth.com

The English Physician Enlarged by Nicolas Culpeper (see page 278, specifically)

Milky Mint Soap

'Wanna tell hand eczema to take off? Milky Mint Soap is the best way to do so!

Of recent months, this refreshing batch of soap has been a hit, as family members have been demanding it, which is pleasing, but also kind of annoying. (Me: "Family, stop mooching my soap and give me five bucks!")

'Can't say I blame 'em, though. Eczema runs in my family, as we all have sensitive Irish skin that doesn't take kindly to the harsh "soap" (i.e., detergent, not soap) from stores. That being said, I do have to admit, there's nothing quite like bathing in an all-natural, milky-mint soap. Made with nourishing organic milk, and using mostly Spearmint essential oil with a touch of Peppermint, the smell is so wonderfully invigorating in the shower! Spearmint essential oil has a sweeter scent than Peppermint, and is also less irritating to the skin, so a ratio of just a little Peppermint essential oil with more of the Spearmint essential oil makes a fine, minty soap.

Freshly poured batch of my Milky Mint Soap

Other essential oils, such as Lavender and Cedarwood, are known to help eczema, but this soap, with the addition of Nettle Leaf powder (known to aid in eczema) as well as the soothing milk, left my hands soft, smelling sweetly, and eczema free. Some people swear by goat milk for soap intended to aid eczema, but in my experience, organic cow milk is just as effective.

Fresh-cut milky mint soap, curing alongside my dragon's blood beer soaps. 

My etsy and ebay sites are under construction, but if you wish to order a batch via paypal, please email me at floweredunicorn@gmail.com.

This post was written for educational purposes only and only to reflect my own personal experiences with herbs and essential oils (I am my own guinea pig; what works for me may not work for you, and please consult a physician before using essential oils). My soaps are not intended to diagnose or cure any disease. Do not use essential oils while pregnant or nursing before consulting a physician.

Elderberry Pie

A couple of weeks ago (late August), I was driving towards Corbett from Troutdale (AKA: the boonies) and did a double take as I spotted something in the corner of my eye. I then yelled "WHAT! That's Elder!" and then did an epic u-turn back to confirm that the massive, deciduous bush was, indeed, blue Elder, which is native to the Pacific Northwest. Of COURSE I then picked the powdery-blue berries that resemble little Earths.

Blue Elderberries (Sambucus cerulea).

The Sambucus species native to Oregon is S. cerulea (blue Elder) and S. racemosa (red Elder). You can eat a few blue Elderberries fresh off the bush, but consuming more than a handful can cause stomach upset in some people due to the small amount of hydrocynanic acid content. Cooking the berries thoroughly destroys the toxins. Red Elderberries (S. racemosa), however, have a higher amount of these toxins, and therefore should be regarded as toxic. Sambucus cerulea, much like its well known herbal cousin Sambucus nigra (European black Elder), has powerful medicinal properties. Blue Elder was an important source of food and medicine for Northwest Native Americans; infusions were used to aid a variety of ailments, including but not limited to fever and gastrointestinal issues. 

Blue Elderberry competes with the Huckleberry as my favorite berry. In other words, blue Elderberry cooked in baked goods is a total foodgasm. The flavor of blue Elderberries in a pie has a slight "bite" to it. The only downside in using Elderberries is removing the berries from the stems, which is a real pain in the ass. No, really: Plan to destem for at least a couple of hours. Also, you want to be really careful when destemming, as the stems and leaves are toxic.

I made a pie with the blue Elderberries, and it was epic. It was so epic that I refused to leave the house before eating a piece for breakfast/brunch/lunch (or if you're a pig like me, all three). Now as for a recipe to share, this is the thing... when I cook, I don't often use recipes -- it's usually something like, "Eh, that should be enough there, a dash of this here, throw in some of this stuff" -- but below is basically the recipe... as much as I can remember, anyway.

Blue Elderberry Pie

About 3 1/2 cups blue Elderberries
A tiny bit of water, about 1/4 cup (if berries are frozen, don't add water)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup of sugar, add more to taste
3 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch
Dash of cinnamon
A little honey, about a tablespoon

For the gluten-free crust:

2 cups of flour, Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-free flour OR 1 cup of Bob's Red Mill Sorghum flour, 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill White Rice Flour and 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour
Dash of salt
About 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2/3 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of milk

Mise en place ingredients. Mix flour with salt and xantham gum in a bowl, add the vegetable oil and milk and blend well. Divide the mixture in half and roll out the dough on a sheet of wax paper. Place the dough in a 8" pie pan.

Cook the elderberries in a saucepan until soft. If fresh, add the water. Add the berries to a blender and blend for about ten seconds. Return the mixture to the saucepan, add the sugar, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, and then the cornstarch and bring to a boil. Remove from surface to allow the mixture to cool and thicken.

Add the mixture to the pie crust, top with the other half of the dough (a lattice crust is recommended, but any sort of pie topping will do). Pinch sides, cut slices in center of pie, and brush the crust with milk to aid browning. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until pie crust is golden brown. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This basically evaporated.

This post was written for educational purposes only. When foraging for wild berries, please be 100 percent positive of identification. Remember that red Elderberry (S. racemosa) is toxic and should not be eaten. For more information, please see:

Sambucus cerulea at BLUE ELDERBERRY at USDA Plants Database

Wild Berries of the West by Betty B. Derig and Mararet C. Fuller - has excellent Elderberry recipes!

Mica and Cold Process Soap

I'm pretty strict when it comes to making soap. I only make soap the traditional, Tyler Durden way (cold process, although I'm open to hot process, as well). Since I first began making soap, I've only used natural ingredients: this means plant-based colorants and essential oils in scenting. I'm still all about the natural (um, hello, hippie blog and all), but I've relaxed a little and expanded my horizons to using mica colorants (micas are derived from natural Earth minerals, and I use mica cosmetics, so really, why the heck not). Now, the thing is, micas are known to work especially well  in transparent "melt and pour" soap, but... "melt and pour" soapmaking kinda defeats the purpose of why I make soap. I have nothing against "melt and pour" soaps, which are lovely and kudos to those who enjoy it. But... Tyler Durden is basically my hero, and honestly, do ya think Tyler Durden would make foofy "melt and pour" soaps? Considering that an enlightening moment in the film Fight Club involves NaOH, I wouldn't think so.

"What is this?"

"This... is a chemical burn."

Anyway, where was my point in this? Oh: Since Cold Process soap is opaque, not all micas will work, but some will. One idea: if you're interested in stamping your soap with an image, you can dip a stamp in a little mica and press onto soft, freshly unmolded soap - I've tried this myself and the effects are pretty nice. Another idea is to layer and sprinkle cold process soap with a little mica. Also, as an alternative to Titanium Dioxide, I personally like to use pearlescent mica in lightening my soap. Now, you may be wondering where to get great micas to work with in your soapmaking. I order my mica colorants from Oregon Trail Soapers Supply. They carry awesome mica colorants, among other much-needed soap-making supplies.

Pearlizer mica from Oregon Trail Soapers Supply. 

You can add this to cold process soap to lighten it. 

Even with opaque cold process soap,

the sparkle will reflect in the light.

I recently made a batch of beer soap, made with Guinness and scented with an essential oil blend of Frankincense, Myrrh, Clove, with touches of Vetiver and Vanilla. I lightened some of the soap with the pearlizer mica, and swirled it up. It's a very smoky, spicy scent... perfect for guys and gals alike, and soon to be available via my shop.

Soooooooap.

Zelda-inspired cosmetics

When Zelda Dungeon shared a post about the Legend collection -- gorgeous eyeshadows inspired by The Legend of Zelda -- my reaction?

(Also, I smashed some pots and sliced some grass, all in complete, gleeful ecstasy.)

Shiro Cosmetics's Legend collection is a gorgeous array of sparkles and shimmery goodness, that'll make you feel like the Princess of Hyrule (okay, so that was corny. Excuuuuuse me, Princess). Wanting to order it ALL AND NAO but couldn't for the time being (i.e., Imma broke arse), I had to meanwhile settle for my top four picks, below.

Swatches, left to right: Princess, Master Sword, Temple of Time, and Din's Fire 

(I think the names of Din's Fire and Princess were confused, but whatever.)

I love peachy shades, so I'm crazy about the warm sparkly hue of "Princess," which is also lip-safe (and available in lip gloss, but I add it to my lipstick, too). I am also crazy about "Master Sword," as it goes with everything. Shiro cosmetics also offers their Fullmetal collection, which is Fullmetal Alchemist-inspired (!!!) as well as There and Back Again: A Hobbit Collection. Especially cool - all are vegan and cruelty-free!

'Definite thumps up from me -- I am officially hooked, and can't get enough!

Saskatoon Raspberry Jam

I love nature. And I'm also that weirdo foraging berries in a park. People look at me and are like, da heck? Hey, stop staring, it saves me coin!

While I'm a native of Portland, Oregon, and while I (think I) know Portland like the back of my hand, I'm always discovering something new in the Portland Metro area. Sunrise Park, located in Troutdale, Oregon (close to the Sandy River as well as the Columbia River Gorge), is a neat little gem that I discovered only a few years ago. The view of Wy'East -- Mt. Hood's original Native name -- is stunning, and I've seen diverse wildlife at the park, including a Great Horned Owl, as well as Cedar Waxwings.

In a recent visit to Sunrise Park, something caught my eye that I had not noticed before: Saskatoons! (Amelanchier alnifolia). Saskatoons, based upon the Cree word for the plant, are known by other names such as Serviceberry and Juneberry, but it took me a while to identify them as I've never foraged for them before. As I tasted them for the first time, they reminded me of Salal with a slight almond taste, although they're much juicier. The juice stained my lips and left my fingers purple. (Unsurprisingly, the fruits are known to have been used as a dye historically by Native American Tribes, which I may try out sometime myself when dying some yarn... because that would be like, awesome, and stuff).

 Saskatoons/Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia). Photo from Wikipedia.

Saskatoons are fruits that are not exactly berries, but pomes, and were an important food staple for Northwest Tribes. They were eaten in a variety of ways, and often enjoyed fresh, dried, and mixed with pemmican. During the Lewis and Clark expedition, Meriwether Lewis documented the plant in the Dalles, Oregon. The fruits have medicinal properties and were historically used as such, aiding a variety of ailments.

As for my own adventures, I picked some of the fruits -- being sure to leave plenty out of each picking for Nature -- and went home, not sure of what to do with them. I didn't have enough for a pie, and I've been baking a ton of muffins lately, so something different was in order. After googling some ideas and finding this recipe, I decided to make a mixed jam with Raspberries from my garden. And it was basically the best decision, ever. Saskatoons are delicious!

Oh, yes.

For more information, please see:

Wild Berries of the West written by Betty B. Derig and Margaret C. Fuller

Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West by Gregory L. Tilford

American Indian Health and Diet Project


This post was written for educational purposes only. The information in this post is not intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any disease. Please see disclaimer: Not all berries are edible, and many are poisonous, so do not consume any berry/plant without being 100 percent positive of identification.

Gluten-Free Huckleberry muffins

Huckleberries, you say?

Okay, so it's a bit early to get excited for them as they ripen in late Summer, but Huckleberries, combined with baking, is a marriage made in Heaven. Few things smell better in life than Huckleberry  pie anything baking in the oven. I swear, it's like the ultimate power, to bake with those delicious berries.

Anyway, I used the last of the frozen Huckleberries I had left and turned them into the best muffins I've ever had (surely a stoner would agree, tossing their bag of Doritos out the window and hang onto the muffin tray for dear life). I used this recipe with a little modification, replacing regular flour with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour, added a teaspoon of Xanthan Gum, and then a tablespoon of Maple Syrup (for no reason other than that I lurve Maple Syrup).

For the topping mixture, I used half white sugar, and half brown sugar. I think the recipe would be great with other berries, too, and since Salmonberries are currently ripe, I just might make Salmonberry muffins next!

(On the note of foraging for wild berries, there's a lovely nursery rhyme that children of the Warm Springs and Umatilla Tribes sing: "One for the bear, One for the Coyote, One for the Bird, One for Me." Take one berry out of a few, to leave for Nature.)

Gluten-Free Huckleberry Muffins. 

Time to omnom.