by Ramakrishna Jim Curas
UNDERSTANDING AND USING THE PROCESS OF FERMENTATION AS A METHOD
OF PREPARING AND PRESERVING THE PROPERTIES OF HERBS.
As a boy I grew up in a family who had deep roots in Greek
tradition. My parents were first generation transplants to the New
World. In keeping with many of the Old World traditions it wasn't
unusual for members of the family to have a barrel of something fermenting
in their cellars. Cellars were always prime areas for exploration,
more so than the hot, stifling dryness of the attic, which were often
used for drying herbs. These cellars were cool and moist, the earthy
smells felt nurturing. One particular smell lingers over these many
years, the musky sweet smell of the fermentation process. Just what
was happening in these barrels was a mystery at the time. I knew
that the drink served for special occasions brought a measure of
cheer and delight which accompanied the large afternoon meal. Besides
sparking one's spirit it served as a digestive tonic, thinning the
blood, lowering cholesterol and strenghtening the heart. (Authors
note: Alcohol, in any form, should always be used in moderation.
Unfortunately this medium with its many benefits as a solvent, carrier
and preserver, has been abused to the point where alcoholism has
reached epidemic proportions.)
The process of fermentation dates far back to our early ancestors.
A process which can happen with little or no human intervention.
As plant material left exposed begins rotting, certain airborne yeasts
and bacterias come along to help this process by breaking down the
starches and sugars which are turned into alcohol and then vinegar.
Because there is no control over what may result by leaving the process
on its own, our early ancestors discovered ways of controlling this
process to assure a desired product, either wine, vinegar or a wide
variety of fermented foods such as yogurt, cheese and saurkraut.
These later three use their own enzymes for this fermentation process.
Our focus here will be on making both a fine culinary wine and a
beneficial medicinal wine. I have developed a process whereby a second
extraction is employed using fresh plant material along with the
alcohol naturally created by the fermentation. This double extraction
process increases the flavour and colour of a culinary wine and the
potency and effectiveness of a medicinal wine.
The process and recipes that follow are for making true herbal wines,
not merely pouring store bought wine over herbs and letting them
sit for a period. We will use the action of fermentation to create
our own truely unique herbal wine. The process is simple and the
choice and amounts of plant material used allows for much creativity
on the wine makers part.
Herb de Province: A culinary wine with a decidedly
French influence. This recipe makes close to one gallon. First infuse
in just under one gallon the following fresh dried herbs. (To make
an infusion, bring water to a boil, turn off heat, let plant material
soak in this hot water for a period of 30 minutes.)
- One handful Sage (Salvia officinalis)
- One handful Tarragon (Artemisia drancunculus)
- One handful Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
- One handful Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
- One half handful Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
- One half handful Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- One palm full fresh ground Fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgaris)
- One palm full fresh ground celery seeds (Apium graveolens)
- One head fresh chopped Garlic (Allium sativum)
- One to three fresh whole chopped Red Peppers (Capsicum
annuum) Paprika or Pimento work well or a hot chile pepper if desired
- Three Bay leaves (Laurus nobilis)
- A pinch of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
After allowing this material to soak for 30 minutes strain through
a muslin cloth and let cool off to around 70 degrees. At this point
we need to have at least 3/4 gal. of liquid extract and not much
more. Into this infusion mix 3.5 lbs. honey, (which I use and makes
this wine a Mead,) or raw sugar, the juice of 8 to 10 lemons and/or
oranges, (I have recently been using ascorbic acid, vitamin C crystals,
which seems to work well,) and 1 packet of wine yeast (I use Montrechet.)
Pour into a one gallon jug and affix a fermentation lock, as shown.
This will keep out airborne yeast and bacterias from contaminating
the mixture. At the same time it lets out the carbon dioxide created
by the action of the yeast as it transmutes the sugar into alcohol.
Ideal fermentation temperature is around 70 degrees. Too hot can
cause a violent fermentation which can kill the yeast. A low temperature
slows the action of fermentation, which when too low can become dormant.
As the conversion of sugar into alcohol takes place the yeast
begin to die off, fermentation ceases and the newly created wine
begins to clear. When the wine is completely settled and becomes
clarified it is time to siphon it off the sediment which has settled
on the botton. Care should be taken not to suck up this sediment.
Keep the siphon hose at least two inches from this waste material,
gradually tipping the jud, as shown. If a little gets sucked up don't
worry as there will be another filtration after the second extraction.
Siphon this newly created wine into a wide mouth gallon jar which
contains the same herbal formula (plant mixture) used to make the
wine. You may need to adjust the amount of material, it should not
fill much more than half the jug. It's best to use fresh, well dried
herbs for this second extraction as they are stronger and their properties
more accessible. To this mixture I add 4 oz. of a straight 70% alcohol
extraction, a tincture, of this same or a similar formula, (to make
a tincture, fill a quart jar half full for dry material, close to
full for fresh material and cover with at least 40% alcohol, 80 proof.
Shake daily for two weeks and strain through muslin cloth.) I keep
a quart on hand for this purpose. The added tincture is opptional
though I find the high alcohol content added to the wine helps stabilize
the wine so a second fermentation is not began and increases the
effectiveness of the second extraction. Because of the overall low
alcohol content of this mixture you may want to let this sit for
a complete moon cycle, one month, gently agitating the contents every
day. Keep the lid slightly ajar. Even though we boosted the alcohol
content it's still best to not let anything enter and for any gas
that may form to escape. Then filter through a muslin cloth, let
settle again, and siphon or pour off and bottle.
The colour and flavour of the finished wine can be altered during
either step of this process by adding certain flowers such as Calendula
or fruit and vegatables such as Pomegranate and beet. The finished,
aged if you can wait, wine can be used while preparing your culinary
creations to imbue them with a delicate herbal bouquet. I like
to use it straight, added to dressings and sauces or splashed directly
on freshly made salads or lightly steamed vegatables giving them
a nice zesty touch.
Corked and stored properly in a cool, dark room on its side, like
any fine drinking wine, the bouquet is enhanced by age and can be
enjoyed for years to come. A bottle of herbal wine also makes for
a special gift. Be sure to label and date each batch and make
notes as to ingridents, amounts, taste, flavour or any other conditions
which may have affected the outcome of your wine.
Our focus now will be on making of an herbal medicinal wine, in
particular a bitter digestive. There is a long history in both Chinese
and Ayurvedic medicine with regards to making herbal medicinal wines.
They are generally used as rejuvenating tonics and digestive aids.
We, in modern day American, really don't consume enough of the bitter
taste in our diets. We desire or were sold on sweets, followed by
salt and, to a varying degree, sour and pungent foods. But the bitter
principle is often neglected from the average diet. This is most
unfortunate for the bitter taste has an important action on the body.
Bitters not only benefit the digestive process but also have a positive
affect on our emotional stability.
BITTER BREW: AN HERBAL DIGESTIVE WINE. This recipe makes close to
one gallon of a bitter digestive. Decoct, (which simply means to
simmer herbs, usually roots and seeds, at a low temperature for 30
minutes,) in just under one gal. of water the following well chopped
herbs: (either fresh or dried)
- one handful Angelica root (Angelica archangelica)
- one handful Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale)
- one handful Elecampane root (Inula helenium)
- one handful fresh ground Fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare)
- 1/2 handful Orange peel (green preferred)
- 1/2 handful Ginger root (Zingiber officinale)
Simmer for 30 minutes, then add:
- one handful fresh dried artichoke leaf (Cynara scolymus)
- one handful fresh dried mugwort leaf (Artemisia vulgare)
- one handful fresh dried wormwood leaf (Artemisia absinthium)
- 3 to 5 Chile peppers (Capsicum spp.)
Shut off heat and cover well for another 30 minutes, strain through
a muslin cloth and let cool off to around 70 degrees. Then follow
same procedure as for culinary wine.
Added to this formula are secondary non-bitter herbs, fennel seeds,
ginger root and chile peppers which help to counteract the tendency
to cool and contract the digestive tract and also helps relieve cramping
and flatulence. The bitter and heating properties of this formula
can be adjusted to suit individual needs.
Dosage is best taken at 1/2 to 1 once 15 to 20 minutes before eating.
It can also be taken after a heavy meal to aid in digestion.
The bitter principle activates the gastric secretion of hydrocholoric
acid along with other digestive enzymes found in saliva and bile.
This benefits the entire digestive process helping the body to break
down and utililze fats, proteins and carbohydrates which helps in
the proper absorbion of these nutrients. It also benefits the function
of the liver and helps to eliminate wastes more efficiently.
Bitters can help to balance our overly sweet and processed food
diets and can benefit our nervous system from the stresses of our
modern life style. Excess heat in the liver, stagnation and irritation
can tax and over stress not only our physical body but our
emotional state as well. Recent clinical studies are showing that
stress can affect the proper functioning of the immune system. The
addition of bitters in our diets can thus benefit our overall health
and well being. |
