Verrine’s Vials
by Dragon Wolf
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Verrine is a friendly demon who helps those in need of healing. She appears as small and butterfly-like. Offerings to her include: fresh water, white flowers, rosemary, eucalyptus, chamomile, lily, morning glory and mint. Her Enn (recited 6 times) is as follows:
Elan Typan Verrine
Below, are examples of three different herbal tea suggestions, which can be used to alleviate specific common ailments:
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Chamomile:
This plant can be grown in flowerpots, feature as a section of a flower bed or even be integrated as part of one’s lawn. The herb has a tuber-like main stem and very many, tiny leaves shooting off from it, giving the plant a ‘spikey’ appearance (see left). Small daisy-like flowers appear on the plant from June onwards (see below). Shortly after this time, some of these flowers and buds can be snipped off and dried out to make a soothing, fragrant chamomile tea.
The flowers, once dried, can be carefully chopped and sliced into tiny pieces to create an almost powdery consistency.
The herb is most often used to treat sleeplessness and anxiety. Measure 2-3 teaspoons into a warmed teapot and leave to steep. Pour gently into a teacup and sweeten with honey if one desires. Alternatively, add cinnamon to give that sumptuous, exotic flavour to one’s brew!
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Ginger
Ginger is an herbaceous plant and grows, most successfully, in tropical climes. However, it is the root that is of use for both culinary, as well as medicinal purposes.
Chop the root into manageable portions and then peel the outer skin. Cut the ginger root into slices and put 1 or 2 of these slices into a cup of boiling water, allowing the root to infuse for at least 5 minutes. Sweeten with honey as required.
Ginger eases stomach upsets and also combats against the over-production of stomach acid. Furthermore, ginger can help relieve nausea, especially if brought on by a migraine headache. If the latter is the case, drink a ginger infusion every 2-3 hours, until symptoms abate.
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Mint
Mint is an aromatic, perennial herb. Its stem is erect, square and branched. The leaves are often oblong in shape, downy in texture and with serrated edges.
As well as being of use in many culinary dishes, mint leaves can also be used as an infusion. Simply, snip off a few leaf-cuttings, wash first and then place into a cup of boiling hot water, sipping slowly.
One could also dry out the leaves, in order to preserve them for medicinal use later on, during the winter months. Take a few cuttings, tie together with string and hang upside down in a cool, airy place for a few weeks. When the mint branches have dried, chop finely and store the dried tea-leaves in an air-tight jar. When required, measure 2-3 teaspoons into a warmed teapot and leave to steep. Pour carefully into a cup and sweeten with honey, if preferred.
Mint can help to relieve indigestion and can likewise help to ease symptoms of ‘Irritable Bowel Syndrome’. It can also be used to mask bad breath, although it is unable to treat the actual root causes of bad breath itself.
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The Delicate Art of Tea-Making
Some might say that making tea is a fine art and thus, in order to enjoy at least a cup or two of brew, the following steps might prove beneficial to one’s finely-tuned tea-making skills.
Once the kettle is boiled, warm the teapot using a small amount of this water. With the teapot lid on, carefully swish this water round and empty it into the sink.
Once the required herbal measurement is spooned into the teapot and the desired amount of hot water is poured in, put the teapot lid on and place a tea cosy over the pot to ensure that one’s tea remains hotter for longer!
When pouring, make sure that one uses a tea-towel to hold the teapot handle, as one might want to avoid scalded fingers, my pretty!!
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Tantalise Your Taste Buds with Tempting Honey….
Honey has a viscous consistency to it and is made by honey bees from the sugary secretions of plants, or floral nectar, through a process of regurgitation. In other words, what one is really enjoying when one feasts upon that delectable and luscious food item, is actually … bee spit!!
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Despite knowing this above fact, both humans and bears alike, find honey utterly irresistible and as well as providing a pleasingly delicious sensation to one’s beverage intake, honey is also known to be a natural antibiotic!
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Happy Brewing!
