Hip Herbal Product Watch: Earth Mother Herbal

In high school - in the 1980s , I would obsess over this old book in the library called Down to Earth Beauty. During an Aussie Scrunch Spray/Noxema-filled time, the idea of making rose water or a simple oatmeal scrub drew me in and I would pour over the details of each concoction. The exotic ingredients seemed so difficult to find and my mom, understandably, didn't want me in the kitchen making goo with her good pots. I ended up just memorizing the recipes and thought *sigh* "Some day . . . ".

So, it didn't surprise me, after reading Earth Mother Herbal - Remedies, Recipes, Lotions and Potions from Mother Nature's Healing Plants that I wanted to book a flight to Oregon and spend a weekend with the earth momma herself, Shatoiya de la Tour. This beautiful book makes herbs - and the things you can create with them - very accessible and very memorable. Each herb section has details on facts and folklore, growing, harvesting, uses, accompanied by interesting stories and then . . . recipes!

We're talking tinctures, tonics, infusions! Maybe, just maybe, Shatoiya would let me into her kitchen to look over her shoulder and peek into her magical world - teaching me the secrets and the skills I craved 20 years ago.

But her book and nurturing spirit that comes through in her writing, makes it easy to make a go of it on your own and it is now a staple on my bookshelf. From skin care and bath time recommendations to teas such as Spicy! Immunity Chai to healing salves. And, my husband is a huge fan of Bubba's Taters with Eggs and Rosemary. It's great getting back to the earth and back to what has worked for ages. Good winter reading . . .