Infusions & Compresses
An herbal infusion is perhaps the simplest preparation (aside from eating the plant
raw) you can make. It involves either fresh or dry herbs, good quality spring or well water,
a pot with a lid (or a mason jar with lid) and a strainer. Infusions work well for delicate
herbal parts: leaves and flowers, usually. You can use any amount of herb you wish, from 2
Tablespoons (dry) per quart of water for a beverage tea, to ½ cup (dry) per quart for a
medicinal brew. Use twice these amounts for fresh herb infusions.
For a hot infusion: First, set your water to boil. Then, take the herbs (fresh or dry),
remove the stems and any discolored leaves, chop the herbs coarsely, and put them in the
pot. Once the water has reached a boil, remove it from the heat immediately and pour it
over the herbs. Cover, and let the infusion steep for at least 30 minutes. You can leave it
much longer (24 hours) if you wish. After it is done steeping, strain and serve. Teas will
usually not keep for longer than 24 hours after straining.
For a cold infusion: First chop your herbs, fresh or dry. Place them in a pot or a mason
jar, and pour cold spring or well water over them. Stir the herbs in well. Cover, and let
steep for 24 hours. This provides a wonderfully delicate tea, subtle in flavor and rich in
volatile constituents like essential oils. Good for herbs like Peppermint, Spearmint,
Chamomile, Fennel, Marshmallow. The basic idea of a cold infusion is to extract the
medicinal qualities of the herbs without damaging them with heat.
Compresses are external applications of hot herbal infusions. Basically, you will prepare
a hot infusion and soak a clean cloth or bandage in it. Apply the cloth, while still warm but
not scalding (test on the back of your hand) to the affected area. Compresses are particularly
good for sprains, strains, and bruises (alternate compress with ice in these cases); rashes; or
as an aid in detoxification (like a Peppermint compress applied to the chest during a bad cold
or flu). Leave the compress on for 5-10 minutes, or until it cools down, then warm up the
infusion and re-soak the rag, applying it for another 5-10 minutes. You can keep repeating
this process until all the infusion is gone.