Kitchen Witch Recipes for the Beltane Season | Natalie Rousseau

This past weekend we celebrated a gorgeous full moon in Scorpio, followed by the fire festival of Beltane. I taught a few special events during the last week that were dedicated to the spirit of Beltane and thought I’d share some of the recipes I included here. These simple recipes capture the vibrant life force energy of this season in a simple oxymel, a late spring bitters blend, and an energizing milk bath. These recipes are fun to make and a joy to use.

Grapefruit & Hibiscus Bitters
These springtime bitters turn a lovely dark red colour and are perfect for stimulating agni (digestive fire) and supporting liver function. They taste fabulous added to sparkling water and are great to sip between meals to reduce sugar cravings.

¼ cup dried lemon peels chopped
½ tsp gentian root
1 tsp coriander seeds
6 green cardamom pods
1-2 tsp hibiscus flowers
zest of 2 fresh grapefruits cut into strips

Place all ingredients in a 500 ml mason jar and cover with vodka or gin. Steep for a full moon cycle (4 weeks), shaking daily. Pour off using fine cheesecloth or a nut milk bag and put the alcohol blend in a clean jar. Place strained herbs in a small pot and cover with water, simmer for 10 minutes to make a strong decoction. Strain off herbs and compost while you allow your decoction to cool to room temperature. When decoction has cooled add to alcohol at a 1:2 ratio (1 part decoction, 2 parts alcohol blend). Add 1-2 TBS raw honey to the tea and alcohol blend and shake well. Label store in a cupboard out of direct sunlight. Pour your bitters into a glass dropper jar for regular use, 6-18 drops per glass or as desired.

Ginger Tumeric & Orange Oxymel
An oxymel is a herbal medicine preparation made with vinegar and honey. It stimulates digestion, supports mineral absorption, and in the case of this recipe will empower immunity to help ward off late spring colds. It also tastes delicious!

4-6 inches of fresh tumeric root, grated
2-3 inches of fresh ginger root, grated
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
zest & juice of one organic orange
1 cup raw apple cider vinegar
¾ cup honey

Put spices & orange zest in the bottom of a 500 ml canning jar and cover with orange juice, vinegar and honey. Give it a stir and then cover the top of the jar with a layer of waxed paper before sealing well. Shake daily for 3-4 weeks before straining. Add 2 -3 Tbs of oxymel to sparkling or warmed water for a tonic support as desired. Also makes a great salad dressing base.

Bright Fire Milk Bath
This milk bath is made with epsom salts and dried milk powder to soothe sore muscles and soften your skin, while the addition of coarse pink salt and orange colored calendula petals give it a sunny glow. A secret ingredient to give it extra sparkle and medicinal benefit is the addition of red alea volcanic clay salt. I used the essential oils of bergamot, black pepper and spruce to create an uplifting scent that is also warming.

2 cups epsom salts
1 cup dried milk powder
1 cup pink himalayan salt coarse
2-3 TBS red alea salt (optional)
3-6 TBS dried calendula flower petals
60 drops black spruce essential oil
40 drops bergamot essential oil
30 drops black pepper essential oil

Blend well with a fork and store in a glass jar. Add generously to a warm tub and enjoy! * This blend uses a less than 1% dilution rate for essential oils which is quite mild, but the addition of a spice oil means you should use caution with small children.

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