A Potion for Winter Solstice
In yesterday’s post we talked about the magic of cinnamon.
We talked about how it brings us straight to that coziness place within ourselves. We talked about how its fragrance brings you inward and helps you to stay present for deep inner work.
Now that you're all hyped up about how wonderful cinnamon is, I'd like to share a recipe for a potion that is well-suited for Solstice Season. This potion blends cinnamon with two other Plant Allies I love for midwinter: Orange Peel and Rosemary.
This potion is delicious, and you can simply enjoy it in deliciousness-bevs such as cocktails or teas (ideas below) but you can also use it for ritual work too.
It's very simple, and if you've never made an oxymel before, you're in for a treat.
Also, for those of you who love measuring, let this be an introduction to my measurement-free potion-making style.
Midwinter Spice Oxymel
Ingredients:
2 parts Cinnamon (Cassia is spicier; Ceylon is sweeter)
2 parts Orange Peel
1 part Rosemary
Apple Cider Vinegar
Honey
Each of these herbs is available in many different shapes (e.g. cinnamon can be in sticks or powdered; Orange peel can be sliced, chopped, or powdered.) You'll have to use your intuition + common sense for parts, especially if, say, your cinnamon is powdered and your orange peel is sliced.
Fill a pint jar 1/4 with the combination of dried herbs.
Fill the jar slightly more than 1/2 with apple cider vinegar.
Fill the jar the rest of the way with honey, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top.
Poke and stir with a chopstick. If the herbs settle and more space is created, top off with either ACV or honey.
Cap and shake.
Let sit at room temp for 1-2 weeks, shaking every day. It may take a day or so for the honey to blend with the ACV.
After at least a week, strain the herbs out.
Rebottle, and enjoy!
This will last unrefrigerated for about 4 months or in the refrigerator for a year.
Yes, you can save & dry your own orange peel. Just be sure to wash the orange with soap before you peel it -- even if it's organic.
This oxymel is friggin' delicious. You'll probably want to eat it by the spoonful. But here are some other ideas:
Add it to club soda for a winter spritzer.
Add it to hot water for tea.
Add it to hot water + whiskey + lemon for a fancy hot toddy. (or leave out the whiskey for a non-alcoholic hot toddy).
Drizzle over a baked apple.
Drizzle over roasted winter squash.
Marinate chicken or tempeh in it; serve with butternut or sweet potato.
Make a Midwinter Spice Cocktail with whiskey, tonic water, lemon juice, and a slice of orange for a garnish.
Be on the lookout for the next post — a ritual for Winter Solstice that incorporates this potion.
Until then, if you'd like more potions & plant allies for Winter Solstice, check out The Inward Spiral.
