Chestnut Herbal School
Two glasses filled with hibiscus ice cubes and garnished with a yellow flower.

Isis Hibiscus Sun Tea Recipe

The following is an excerpt from Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz’s book, Earth Medicines: Ancestral Wisdom, Healing Recipes, and Wellness Rituals from a Curandera, taken from the “Fire” chapter. It’s an easy recipe for iced hibiscus tea using fresh mint (Mentha spp.) and dried rose petals (Rosa spp.), harnessing the power of the Sun. She calls it Isis Sun Tea. The main ingredient in Isis Sun Tea are the calyces of the Hibiscus sabdariffa shrub, also known as roselle or by its common name, hibiscus.

Jars of red fire cider sitting on an outside table surrounded by oranges and hibiscus branches.

Hibiscus Pomegranate Fire Cider Recipe

One of my favorite ways to use hibiscus (oh, count the ways!) is in fire cider. Fire cider is basically a spicy herbal vinegar, often sweetened with a little honey. It’s taken by the dropperful or spoonful, depending on the cider’s strength and imbiber’s palette. Fire cider helps to clear out the sinuses and wake up the immune and circulatory systems. It can be taken to ward off a cold or other respiratory infection.

A jar of Lemon Balm Pesto and small bowls of the ingredients.

Lemon Balm Pesto Recipe

Back in the day, when I ran an in-person herbal school, my students would pick one herb and give a presentation on its medicinal qualities along with a sample: a spot of tea, a taste of tincture, or sometimes a nibble of the plant. When a student told me she’d be preparing lemon balm pesto, I gave an encouraging smile, belying my apprehension. I am a decidedly adventurous eater, but this pesto felt wrong. Never have I been so happy to eat crow.

A person holding a wicker basket of lemon balm.

The Medicinal Benefits of Lemon Balm

With its citrusy aroma and quilted lime-green leaves, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) brightens our gardens and kitchens alike. This mint family medicinal is known as the “gladdening herb” for the uplifting qualities it brings to the spirit. Children have a particular fondness for its sunny aroma and sour flavor. Bees are equally fond of the herb—so much so that the Greek word for bee, melissa, is another name for the plant. 

A grazing tray with Stinging Nettles Pate.

Stinging Nettles Medicinal Benefits & My Famous Nettles Pâté Recipe

The emerald nettles queen reigns over the herbal realms with vim and vigor. The leaves of this legendary herb are packed with vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll, and this vitality infuses into nutritive herbal teas, vinegars, and medicinal foods. It’s true that nettles (Urtica dioica, Urticaceae) wears a crown of nearly invisible silver prickles, primed to sting any who might dare to trespass, but the sting is disarmed when the leaves are dried or cooked.

Baobab tree.

African American Herbalism, Part 3: Resources and Further Learning

A plethora of resources are available for one interested in the rich traditions related to African American herbalism. Below are a few lists in various media. Included are books, conferences, Facebook groups, herbalists, organizations, and websites. This is of course only a subset of items in this field but will hopefully get you well on your way if you’re just starting to explore this area, and will be helpful to all one way or another.