Herbal Medicine Guides

Oil extracted from the savory plant helps in treating gout, headaches, and joint pains. In fact, a salve, prepared from the whole plant can be applied topically. However, dilute the oil to avoid skin irritation. Summer savory alcohol serves as an effective disinfectant, useful for treating wounds and skin infections.

This is an unusual but effective method to make great herbal oils in a short span of time.

Pros: Fast, highly effective extraction, especially for more alcohol-soluble constituents. Longest shelf life (the dry herb and alcohol really help prevent microbes from growing in the oil). Vivid color, especially for green herbs.

Cons: You can only do it with dried herb, and some people may not want to use alcohol and a blender (which requires electricity and is noisy). Better for leaves and flowers than roots and tough parts of plants.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz of dried herb (Summer Savory)
• 1/2 oz whole grain alcohol (vodka can be substituted)
• 7 oz olive or other carrier oil

Directions:

1. If your herb isn’t already ground, place it in a blender with the lid on and pulse until coarsely ground. In a Pyrex container, mix dried herb with alcohol. It will be a similar consistency as damp sand. Let sit, covered, for 2-24 hours.
2. Place the mix into a blender, add oil, and slowly blend the mixture. Increase the speed. Let blend until the blender gets warm, about 5 minutes.
3. Strain through cheesecloth or clean muslin, squeezing out as much oil as you can (and again through a coffee filter, if desired) to desired clarity.
4. Store in glass in a cool, dark place. Should keep for 6-12 months.