Coltsfoot {Infused} Honey

Lyla came running up to the kitchen door a few weeks ago – and she proudly handed me “the first dandelion” of the season.

 

But no, this beautiful little yellow-burst-of-sunshine-in-a-flower was not a dandelion  … it was coltsfoot!

 

{It then, sadly, proceeded to snow for two weeks and we could not pick any more flowers… but now the sun has come out, the snow has melted and we went out to pick some more Coltsfoot.}

 

With our sweet little collection, we decided to make Coltsfoot infused honey, a perfect winter medicine for coughs.  {Sometimes with herbs, you need to think ahead of what you will do with them – even though it is quickly turning into spring, we know winter comes yet again – and so will coughs and sore throats}.

Yes, you may have heard of honey to help soothe a sore throat, I am sure, but adding in Coltsfoot is even more potent.

Although, to the quick eye, this lovely flower resembles a dandelion, it can be identified by difference in the stem of the flower – the dandelion stem is tubular and smooth, but coltsfoot has soft, white fuzzy  hair.  The leaves look a bit like a colt’s foot.

Coltsfoot is, in fact, one of the most popular herbal remedies for soothing a cough.

[If you so desire, you read more about Coltfsoot here. ]

All you need is a collection of coltsfoot, mason jar & raw honey. Fill your mason jar full of the flowers.

 

 

Then slowly pour your honey over the flowers. Use a spoon to help the honey down to the bottom of the jar. We used our honey from our own bees (which is a double a blessing) and poured the honey over the stem, leaves, flower and all.

 

 

Place the jar in a warm sunny spot for 4-6 weeks. If you must use it before the time period is up, it will not be detrimental.

 

The honey will slowly work out all the beautiful health benefits of the Colftshoot, infusing itself as a lovely, herbal cough medicine for you and your family.