Monthly Meeting – “The Time Traveller's Herbal”
Anne welcomed everyone back after the summer, and gave the apologies from those who were still on holiday or celebrating birthdays! Helen, our treasurer, thanked members for paying subscriptions online and reminded everyone that instead of annual membership at £30 it is possible to pay £5 per meeting as a guest – everyone is welcome!
This evening Sheenagh became an honorary member of Ruskie SWI and Isobel had written a few words reminding the members of Sheenagh’s long years of membership and service, she was always active from the day she became a member – helpful and always willing; as a committee member she tackled any task needing done whether cleaning the hall, being treasurer, secretary or president. As a secretary she was dependable and meticulous in all arrangements, tactful and kind and saved Isobel’s (as president) bacon on numerous occasions; as president she was superb as she presided with warmth and provided a hearty welcome to speakers and members alike. She has represented Ruskie on various Federation committees and attended countless meetings on our behalf. and we wish her many more long years as an Honorary Member. Sheenagh herself reminded us that she has been a member of Ruskie for over 50 years, starting after a Christmas demonstration where she wanted to impress her future mother-in-law, she thanked all the mums of current members who made her welcome as well as the current members now.
Anne then summarised the summer activities – the World Textile Day, stewarding at the quadrathlon, 15 members and friends went to Portsoy for a trip, and finally the Edinburgh Military tattoo. Congratulations to those who celebrated big birthdays and became grannies (again!) and well done to everyone who won prizes including Heather for the Jean Buchanan Trophy at Thornhill Flower Show for most points in the Industrial Section.
In addition to our monthly meetings we are visiting the Hydro Scheme and Dunblane Cathedral – if you’d like to join either of these please give names to Liz Black.
The SC&WP Federation is a collection of 14 local Rurals and they are going ahead with new ideas for the future, starting with the conference in Perth this weekend. There is also a business meeting coming up on 11 November with competitions (Janet McLay Trophy – a Christmas limerick starting “There was a wee elf called Joe” – the West Lothian trophy of three different craft gift tags and the Cath McBride Trophy which is best use of a fat quarter of fabric) and entertainment will be a demonstration of how to make Temari balls. Anne also updated the group on the Crafts & Cooking Representatives (the new H&H) and asked for any volunteers who can help identify competitions and courses to be run by the Federation.
Amanda Edmiston then introduced herself as a herbal storyteller, who knew this was her calling since she was a child – from hearing stories from her sculptor granddad, in her grannies kitchen smelling of fresh gingercake with cherries on top. She shared her copy of Florence Marian McNeills Scot’s Kitchen which was handed down through generations in her family with crusts of sugar stuck on the page and granny and great grannies notes in the margins which now feels like a magical thing and was a great topic of conversation in a recent event at a care home where a resident realised the importance of the social history contained in these types of publications and their value to children in families. As a grown up, newly single parent recently qualified in Herbal Medicine she realised that the career she was meant for was telling stories centred around food.
Fast forward to more recent times, and as a collector of stories, how people cook things and what they make, inspired by the Scot’s Kitchen which is a collection of recipes at a changing time in history, Amanda is now collecting the stories from parents and grandparents to tell the local children. From stars in the middle of apples, to rosehip itching powder and hawthorn berry bullets or even the more benign rose water recipes! The local children in Doune have made boxes and story pictures which have been taken on tour nationally. Children in Killin have also done their own version of a storytelling project. Amanda herself has been asked to write a book and taken the opportunity to blend recipes, social history and stories of the magical places in Scotland – the book will be launched in November. It contains some tasty recipes and others that are ‘interesting’ like the recipe for ‘seeing fairies’!
Amanda then shared tea blended from yarrow (achillia) which has feathery leaves and pink or white flowers. The ancient story related to this is Achilles who was born to a goddess and a mortal father where his mother took him by the feet to the river Styx and dunked him in to protect him but his ankles became his weak point as they were not put in the river. After suffering an injury to his ‘heel’ Achilles met a skilled centaur who gave him yarrow to bring down fevers and heal his wounds … and this is now proven to be scientifically true! Yarrow is also uplifting and improves your mood. Amanda shared a winter immune boosting gypsy or ‘hero’ tea – yarrow, peppermint and elderflower (elderberries are antiviral) but as this is out of season then we use thyme instead. Thyme tea is great for a cold and coughing and sore throats. Drinking herbal tea to treat a specific condition should be done on the advice of a herbalist after a full consultation, without self medicating. There are some teas which are safe in small doses for short periods of time – for example three cups of thyme tea a day while you have a cold. One of the best things Amanda has found is teabags which can be filled with your own blend, including mixing herbs with regular tea to ensure you get your caffeine kick!
Meadowsweet, or Cuchulainn’s belt, has a similar story of healing and can be taken as tea or cordial (or made into champagne) which can bring temperatures down and heal, but is great for indigestion or heartburn. Meadowsweet is basically aspirin and should be treated with caution for adults, but for children it is a great way to get them to drink herbal tea even if they don’t eat their veggie greens! It is often found around rivers in Scotland BUT if you are at all uncertain then don’t eat it until you have a positive identification.
Amanda also shared an idea for a cold infusion with star anise (antiviral), cinnamon sticks and mulberries which is a refreshing spiced water which improves the immune system and reduces blood sugar. The Scottish spice trade started in the Royal Burghs where spices and stories were imported in 14th century when there were lots of strong women in society. Elizabeth Blackwell is one of the inspiring Scottish who wrote a ‘Curious Herbal’ book in 1737 after she eloped with her husband who then spent all her money on a printing business and ended up in a debtors jail – after this Elizabeth started walking in the Chelsea gardens drawing the plants and writing notes. In Scotland there are women who have found passion and healing paths through their herbal recipes and Amanda encouraged us to remember and share our recipes with younger people as these become the real treasures and valuable resources and cherished memories.
Anne thanked Amanda and invited each of us to remember our own stories, and those of our grannies 😊
Competitions:
Mrs Parlane Trophy – 3 x Savory biscuits – 1) Sheena Gibson (with Paul Hollywood Gruyere recipe!) 2) Allison Mcleod 3) Sharon McRobert
Favourite Scent 1) Anne Artis 2) Sheenagh Beaton 3) Allison Mcleod
In the raffle Linda Gibson and Anne Artis won copies of Amanda Edmiston’s new book which will be delivered in November.
