Cooking & Creating

Summer Drinks

My favorite herbal drinks in the summer always involve Bo He (Menthae Herba, mint leaves), and to your question about BBQ, I would combine Bo He with Shan Zha (Crataegi Fructus, hawthorn fruits). Not only is the combination a good balance between the cool Bo He and the warm Shan Zha, but it is a blending of pungent and fresh minty flavor with the sweet and sour taste of Shan Zha. Furthermore, Shan Zha, which is a digestive herb with powerful actions to break down fat and protein, helps to counter the rich and heavy foods that might be in […]

Unique Chinese Herbal Gifts

Chinese Herbs, Cooking & Creating

Rose-infused wine This is a beautiful and fragrant wine gift. Start with a good white wine (I like to use something slightly sweet, like a Muscat or a Riesling), and remove half the wine to another container, to make room for the rosebuds. Use about half a cup of Mei Gui Hua (which are red rosebuds that you can get from me), making sure they are very fragrant. Insert the rosebuds into the wine, cork it, turn the bottle on its side, and refrigerate it for about two weeks. Beyond that, it might get too strong. Strain the wine and […]