Cheryl's Herbs

Edit Company

Recent Tasting Notes

2nd large mug of this today. It tastes best if you make a qt of it & chill it. Of course, it’s not something I drink for the flavor, but it’s great for allergies, & also high in minerals, & old ladies like me need to keep our bones healthy too.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals beat the Brewers, 3 – 2 :)

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

The trees (& god knows what else) are pollinating in St. Louis, & we have all of our windows open to let in the fresh spring air, but unfortunately for me, that means allergies. I’ve had them my entire life, as does my mom & as did my gramma, & they bring with them a tendency towards lung issues. I’ve resolved the chronic lung issues I had by deleting gluten & grains, legumes, dairy, & sugar from my eating, & the side benefit of that has been no more arthritis, tendonitis, & other inflammatory problems as well. But I still have allergies.

Bring on the Nettles! This is the best natural anti-histamine I’ve found, & I’ll be drinking a lot of it to keep myself functional. My formula:

1 heaping Tb + mug of hot water X just let it steep awhile then drink it.

AND, because 1 cup might not cut it:

1/4 cup leaf + 1 Qt of hot water X let it steep until cool, drink a cup, put the jar in the frig & strain as needed throughout the day. Make a fresh Qt every morning.

The effect of Nettles is not cumulative. I usually notice an improvement within hours. The down side of this is that if I don’t drink it every day (& I do get tired of drinking it), the symptoms come right back. So I’ll be drinking a lot of it again this year, starting today.

Sil

i should try this someday

Flowery

Interesting! I had just recently tried Camellia Sinensis’ La Bienveillante, which is supposed to help for allergies, and it really did. I went back to check the ingredients after reading this, and nettle was first on the list. Who knew? You. You knew.

TeaBrat

Giving up gluten and dairy really helped my allergies too.

Veronica

I just ordered some nettles to help with my allergies. I hate the foggy feeling I get from taking medicine, so I wanted to try s more natural path this year. Hopefully the pollen behaves itself until my order arrives!

Terri HarpLady

The hardest part for me is remembering to drink it, so this year I’m gonna work extra hard to make it a regular part of my routine (what? I have a routine? Yeah, right!)
Sil I’ll try to remember to send some in your Next box, LOL.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

This is my 2nd cup of the day. Sometimes I like my Elder Berry straight, sometimes I like it with rose, cinnamon, & stevia. This is a gently sweet blend, with a short ingredient list! The Elder Berry is the prominent note, with it’s tart & bright flavor & slightly musky, almost Valerian-like scent. The roses add a soothing quality, the cinnamon brings some depth, & the Stevia sweetens the cup & pulls all the flavors together.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Drinking my daily cup of Elderberry. I went by Cheryl’s yesterday to restock, & I have to say, this is the best Elderberry I’ve ever had!! Although the berries are dried, they have a juicy fruitiness to the aroma & taste, I feel like I’m Anne of Greene Gables, drinking a cordial. The brew is rich, sweet, & thick with flavor, & I think I’m gonna have to buy a lb of these this year!
It’s a rare treat when ‘medicine’ tastes so good that I look forward to my next cup!

Indigobloom

Dang Terri, if we ever do a swap I am requesting some of this! :D

Terri HarpLady

If you ever want a swap, I’m in! Otherwise, I’ll toss some into the next box I send to Sil for you :)

Starfevre

Stevia, bleh

Starfevre

Wait, am I looking at the right one? Is it under herbs because none of these are named Elderberry.

Starfevre

Is it just some of the dried elderberries under the herb section and not the tea section?

Sil

yes it’s under herbs….just dried elderberries. :) brews up really nicely heh but it’s not a “tea”

Terri HarpLady

Yeah, just the straight Elderberries in the herb section.

Terri HarpLady

If you order any, tell them Terry HarpLady sent you, LOL.
Of course, they know me as Terri the Harp Player, but I’m sure they’ll figure out the connection.

Indigobloom

Sweet!! yes Terri we should swap! :P

Sil

i’m watching you IB….

Starfevre

I had totally forgotten I had elderberry lozenges stashed away. They actually taste pretty good.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Cheryl’s Herbs is a shop less than 5 minutes from my house. Cheryl is an awesome internationally known (at least in herbalist circles) Herbalist. She really knows her stuff regarding herbs, aromatherapy, & many other holistic arts. She sells any herb from anywhere that you might want or need (all of the highest quality), makes custom formulas, hosts all kinds of workshops & classes at her shop (from aromatherapy to Wild Fermentation featuring Sandor KatZ), AND she’s a professional French Horn player! If she looks at me when I’m in the store & says, "Terri, I think you need to drink (insert herb here), I’ll do it, cuz she knows. Needless to say, I get my herbs & tinctures from her…& my veggie culturing supplies…and the replacement filter for my water purifier… And essential oils…

So, this is real elderberries! not some blend with a berry or 2 in it. It is the best tea I can drink when there are virals floating around. It is a potent anti-viral that actually tastes pretty good too, especially lightly sweetened. I like to steep 1 TB in 8oz for about 10 minutes, add a pinch of sweet, & enjoy! Kids will usually drink it too, even adult children, which is why this is a sipdown.

But I won’t even bother to remove it from my cupboard, because I’ll restock today.

Sil

this is pretty delicious! i agree

TeaExplorer

Is “Cheryl’s Tea” similar in properties with just rose, cinnamon and stevia added?

Terri HarpLady

Yup! Cheryl created that blend for some International Herbalists convention. I like it too, but I usually just go with the straight Elderberries.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

I’m feeling a little bit like I might be coming down with something, although it may just be another allergen in the air. To play it safe I’m drinking cups of Elderberry, which has proven to me over the years to be an excellent anti-viral. I’m also using this sinus spray called Boogey Buster, which is made with thyme oil & other things. It burns like hell, I hate it, but it really helps to keep the head open.

gmathis

My Mema swears by elderberry for flu prevention. Memas are rarely wrong :)

Terri HarpLady

Yup! It’s the stuff! If you already are coming down with the flu, drinking Elderberry will sometimes nip it in the bud. We drink it often in my house for flu prevention this time of year.

MsWhatsit

Everybody’s posting recipes for Elderberry syrups, which of course are sugary. Nice to see there are alternatives.

Terri HarpLady

Yup! I just put a Tb of the dried berries in my cup, add hot water, leave it to steep for awhile, then enjoy. Sometimes I add a little stevia, but not usually. It can also be combined with black or shu, or whatever. I usually drink it straight.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Yes, I’m drinking Elder berry again.
It’s the best protection I know again viruses, & they’re all around me!!

Bonnie

Away you bad viruses!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

I’m taking a very strong cup of this to sip in bed while I read a bit. I’ve had a bit of a headache on & off today, & am feeling some achey sensations, & my ribcage is feeling heavy. That’s usually a sign that I’m fighting viral, & since elderberry is such an awesome antiviral, I’m drinking some.

I don’t often drink tea at night, because tea = pee = no sleep for me, but tonight I’m making an exception.

gmathis

My hubby’s grandma does a teaspoon of elderberry extract in tea or cranberry juice every morning in the winter as an anti-flu antidote. Swears by it.

Terri HarpLady

Yup! It’s an remedy that’s been around for ages, because it actually works! There’s an amazing herbalist in St. Louis, & she owns a shop not far from my home, Cheryl’s Herbs. She sells everything, but the main thing I buy is Elderberry. I have been thinking of growing it my garden. I drink it often!

Indigobloom

that is exactly how I feel about oregano oil!! but now I think I’ll look into elderberry. Great to have options, thanks Terri! feel better soon

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Today is another crazy-busy gig day for me. I’ll play at Schnucks grocery store from 11am – 3pm, then bring my electric harp & sound system home, grab a bite to eat & more tea, & go back to the church I played at last night for our final performance. My acoustic harp is already there, & I’ll bring it home after the gig.

I feel like my body is fighting something off. I started noticing it yesterday. I’ve had really good results in the past with Elderberries, especially in the realm of viral illnesses, so I’m drinking a few strong infusions of it, because getting sick isn’t really an option right now. When Harp players get sick, they have to show up anyway, because the show must go on, and it’s not like you can send a replacement!

Terri HarpLady

Getting ready to have another cup…

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

It’s been a long day. I got up early, played a bridal fair all day, & I should probably be in bed, but I’m not because of Cardinals Baseball!
In case you didn’t know, St. Louis is serious about baseball & we love our team! I’ve never actually been to a baseball game, as I don’t care much for crowds unless I’m performing, & the view is always way better from my TV screen. I also don’t watch much TV, but baseball is one exception! We’re currently leading, 6 to 4. Keeping fingers crossed…

My taste buds are gradually starting to function. My main taste is still ‘sweet’, & I’m having this ongoing obsession to eat apple slices sauteed in coconut oil with cinnamon. I’ve been eating them for a few weeks, I just can’t get enough of them! I ate some steamed broccoli & tasted it’s mild bitterness, that was very exciting! I’m thinking I might start the day tomorrow with a creamy frothy Matcha (not flavored).

Everyone in my house is drinking Elderberry like it’s going out of style. In another exciting moment, I can taste the tartness of this tea today! Yay! Things are looking up! Now if we can just win this dam game!

Azzrian

Love them Cardinals!!!

Terri HarpLady

Me too! They were leading 6 – 0, so it’s nerve wracking now. My daughter Jess (who lives a block away & obsessively knows everything there is to know about every cardinal member, team statistics, etc) & I are texting back & forth during the game, our own personal commentary channel.

I missed the game last friday night. I was just too out of it, & they were loosing until the very end, when they suddenly took over! Even though I was in bed, I heard the fireworks go off down by the riverfront around 11pm or so & knew they had miraculouslly won. LOL

MsWhatsit

I like going to games. Used to see the Royals in KC all the time, and catch the minor league Springfield Cardinals when I lived there. Went to a Traveler’s game down in Little Rock and hoping to see the Naturals here sometime in the near future. Live games are fun. To me, televised games are kind of boring, I like the crowd interaction. Or maybe I just like the peanuts and crackerjacks.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

I started the day with a cup of Elder Berry Tea, from Cheryl’s Herbs, an herb shop here in St. Louis that sells all kinds of medicinal herbs, tinctures, essential oils, etc. http://www.cherylsherbs.com/

I always drink Elder Berry in the Fall, Winter, & Spring. When I’m having allergies, my immune system gets low, and Elder Berry has wonderful antiviral properties, and other beneficial qualities.

It’s not a tea I drink for pleasure, but it isn’t really objectionable either. The smell is, of course, berry like, but with overtones of Valerian (another of my favorite herbs). The taste is slightly sweet & tart. I usually use 1 T for a cup of hot tea, sometimes stronger if I’m under the weather, & sometimes with a pinch of stevia. I have a tendency to lung ailments in the Fall, & I’ve seen this tea make a big difference, so I drink it often!

These statements haven’t been approved by meddling government agencies that are in the pocket of the pharmaceutical companies.

Ms. Whatsit

Hmmm…I’ve never tried an elderberry tea before. Maybe I ought to expand my horizons a bit.

Terri HarpLady

I’ll include some in your box of tea, Sis!

Terri HarpLady

BTW, I still can’t seem to access your bio or add you to my list of people I’m following.

Ms. Whatsit

I have a bio and I can see it, I can put things in my cupboard, rate teas, and comment on people’s tea reviews, but that’s about it. I still get mostly blanks on my dashboard and can’t write any tea reviews yet. Hopefully Monday or Tuesday they’ll get things fixed.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Elder Berry by Cheryl's Herbs
14991 tasting notes

I found more of this lurking in my cupboard, though i thought i had finished this up ages ago. I’m fighting something at the moment so i figured this was the perfect time to really finish it off :) Of course it also makes me want to go pick up more of verdant’s elderberry herbal to drink heh

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Elder Berry by Cheryl's Herbs
14991 tasting notes

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Elder Berry by Cheryl's Herbs
14991 tasting notes

Mmmmm I’ve been feeling like I’ve been fighting something for a bit now so I pulled these out of my cupboard to have tonight. I know nothing about herbs and the like but Terri told me to drink these if I felt like I was coming down with something, so here I am! Good thing I like the taste too – esp with a pinch of honey :)

CelebriTEA

I love Elder Berry!

Sil

yeah thanks to terri i’m glad i got the chance to try it :)

Terri HarpLady

I need to restock the Elderberry in my pantry, I’m getting low. This is the time of year to drink it regularly, & it is pretty nice with a little sweetening in it.

Em

“I don’t want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.” – Monty Python and the Holy Grail

tea-sipper

I learned about elderberries from Hershel on The Walking Dead. :D

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Elder Berry by Cheryl's Herbs
14991 tasting notes

i figured i would have a cup of this tonight since it’s not really tea. Not to mention that my allergies are acting up AND the last thing i want is to get sick next week before vacation. Terri sent this my way and i haven’t had a chance to try it yet. On the whole this isn’t a bad cup of…drink? haha it’s got a sweet taste to it but with a bit of zing that makes me smile. If there is any truth to the medicinal properties, i could drink this all the time! :)

Chelle

A bit of St. Germaine, elder flower liqueur, might add a little more smile and make you forget about your allergies :)
That stuff is really good in floral and berry teas!

Sil

Huh. Ill have to try that since funnily enough there IS a bottle of that in my house!

Terri HarpLady

Elderberry may not do alot for allergies, I’ll have to send you some Nettles for that. BUT Elderberry is an awesome remedy for colds & flu, it really does work!

Chelle

It does! I like the taste of the thick elderberry syrup that I get at Whole Foods.

Terri HarpLady

I brew it fairly strong, at least 1 Tb to my mug, sometimes stronger, for 5 min or so. Sometimes I sweeten it, usually I don’t.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.