Welcome to the Maker’s Holiday Herb & Spice DIY Intensive, where we’ll explore four cherished and versatile herbs—cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), and sage (Salvia officinalis)—as well as ways to infuse them into the holiday season and enjoy them throughout the year. These familiar spices do more than just fill the air with festive aromas; they carry a delightful history of culinary, wellness, and even decorative uses!
Throughout this Intensive, you’ll discover practical ways to incorporate these herbs into your daily life through seasonal recipes for culinary enjoyment and formulations to help stock your apothecary, as well as thoughtfully crafted DIY gift and decor ideas. Whether you’re crafting an orange-clove garland or aromatic ornaments, or blending rosemary salt seasoning blends or sage bath soaks, this Intensive is chock full of ideas to help you weave herbal beauty into every aspect of the season!
There are four sessions in this series, each taking a deep dive into a specific herb, sharing delicious recipes and wellness preparations, along with helpful instructional videos!
Session 1: Cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.)
In this lesson, we’ll uncover the sweet and warming properties of cinnamon, a staple in holiday traditions. You’ll learn how to incorporate this beloved spice into culinary delights, such as savory spice blends and cinnamon honey, while also discovering creative decorative uses and wellness-supporting recipes.
Session 2: Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
Dive into the bold flavors of clove and its myriad uses, from culinary creations to wellness applications such as soothing clove-honey throat lozenges and a toothache tea blend. This lesson will also showcase how to use this aromatic spice for festive decorations and gifts, including pomanders and drawer sachets.
Session 3: Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
In this lesson, we’ll celebrate rosemary’s invigorating qualities by incorporating it into cookies and condiments, apothecary additions for hair care and memory support, pretty decorations for the holiday table, and thoughtful gifts, from rosemary salt seasoning blends to rosemary-infused table settings.
Session 4: Sage (Salvia officinalis)
In our final lesson, we’ll explore sage, enlisting its earthy, aromatic taste to create sage-inspired holiday recipes, such as fried sage leaves, herbal butter, and spicy dry rub, as well as soothing and grounding sage infusions for sore throats and bath soaks, and decorative uses like hanging sage bundles and botanical imprint ornaments.
By the end of this Intensive, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for these simple yet powerful herbs and the tools to bring more herbal beauty into your seasonal celebrations. Let’s dive in and explore the warmth, flavor, and wellness benefits these timeless herbs can offer!
**Note: In recipes to follow, use dried herbs unless specifically indicated as fresh.
