Herb - infused Honey : is alcohol necessary ?

An elixir ( Wikipedia ) is a "..  hydro-alcoholic solution of at least one active ingredient. The alcohol is mainly used to:

• Solubilize the active ingredient(s) and some excipients
• Retard the crystallization of sugar
• Preserve the finished product
• Provide a sharpness to the taste
• Aid in masking the unpleasant taste of the active ingredient(s)
• Enhance the flavor .. "

Alternatively it is common to replace alcohol with honey as the solvent of dry herbs in a recipe.

Cold infusion is for this the simplest method : place the herbs in a jar, cover them with honey and allow the blend to sit for 2 weeks, then press through a fine mesh strainer. This is slow and can result in a sticky mess hence hot infusion may be preferred : as honey is heated it absorbs flavor faster and becoming thinner it is easier to pour. The hot infusion method is usually done with a double boiler to prevent the honey from burning.

Infused honey stored at room temperature will keep indefinitely, refrigeration would cause crystallization.

Herbs and Spices, Hoya, Hoya seeds, Orchid seeds, Ferns, Fern spores are for sale on aleyagarden.com Plant care is available in various posts of this blog. Contact : aleyagarden@hotmail.com