maple cherry mallow osha syrup

I made this when LiamSage had chickenpox, as he had a flat out awful retching cough. It kicked ass.

Be aware this is an entirely eyeballed/felt out recipe. Don't have any firm ratios for ya.

` Add coarsely chopped or ground osha root and maple syrup (I eyeballed; enough syrup to cover the roots) to a double boiler. Heat, and stir occasionally. you want the syrup to taste really strongly of osha and begin to crystallize. Strain out the osha, and add the syrup back into the double boiler. Continue to heat and crystallize the syrup.

` Make a cold water percolation of wild cherry back, described by William Cook as such:

Moisten five ounces of coarsely powdered prunus with cold water, and let it stand twelve hours, (or six hours in warm weather;) transfer to a percolator, and gradually add water till a pint of liquid has been obtained.

You could also make a cold infusion by suspending the dried bark in cool to cold water for 4-8 hours. Strain and reserve.

` Make a cold infusion of marshmallow root; an ounce to a quart of water, again, 4-8 hours. Strain and reserve.

Combine the wild cherry and marshmallow infusions. Remove syrup from heat. Pour the combined cold infusions ~slowly~ into the double boiler, but NOT all of it; do it maybe in 1/4 parts, testing for flavor and consistency as you go. This doesn't turn out as thick as a syrup made with honey or sugar, and probably isn't adequately preserved to make large batches to store (though it did keep well in the fridge - months).

It works spectacularly for hot, dry, dreadful sounding coughs. I gave spoonfuls to the aforementioned LiamSage in 45 minute intervals. Completely did the cough in within 24 hours. I've since used it a number of times, on bronchitis and bad coughs attending influenza. Great results all the way around.

You can, of course, add tinctures to modify or enhance its effects - lobelia for more severe spasmodic coughing, drop doses of bloodroot for croup, mullein for wheeziness, ect ect ect.