FLOWER POT KITCHEN: HOMEMADE ALL NATURAL PEPPERMINT MOUTHWASH

16 Jul 2015

HOMEMADE ALL NATURAL PEPPERMINT MOUTHWASH

This has taken me a while to make, the fact that it is just Vodka and herbs had me a little concerned about gargling that early in the morning with an alcohol & water solution! Then I payed some attention to my regular mouthwash, (so obvious!!!) and realised there is no difference in the make up apart from the natural ingredients in the mouthwash I was making and the artificial chemicals in the store brought bright blue or lavender mouthwash I have always used. I have now made my first batch and am very impressed with the results so far and have found this mouthwash has better cleaning properties with a much softer taste.

Prep time 5 minutes / Infusing time 2 weeks

Ingredients

(Makes1 litre)

200ml premium brand vodka

50ml boiled hot water

1 tsp dried ground cloves

2 tbsp dried peppermint leaf

1 tbsp dried rosemary

2 tbsp dried plantain leaf

15 drops of peppermint oil

Method

Put all the ingredients except the vodka in a ball mason jar pour over the hot boiled water, this should just cover the herbs, pour in the vodka and screw on the lid, place somewhere dark for two weeks, turning periodically. After the two weeks strain the tincture through a fine cheese cloth and store in a glass bottle.

To Use

Keep a small glass next to the mouthwash, pour 5 ml, one teaspoon of mouthwash into your glass and top up with a mouthful of water and swish, swoosh and gargle away for thirty or so seconds.

What Do These Ingredients Do For Your oral Health

These are natural cleansing herbs that offer healing properties to your teeth and gums by naturally killing germs, alkalising your mouth while also cleansing and freshening.

Cloves

A old traditional ingredient used in oral health, cloves have natural antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral properties. Clove oil will smooth toothache or minor cavities until healed by your dentist.

Peppermint

This adds a traditional flavour and was originally used because of its antibacterial properties and is cooling to your mouth.

Plantain

This is antibacterial and anti microbial and again traditionally used in healing wounds for its ability to speed the healing process.

Rosemary

A cooling herb, also antibacterial with a cooling property that is soothing to your gums.

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LIFE MY PASSION

Welcome to my daily life of cooking, one winters day many years ago my family and I were all inspired by a back to back rainy day of River Cottage this got us to stop talking about and start actually doing, suddenly three weeks later eight vegetable beds were dug, greenhouse erected and our first vegetables were propagating, this was the start to raising and growing our own food, our fabulous son Oscar changed our path in life which lead us to sell our small thriving restaurant of 10 yrs and to start our new life (Terrifying!) a life of the self sufficient in touch with nature and seasons, taking a step back and looking forward to a slower change of pace and making the most of every moment.

My passion for cooking was stronger than ever and having time at home with Oscar I found I had a new direction and I was no longer striving for perfection, I was suddenly very passionate for the enjoyment of the other side of food, something I had not realised, being the Chef/Cook and every other duty of your own small restaurant made me see that I never actually took time to cook what I wanted!

So there I was muddy boots and hands digging deep in more than one sense and I found myself transported back in time to where everyone grew some of their own food, it is a wonderful world with a real sense of achievement and loss, Slugs Snails and Caterpillars! But thats another story! Childhood memories of summers when I lived with my grand parents reminded me of so much that I had learnt about the make do and mend generation that I had forgotten.

Now as a family we love our free wild food days where we gather what nature has provided, have gone from being mini mini garden urban small holders, who did raised pigs at home because we could not wait to find land and supporting ourselves from our garden to now owning a very small farm that allows us to grow more vegetables for the whole of our family and neighbours, raise our own gorgeous Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, (Sausages!) and pets! Dorset Down sheep, chickens for eggs and pet goats! Suddenly having large quantities of produce started to wake up the Cook in me!

The Cook was awake that part of me that wants to cook for the masses and I found myself setting up Flowerpot Kitchen, a Farmers Market Stall, I wanted to use our honest raised meats and make old fashioned pork pies, rabbit pies and game pies from the local game keeper along with old fashioned techniques and the best hot water crust pastry. This in turn grew to a small cottage industry from home weekly supplying three farm shops and a deli along with also attending three farmers markets A few years later there came a time when my son Oscar's health changed and it was an easy decision to stop.

I still hold the occasional pop up 40 seater restaurant or gourmet lunch which we do for local charities for the love of sharing food and to remind that Cook in me why I love our go slower self sufficient life!

So here I am sitting amoung the vegetables watching the chickens loving that every season nature teaches me something new and that nature is in charge! She has taught me to just go with it and grow. Give it a try from a tray of salad on your windowsill to a few tomato plants it all counts.