| My Homemade Cough and Cold Syrup I make this cough and cold syrup almost yearly. I have found it to be effective. I am still working to improve the taste! But my children keep telling each year that it is better than last years, so I guess I am making progress :) You will need equal parts of these dried herbs. I use about ½ ounce of each: Elecampane Wild cherry bark Licorice Mullien Coltsfoot Lobelia For every ounce of herb I add 1 pt. Of water (1 oz. To 2 cups). So for me I would have a total of 3 oz. of the above herbs, and 6 cups of water. I put this on the stove and simmer until the mixture has reduced by half. I then strain the herbs out using cheesecloth of a dishtowel. I mix my finished product with a few drops of extract and a small bottle of flavored brandy (like orange, or apricot or blackberry). The alcohol helps to preserve the syrup and add flavor. When you use the syrup you can heat the syrup up in a saucepan or microwave to evaporate the alcohol it you want. I give 1T. every hour to my congested, coughing children. It works very well helping their bodies to heal quickly and give needed relief of symptoms. If you are going to keep this syrup for any length of time (say more than 2 weeks) I would recommend freezing it. |
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