Garlic Honey

Harvesting herbs on the cusp of fall feels a little like coincidence and a lot like natural design. I like to imagine mother nature carefully planning for the most therapeutic herbs to mature just a few short weeks before cold and flu season. Elderberries, echinacea, calendula, and garlic are all ripe for harvest this time of year, and what’s fascinating is that the remedies commonly made with them take about a month to prepare. That just so happens to be the length of time between summer harvest and fall equinox. So when temperatures drop and sniffles begin, some of the best natural remedies are ready for duty. If that’s a coincidence, it’s a fortuitous one indeed.

The first remedy I prepared this year was garlic honey. Long heralded as a medicinal herb, garlic is well-known for its immune-boosting properties and is a powerful ally during cold and flu season. Studies have shown that it increases natural killer cells of the immune system, reduces inflammatory cytokines, and decreases specific pathogens, including the bacteria streptococcus and the fungus Candida albicans. Garlic has also been used for colds and flus for centuries, perhaps because of its capacity to stimulate the immune system, break up congestion, and even address ear infections.

Unfortunately, garlic is most effective ingested raw, but anyone who’s ever done that once isn’t likely to do it again! If you infuse it with honey, on the other hand, you can lap up its benefits quickly and painlessly. The honey mellows out the pungent and fiery flavor of the garlic and, if the honey is raw - not only will it make the garlic more palatable but - it will also transform it into a super medicine, packed with enzymes, vitamines, minerals, antioxidants, and probiotics. Sometimes I infuse the honey for 3-5 days; other times I go all out and let it ferment for up to a month. This recipe is for the latter and more potent approach. If the garlic becomes rubbery or tough, as is often the case, just strain it and use the remaining honey.

Ingredients

4 ounce glass jar

one head garlic, peeled

raw honey

Directions

1. Using the flat side of a large knife, press the garlic cloves enough to release the juices but not so much that your crush the garlic. The juice from the garlic helps thin the honey and jump-start the fermentation process.

2. Place the garlic in the clean jar and cover with raw honey. Leave a 1/2” headspace to allow for fermentation.

3. Place a tight-fitting lid on the jar for long-term storage but leave it loose while actively fermenting.

4. After a day or two, small bubbles will start to form. Stir the jar twice a day while the ferment is active (2-3 days) and burp it ever few days to release built-up gases.

5. After four weeks, the ferment should be ready. Tighten the lid and store the jar in the refrigerator or a cool, dark place, until ready to use. It will store for many months (up to a year!).

6. When you feel a cold or flu coming on, eat a clove of garlic, a tsp of honey, or both!

Safety tip

Due to the risk of botulism, honey should not be consumed by children under 12 months old.