Sage - prolific, alluring, free & wild to gather

Here in southern California, after a bit of rain we came across beautiful green hills and gorgeous frangrant Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla) on a recent hike. The “official” sage you’ll find in herbal texts often refers to Salvia officinalis although there are many brother and sisters in the Sage/Salvia family that all have the same allure and warm flavor/scent, and are perfectly edible only with slightly different properties (learn more about the botany). You may come across the variety of White Sage in energy clearing rituals, Pineapple Sage in garden certers for it’s varigated leaves and the Official Sage in herb gardens and kitchens. It is an easy to grow, prolific plant if you live in a mediterranean climate with sun and well draining soils.

Herbal benefits and uses: the leaves of sage are warming and strengthening, sage leaves bring antimicrobial, astringent, anti-inflammatory properties; historically beneficial in brain health/cognitive function, a tea or gargle for mouth/throat infections, or grounding as a warm or cold infusion (especially menopausal women)… additional science here

Nutritionals: high in antioxidants, vitamin K, magnesium, copper

Historically: abunantly used in Greece and Rome - both as a cooking spice and medicinal ally

Contemplatively: sage as a name is partically auspiscious for a plant, an archetype for knowledge, truth, transcendence, a person reflective and wise

Suggested uses:

Culinarily as a flavored salt or compound butter (simple vs. complicated), sprinkling and flavoring vegetables or grains or poultry - one of my favorites is brown butter sage pasta, I learned while staying in northern Italy, both elegant and simple
Herbally as a tea infusion, topically as a body scrub (my recipe below!)

Purple sage growing in Los Angeles National Forest

Grounding Sage Body Scrub

1/4 cup dry blended or crumbled sage leaves

1/4 cup dry blended or crumbled additional herbs (suggest lavender or rose or elder flowers, peppermint leaves)

1 cup organic sugar

1 cup sea salt

1/2 cup liquid oil (sweet almond, olive, jojoba, etc.)

1 cup solid oil (cocconut, shea butter, cacao, etc.)

*optional 40 drops essential oils (so many excellent options - stick with topical and soothing, e.g. can’t go wrong with a flower like ylang ylang, jasmine, geranium or spirit soother like vanilla, frankinscence, sandalwood, etc.)

Mix dry herbs first, then combine with oils.

I use a stand mixer, however you can use your hands or any other kitchen tool you find can blend. Package in glass jars, keep or gift. Remember to use herbs that are DRY - any moisture will quickly spoil your blend and it will go rancid. One way to keep shower water out of your jar of shower scrub is to take a spoonful or shellful only with you into the tub/shower - rather than the entire jar. This practical yet profound suggestion comes to you from Chesnut School of Herbal Medicine, an alma mater of mine.

Use all sugar (no salt) if you’d like to make more of a gentle scrub, all salt (no sugar) for a more antiseptic cleanse, and 50:50 for a balanced blend.

jill m.March 2, 2024