Floral and Herbal Oils

Let's start out by making a delightful scented oil. There are many combinations of scents created by mixing many different flowers or leaves. The properties will vary depending on what is being used and the strength of the oil after it is completed. There are many good books on the market with ideas and combinations for oils. Remember there are two types of oils you will be making; scented for aroma(perfume type) and consuming type oils for your next salad. (edible)

Oil medium:

For salads and consumption, I use pure Virgin Olive Oil ; and for perfume type oil, I use Almond Oil or Safflower Oil. Keep this in mind when deciding what type to make. I also keep on hand a bottle of capsule form, vitamin E, to add to the oil to assist in preserving. Rancid oil smells just awful! And so does the taste! Although, if I am making a salad oil that will be used right away, it won't be necessary to add the vitamin E. You be the judge!

Scented Oil

A very simple way to make scented oil is to take a clean, glass quart jar and put a handful of fresh flowers or herbs into it. Fill the jar at least half way. ( Do this early in the morning after the dew is dissipated off the leaves and petals. Do not wait until the sun gets at them. You want to capture the natural oils before they permeate the air. ) Next, pour in the Almond or Safflower Oil; just enough to cover them. Cover jar with lid and place in the sun for the remainder of the day. The following morning, strain(cheese-cloth in fine strainer) and squeeze out the oil from the petals or leaves. Return oil to jar and add another fresh handful of petals or leaves. Return jar to the sunshine. Wait until morning and repeat the process at least 8-10 times total. After your last straining of the oil, carefully pierce the vitamin E and squeeze it into the scented oil. Cover and shake to mix. Pour into decorator bottles and seal with cork. Now label them; you will forget three months from now. After all, you may be making many different scents or combining an assortment of different scents.

Herbal Salad Oil

Maybe, I would like to make a rosemary flavored salad oil for my next salad. I would do the same; using a quart jar and place some crushed rosemary into the jar and cover with Virgin Olive Oil. Ony this time, I would set it in the sun for just a few hours. I would use what I needed for the salad and refrigerate the rest for the next day.