Typically, half an ounce of blue lily is steeped in 750 ml of red wine for several hours, preferably for a couple of days, and then is filtered out. The lily also makes a great tea to unwind at the end of a busy day; use one tablespoon each of lily and chamomile per cup of hot water.

To make Grito, typically the herbs were steeped in a 750 ml bottle of red wine for a day or two, and then filtered out. It's easy as that!

Our Grito de la Selva kit contains blue lily flowers, hibiscus flowers, Cat's Claw bark, Tazo Passion tea (ingredients: hibiscus flowers, citric acid, licorice root, orange peel, cinnamon, rose hips, lemongrass, red poppy flowers, and natural tropical flavors), licorice root, and angelica root.

Typically, herbs were steeped in pure alcohol or a clear high-proof (at least 100 proof) liquor for a couple of days, then filtered out, and the resulting mixture was distilled to yield a clear, tasteless yet strongly aromatic liquid. This distillate contains volatile essential oils of herbs, in particular, thujone. Next, other herbs were steeped in the distillate for a few days to "color" it, then filtered out to yield the finished product. Some inferior (and very bitter) "absinthes" skipped the distillation step and simply steeped all the herbs at once and filtered them out at the end. Absinthe was enjoyed in a delightful ritual by mixing a shot with about four shots of water dripped slowly over a sugar cube.

Our Deluxe Absinthe with Blue Lily kit makes a liter of delicious, only slightly bitter Swiss-style absinthe with the added potency of blue lily (Nymphaea caerulea). Certainly, if the 19th-century Europeans had known of the blue lily, they would have included it in their absinthe. In taste and aroma, absinthe with blue lily is practically indistinguishable from original absinthe. Yet the effects of the former are so much more pleasurable than the latter alone.

Our Deluxe Absinthe with Blue Lily Kit includes two packets: distillate herbs and coloring herbs. The distillate packet contains: wormwood, hyssop, calamus root, lemon balm, aniseed, fennel seed, star anise, coriander seed, nutmeg, and chamomile. The coloring packet contains: blue lily flowers, spearmint, lemon balm, wormwood, and licorice root. (Note: This product is sold as a herbal specimen for archival or decorative use only. Not for consumption. Distillation may be illegal without a license in your country of residence.)

To make glogg, the contents of the spice packet are added to two cups of orange juice in a pot. The mixture is brought to a light boil and simmered for 45 minutes. 750 ml of port wine is added and heated until beginning to simmer. A small optional amount of brandy or vodka to taste is added and the mixture is further heated until warm (do not boil). Remove from heat, filter the herbs out, and bottle. Next, add the contents of the blue lily packet and let steep for at least one day. Finally, filter the lily out and enjoy the glogg slightly warmed.

Our Deluxe Swedish Glogg with Blue Lily Kit includes two packets: a spice packet and a blue lily packet. The spice packet contains: almonds, raisins, prunes, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and brown sugar. The blue lily packet contains 1/2 ounce of blue lily (Nymphaea caerulea).

Our premium commercial kratom is of the highest quality, and consists mostly of crushed leaves with only a small amount of stems and veins.

Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa) is a tree originating from Southeast Asia. It has been used there for its stimulant, analgesic, relaxant, and anti-fever properties for thousands of years. Low doses are generally stimulating, while large doses tend to be relaxing and euphoric.

Legal since time immemorial, kratom was a casualty of World War II, when the Thai puppet government under Japanese occupation banned it to detract public attention from the oppressive regime. This foolish prohibition set a legal precedent, and a few nearby countries followed suit. Fortunately, kratom is legal in most of the world, and we hope its somewhat tarnished reputation will eventually be repaired as more people come to know this plant and its useful properties.

Kratom is an excellent accompaniment to many liqueurs or elixirs. In particular, Ilumina liqueur was combined with kratom for a truly memorable and relaxing experience.

Typically, 1/8 to 1/4 ounce of premium commercial kratom leaf was lightly boiled in water for 20 minutes to yield a mug of kratom tea. The leaves can be boiled again to give a weaker tea. The tea by itself is rather bitter, but we at Ilumina Botanicals have found that boiling a cinnamon stick in water together with kratom, and then sweetening the liquid with honey, results in a very delicious beverage. Alternatively, the leaves can be finely powdered in a coffee grinder, and then used in capsules, mixed in a milkshake, or spooned with honey as a slurry. If one is new to kratom, it is recommended that he or she start with a low dose.

Many people believe that the lotus was the plant (of Homer's Odyssey) given to Ulysses's men to induce forgetfulness and indolent bliss. N. nucifera has mild yet quite pleasant sedative and narcotic properties. It is best taken as a tea, and is excellent in combination with blue lily, kratom, and other relaxing herbs. As a rule of thumb, use one to three lotus root pieces per cup of hot water.

Our sacred lotus root pieces are of the highest quality, imported from some of China's premier herb facilities.

Our premium Artemisia capillaris herb is imported from China and is of the finest quality. (Please note that powder can be substituted for cut-and-sifted herb.)

Our premium Passion flower herb is imported from France.

Our high-quality hops powder can be used in teas (use one teaspoon per cup of water), but is best consumed in gelcaps. It combines very well with blue lily, chamomile, passion flower, and kava.

Our premium reishi mushroom powder is imported from China, and is best used in gelcaps. One or two gelcaps can be taken each day as a general tonic and stress-reliever. (Note: Reishi should be avoided by those with allergies to mushrooms or molds. Do not use reishi continuously for more than three months at a time.)

K. galanga is reportedly used in large doses as a mild visionary herb and euphoriant in New Guinea, apparently with no ill effects (PG, 2nd ed., p. 46). Probably originating in South China, K. galanga is a bona fide Chinese medicinal herb, and is taken as an expectorant and carminative, and to alleviate sore throat, inflammation, and rheumatism. It is also employed as a spice, stimulant, and aphrodisiac in many Asian countries.

We at Ilumina Botanicals discovered (in Summer 2005) that K. galanga complements the kratom experience extremely well, yielding wonderfully relaxing and calming effects. For this purpose, one to three tablespoons of root powder can be taken with kratom. Not for sale in Louisiana.

Our Corydalis Yanhusuo root is of the highest quality, imported from China's premier herb facilities. It comes powdered and is best used in capsules, although it may also be added to an infusion. One-half to one level teaspoon of powder constitutes an analgesic dose. Do not exceed the recommended amount.

The herb is a general tonic, and is particularly effective for diarrhea and other digestive complaints. It is also analgesic, anti-hypertensive, anti-bacterial, diuretic, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory. Research indicates that the leaves are rich in flavonoids, in particular quercetin, that have antioxidant effects beneficial to the cardiovascular system.

Rooibos yields a delicious, caffeine-free red tea that is packed with antioxidants. For centuries enjoyed mostly by South Africans, it is now becoming quite popular in the West as a healthful alternative to coffee and tea.

Our organic premium-quality rooibos is imported from South Africa. Use one teaspoon per cup of hot water.

Chrysanthemum flowers have been taken for centuries by the Chinese as a medicine and as a beverage, as well as for ornamentation. The flowers have cooling and antiseptic properties, and are an excellent remedy for hypertension. They are great added to teas (use about one teaspoon per cup) or steeped in wine along with blue lily.

We at IB pioneered in Summer 2005 the use of chrysanthemum in kratom combinations. The joint effect is both euphoric and deeply relaxing, giving a sense of smooth, limpid calm.

Our dried chrysanthemum flowers are imported from China and are of top quality.

Cat's Claw is the bark of a South American tree, Uncaria tormentosa, that has been the subject of recent medical research due to its cancer- and virus-fighting properties. The herb is a general tonic and immunostimulant, and like echinacea is effective against a range of ailments. Our Cat's Claw bark comes cut and sifted, and makes a delicious, aromatic tea. Combine one teaspoon with some ordinary green tea in a cup of hot water to make a healthy, pleasantly stimulating beverage.

Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguayensis) is a species of holly from which one of South America's most popular stimulant beverages is brewed. The fragrant, delicious infusion of this herb--practically Argentina's national drink--contains caffeine and theobromine, in addition to a profusion of vitamins and antioxidants. Our choice Yerba Maté is imported from Argentina. Use one heaping teaspoon per cup of hot water, and sweeten to taste.

Lemon balm or melissa is a versatile herb of Mediterranean origin. It is valuable as a remedy for calming nerves and easing nausea and stress-related digestive problems. Its refreshing, lemon-scented essential oil has an anti-depressant effect. Spirit of melissa, an alcoholic tincture of the herb, was traditionally employed as a tonic and cure-all by Carmelite nuns. Lemon balm is also an ingredient in the famous elixir absinthe.

A heaping teaspoon of lemon balm herb can be used by itself or combined with other relaxing herbs to brew a restful, soothing tea.

Who among us has not yet tasted this delicious, aromatic spice? Cinnamon warms and strengthens the digestive system, and has relaxing and anti-fungal properties.

Cinnamon sticks are the only spice we have encountered that can actually make kratom tea delicious. (Unfortunately, powder does not work quite as well.) To brew gourmet kratom tea, lightly boil an inch of a stick along with one heaping tablespoon of crushed kratom leaves in three cups of water for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, strain out the herbs, and sweeten the liquid with honey to taste. Serve hot.

Ginger, arguably the world's most widely cultivated spice, is an excellent medicinal herb that adds zest to foods and teas. It is a circulatory stimulant that soothes respiratory and digestive complaints such as coughs, indigestion, and intestinal gas. Also, it is valuable in relieving headaches and the nausea that can occasionally accompany kratom use.

Add a teaspoon of our cut and sifted ginger root to a cup of herbal tea for extra flavor and health benefits.

Jiaogulan (botanical name: Gynostemma pentaphyllum), often called the "immortality herb", is of Southern Chinese origin. It has been enjoyed in China as a tonic, relaxing, and medicinal tea for centuries. Described as being "like ginseng, but better", it functions not only as an adaptogen, but also as an anti-oxidant. Research suggests that Jiaogulan has anti-inflammatory, immune system-enhancing, anti-hypertensive, and cholesterol-lowering properties.

Use a teaspoon of our select Jiaogulan herb to brew a healthful tea that will take the edge off a stressful day. This tea also blends well with kratom and other relaxing herbs.