flipWild mint and rosehip infusion
Wild mint and rosehip infusion
Why this dish? Crazy Horse was a man of fasts and vision quests, sober in his needs, close to the cycles of the prairie. Infusions of wild plants — mint, rosehip — accompanied the cold nights of winter camps and bodily care, knowledge passed down by women and medicine men.
A fragrant water of wild Plains mint and rosehips, drunk hot. Thirst-quenching, warming, rich in the vitamin that the prairie offers even in the heart of winter.
In winter, when snow traps the camp and the wind howls, we heat water with mint and the small red berries of the rosehip. It warms the chest and clears the head. I who have often fasted alone on the hill seeking my vision know that a man needs little: a warm plant water, and the spirit stays straight.
- •Wild Plains mint (čheyáka) — a handful of leaves (flavor)
- •Rosehips — a few crushed hips (acidity, remedy)
- •Spring water — enough to fill the vessel (base)
Wild mint and rosehip infusion
A fragrant water of wild Plains mint and rosehips, drunk hot. Thirst-quenching, warming, rich in the vitamin that the prairie offers even in the heart of winter.
Why this dish? Crazy Horse was a man of fasts and vision quests, sober in his needs, close to the cycles of the prairie. Infusions of wild plants — mint, rosehip — accompanied the cold nights of winter camps and bodily care, knowledge passed down by women and medicine men.
In winter, when snow traps the camp and the wind howls, we heat water with mint and the small red berries of the rosehip. It warms the chest and clears the head. I who have often fasted alone on the hill seeking my vision know that a man needs little: a warm plant water, and the spirit stays straight.
Ingredients (period version)
- Wild Plains mint (čheyáka) — a handful of leaves (flavor)
- Rosehips — a few crushed hips (acidity, remedy)
- Spring water — enough to fill the vessel (base)
Ingredients
- Fresh or dried mint — about 10 leaves (flavor)
- Dried rosehips — 1 tbsp (acidity, remedy)
- Water — 500 ml (base)
- Honey (optional) — 1 tsp (sweetness)
Method
- Lightly crush the rosehips to release their flavor.
- Bring water to a simmer, remove from heat and add mint and rosehips.
- Cover and steep for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Strain carefully (the hairy achenes of rosehips must be removed).
- Sweeten with a touch of honey if desired, drink very hot.
How it was made : Plains peoples knew the medicinal and thirst-quenching plants of the prairie intimately. Wild mint flavored waters and was used in remedies; rosehips, a source of vitamin C, helped get through winter. This knowledge was passed orally, often by women and medicine men (pȟežúta wičháša).
The contemporary twist : Serve it iced in summer as a refreshing 'prairie tea' — the acidity of rosehip works wonders.
Sources : Densmore, F., 'Teton Sioux Music' (1918) · Moerman, D., 'Native American Ethnobotany' (1998)
Crazy Horse · Charactorium
