Bark and Quandong Infusion — The Evening Drink
Warm water infused with aromatic desert bark and tart quandong skins, slightly bitter, slightly bright. The drink shared at nightfall, around the dying coals.
Warm water infused with aromatic desert bark and tart quandong skins, slightly bitter, slightly bright. The drink shared at nightfall, around the dying coals.
I learned two ways of healing: that of the hospital, with its bottles, and that of my home, with what the land grew. In the evening, water scented with bark and quandong skins, it was good for the stomach and it soothed. I won't tell you it's a doctor's remedy — it's a gesture of my people, passed down. We drank it warm, in small sips, as the fire died down.
- •Aromatic desert bark or leaves (eucalyptus, wild lemon myrtle) — one small branch (aromatic)
- •Quandong skins and pits — a handful (acidity)
- •Heated spring water — a container (base)
Bark and Quandong Infusion — The Evening Drink
Warm water infused with aromatic desert bark and tart quandong skins, slightly bitter, slightly bright. The drink shared at nightfall, around the dying coals.
Why this dish? A nurse by training, Lowitja lived between two medicines: that of hospitals and that, ancestral, of bush remedies. This infusion evokes that bridge — an evening drink, both refreshing and soothing.
I learned two ways of healing: that of the hospital, with its bottles, and that of my home, with what the land grew. In the evening, water scented with bark and quandong skins, it was good for the stomach and it soothed. I won't tell you it's a doctor's remedy — it's a gesture of my people, passed down. We drank it warm, in small sips, as the fire died down.
Ingredients (period version)
- Aromatic desert bark or leaves (eucalyptus, wild lemon myrtle) — one small branch (aromatic)
- Quandong skins and pits — a handful (acidity)
- Heated spring water — a container (base)
Ingredients
- Dried lemon myrtle leaves (or lemon verbena as substitute) — 1 tsp (aromatic)
- Dried quandongs (or citrus zest + cranberries) — a handful (acidity)
- Water — 750 ml (base)
- Honey — to taste (optional sweetener)
Method
- Bring water to a simmer then remove from heat.
- Add lemon myrtle and quandongs; cover and steep for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Strain; taste and sweeten with a little honey if bitterness dominates.
- Serve warm, to share in cups or a common vessel.
How it was made : Desert peoples knew dozens of uses for barks, gums, and aromatic leaves (eucalyptus, lemon myrtle) as infusions or poultices. Without being fixed recipes, these preparations were part of orally transmitted knowledge, at the border of food and healing — a heritage that Lowitja, a nurse, carried in both worlds.
The contemporary twist : Chilled and served over ice with a slice of lime, this infusion becomes a refreshing native iced tea for the Australian summer.
Lowitja O'Donoghue · Charactorium