Syrup for Cough and Congestion

It's been about a week of sneezing and coughing, so I got pretty fed up with the whole thing today.  Time to pull out the big guns.  Oddly, elderberry just didn't do the trick this time.  I shudder to think how nasty this could have gotten without it, though.<br />
Today I made a syrup specifically for this thing that seems to fluctuate between my head and my chest.  I got out some Osha, Licorice root, Elecampane, Wild Cherry bark, Ginger, and Lemon to start a decoction.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFy_hoAUeKrSENE1qji8EOQQRxcmRbLeEv_uFjnRHoVzodVhw77ErFKuSaEILFCe-ybtvgUX-TH3wEDCZS8ZqtH19tAJJbxfXBc5ktsLB5HTLNEi-JKfH1U70EzDmj2OIs2YJvt5D8U50/s1600/aaaingredients.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517646606073630626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFy_hoAUeKrSENE1qji8EOQQRxcmRbLeEv_uFjnRHoVzodVhw77ErFKuSaEILFCe-ybtvgUX-TH3wEDCZS8ZqtH19tAJJbxfXBc5ktsLB5HTLNEi-JKfH1U70EzDmj2OIs2YJvt5D8U50/s400/aaaingredients.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>  A decoction is different than an infusion, because roots and barks need to simmer for a period of time, while infusions involve leaves and flowers that are steeped in boiled water for a few minutes.  There is another, newer definition of infusions, but for our purposes, this will do.<br />
I filled a small pan with water, and put all ingredients except the lemon in to simmer for 45 minutes.  I added the juice of a lemon for the last 5 minutes.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZusitOFo0GF07LB-SOJHQ-cLlFiYsAoTvOW3rikJCtTRrPvXYBJfaqsV1zg1EOBi8edocW4qvZEHMVcY8Z_0pEWfYqr3wCqIjGpfpZI2heEhBk4j79YHzGBNzD_RSeaZ0APlmPuS7DSc/s1600/aaadecoction.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517646557308775698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZusitOFo0GF07LB-SOJHQ-cLlFiYsAoTvOW3rikJCtTRrPvXYBJfaqsV1zg1EOBi8edocW4qvZEHMVcY8Z_0pEWfYqr3wCqIjGpfpZI2heEhBk4j79YHzGBNzD_RSeaZ0APlmPuS7DSc/s400/aaadecoction.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>After it was done, I strained it out.  You can see here that my favorite method of straining things is with a steel mesh strainer lined with fabric from an old tshirt.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oF4vqfqXwNJtjDcLNSYAil2_yGfE6fORDRpyvqlqdJ_GXNnRcmd-y1I0K8X91ZkWlXfkSfNpvd2tkkLcMAPSAnr8QJkwGim_g8YLRCKr1z-MrWGD4TrHZMRbiS9ppz0XhgzzKul64PA/s1600/aaastraining.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517646613607551010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oF4vqfqXwNJtjDcLNSYAil2_yGfE6fORDRpyvqlqdJ_GXNnRcmd-y1I0K8X91ZkWlXfkSfNpvd2tkkLcMAPSAnr8QJkwGim_g8YLRCKr1z-MrWGD4TrHZMRbiS9ppz0XhgzzKul64PA/s400/aaastraining.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>  As shirts wear out, they are washed and cut into squares for this purpose.  They work beautifully.<br />
There was 2/3 of a cup of decoction, so I measured out 2/3 cup of sugar, and added a good dollop of honey. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWp_ClRCbMswufIRmkpBVB9RGzxlRKCK7BMgB9nx2x6ZQvek0jWTgenfHXPhDUCNvezXB4ojMg7PWCw3elYRJYTeZx0Cw6qrv3G68pbctZalLjTgqS2ZkXufZhxz_cqqZDk-uVPPDS1M/s1600/aaadecoctionandsugar.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517646575977465858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWp_ClRCbMswufIRmkpBVB9RGzxlRKCK7BMgB9nx2x6ZQvek0jWTgenfHXPhDUCNvezXB4ojMg7PWCw3elYRJYTeZx0Cw6qrv3G68pbctZalLjTgqS2ZkXufZhxz_cqqZDk-uVPPDS1M/s400/aaadecoctionandsugar.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> At that point, I also added 1/2 ounce of goldenrod tincture.<br />
It all went back into the pan, and was brought to a boil for a few minutes before being poured into bottles.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGPb8lnFWC7qgyvQeBUcB8VRUm5pCxcV5GmoQGt6vVfXeRJCKjiZ0eN_s93K4CttqWcuuJHZbST1xr161F72x-rg5npPvIUY24-R_snovGU16JJQB88POoWRF-s1sXleDpmA8gkVc80Q/s1600/aaafinished.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517646589356545698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGPb8lnFWC7qgyvQeBUcB8VRUm5pCxcV5GmoQGt6vVfXeRJCKjiZ0eN_s93K4CttqWcuuJHZbST1xr161F72x-rg5npPvIUY24-R_snovGU16JJQB88POoWRF-s1sXleDpmA8gkVc80Q/s400/aaafinished.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>The decoction alone could be drunk without being made into syrup, and I will make some more for after dinner tonight.  It's nice to have it ready to go, though.<br />
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