Homemade Cold Medicine -- Gelatinous Sweets With An Herbal Kick

Julie Andrews once chirped that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but well before her infamous Mary Poppins role, 16th century monasteries and convents cooked up what were referred to as electuaries -- spicy-sweet herbal chews designed to cure countless health ailments.

The relatively costly herb-infused sweets were reputed to offer restorative effects and they quickly became the traditional finishing touch offered at the end of any meal.

While modern references suggest that electuaries aren't unlike Turkish Delight in consistency, William B. Dick's Encyclopedia Of Practical Receipts and Processes offeres a few curious recipes that seem to offer a different picture.

One recipe that apparently cures constipation calls for 4 ounces of 461 fine powder, 1 pound of prune pulp, 1/4 pound of cassia pulp, 3 ounces of tamarind pulp, 3 ounces of molasses, and caraway essential oil. However, once you add sulfur flowers to the mix, it becomes "an admirable remedy for piles."

Another recipe which cures uterine obstructions and offers laxative effects is made with 1 ounce of cream of tartar, 1 ounce of milk of sulfur, 2 1/2 tablespoons of sub borate of soda and ginger syrup.

If you are intrigued but desire something a bit more palatable and "modern" in taste, then you might want to follow the basic Turkish Delight recipe below (from About.com) and incorporate herbs based on the ailment you're trying to treat, such as:

Horehound -- a bitter herb with a sharp aftertaste, good for treating sore throat, congestion and phlegm.

Licorice -- a distinctively sweet root that helps to cure depression, coughs, cold and flu, viral infections, tooth decay, liver problems, asthma, arthritis and enlarged prostates. 

Rose Hips --  with their very high vitamin C content, rose hips serve as an effective cold and flu treatment and work equally as well to treat runny noses, congested bronchial tracts, sore throats and to combat infections.

White Poppy --  containing 21 different alkaloids, the narcotic and analgesic power of these seeds has been long utilized to alleviate headaches, chest and throat ailments.

Hyssop -- this healing herb which tastes like a cross between chamomile-mint-and-lavender is ideal for sore throats, loosening phlegm in the lungs, colds, treating fevers, alleviating high blood pressure and helping with stomach issues.

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RECIPE FOR TURKISH DELIGHT

Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients:

4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups cornstarch

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

4 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons rosewater

1 cup confectioners sugar

Vegetable oil ot shortening

Preparation:
In a 9 inch baking pan, grease the sides and bottom with vegetable oil or shortening. Line with wax paper and grease the wax paper.

In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, sugar and 1 1/2 cups water on medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine cream of tartar, 1 cup corn starch and remaining water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and the mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the mixture has a glue like consistency.

Stir in the lemon juice, water and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, Allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.

Once the mixture has become a golden color, stir in rosewater. Pour mixture into wax paper lined pan. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight.

Once it has cooled overnight, sift together confectioners sugar and remaining cornstarch.

Turn over baking pan containing Turkish delight onto clean counter or table and cut with oiled knife into one inch pieces.

Coat with confectioners sugar mixture. Serve or store in airtight container in layers separated with wax or parchment paper.