"Filled with illustrations and fascinating information, Polish Herbs, Flowers & Folk Medicine is a veritable treasure trove of history, how-to, and inspiration."--The Midwest Book Review Taking the reader on a historical tour of herbs and flowers used in Poland throughout the centuries, this carefully-researched volume captures the unique history and role of plant life once essential to the people of Poland. Wander through monastery, castle and cottage gardens with acclaimed Polish-American author Sophie Hodorowicz Knab as she explores the growth of medicine and pharmacies and provides information on the use of over 100 plants, used in healing as well as in daily life and seasonal holidays throughout the year. You'll find legends, cautionary tales, and love potions, as well as a chapter devoted to wedding plants and herbs. There are home remedies for everything that ailed the people of Poland, from acne to arthritis, relaxants to rejuvenators, and heartache to heartburn. Gleaned from old Polish herbals, Knab provides recipes for balms to treat ailments such as stress, insomnia, slow metabolism, perspiring feet, limp hair and oily skin. Also included are recipes for homemade herbal vinegars, soups, syrups, and liqueurs, including elderberry syrup, homemade Benedictine, and a healing vodka drink from Gdansk. This revised edition includes new information and research as well as new illustrations and color photographs. All plants are listed alphabetically according to their English common name, followed by Latin botanical name and common Polish name. There is an index of scientific names for quick reference. History buffs, gardeners, and anyone interested in their Polish ancestry will find much to explore here.

This book captures the unique history of the plant life once essential to the Polish people. It leads the reader on a guided tour through monastery, castle, and cottage gardens, providing details on the history and healing powers of over one hundred herbs and flowers. Beautiful line drawings and woodcuts illustrate the garden patterns and various plants important to Polish tradition.

"A richly detailed and well-informed month-by-month accounting of all the major Polish customs and traditions practiced over the centuries. Ms. Knab stirs and reawakens our ancestral memory." ―The Kosciuszko Foundation Newsletter Now in a paperback edition with illustrations, historical black and white photographs, and color photographs throughout the book! This unique, well-researched reference is arranged by month, showing the various occasions, feasts and holidays prominent in Polish culture―beginning with December it continues through Holy Week Customs, superstitions, beliefs and rituals associated with farming, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, midsummer, harvest festival, wedding rites, Name Days, birth and death. There is also a chapter on Polish pastimes and games for children. Many of the customs and traditions described in the book have been lost even in today's modern Poland. World wars, massive immigration, the loss of the oral tradition, urbanization and politics have changed the face of a once agrarian people and their way of life throughout the calendar year. The changes, however, have not been able to erase the memory of that way of life completely. Many communities of the Polish diaspora throughout the world still feel connected to Poland and choose to reenact harvest celebrations, reminding themselves of their ancestors' reverence for the grains and gifts of bread. The sharing of oplatek, the Christmas Eve wafer, and the words of love while doing so, continue to bind family and friends together. Although the purpose and meaning may have been lost and forgotten, the oczepiny ceremony (the unveiling) is still the mainstay of almost every wedding where the bride declares Polish heritage. This invaluable resource is perfect for anyone who claims Polish ancestry, diligently practicing that which they learned at their parents' and grandparents' knees. It is for families who wish to teach Polish heritage and customs to their children, and for anyone seeking to learn more about their Slavic roots.

Inscribed by the author

For the first time in English, Michael Ostling tells the story of the imagined Polish witches, showing how ordinary peasant-women got caught in webs of suspicion and accusation, finally confessing under torture to the most heinous of crimes.

For the ancient Druids, the healing and magical properties of herbs were inseparable from the larger cycles of the seasons, the movements of the planets, and the progression of a human life. A Druid’s Herbal shows the reader how to use herbs when creating rituals to celebrate festivals and significant life passages such as births, house blessings, weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies. Drawing on extensive research and a deep personal experience with Pagan traditions, Ellen Evert Hopman explores the history and folklore surrounding the eight major Celtic festivals: Samhain, Winter Solstice, Imbolc, Spring Equinox, Beltaine, Summer Solstice, Lugnasad, and Fall Equinox. Included in each discussion are complete instructions on the medicinal and magical uses of the herbs associated with each celebration. Using these Celtic traditions as examples, the author suggests ways to incorporate the symbolic and magical power of herbs into personal rituals that honor all phases of life from childbirth to last rites. Also included are chapters on how to prepare herbal tinctures, salves, and poultices; herbs used by the Druids; herbal alchemy and the planets; and the relationships between herbs and sacred places. Filled with practical information and imaginative suggestions for using herbs for healing, ceremony, and magic, this book is an indispensable and comprehensive guide to age-old herbal practices.

Here are nearly 100 recipes for such classic Polish favorites as "Beer Soup with Cream and Cottage Cheese," "Roast Beef Roll with Mushrooms," "Roast Pork with Caraway Polish Style," and "Old Polish Royal Mazurek." The recipes are interwoven with a briefly outlined history of Polish culinary customs. Short essays cover subjects like Polish hospitality, holiday traditions, even the exalted status of the mushroom. The recipes are traditional family fare.