Menu
Du Jardin Beauty
  • Home
    • Reviews & Testimonials
    • Spotlight
    • Workshops & Events
  • Shop
    • Best-Sellers
    • Luxury Skin Care
    • Multi-Purpose Utility Soaps
    • Bath & Body
    • eGift Cards
  • GIVING BACK
    • New Hope Midcoast
    • Veggies To Table
    • Locally Sourced
    • Fair-Trade Items
  • LEARN
  • About Us
    • FAQ's & Policies
    • Wholesale
    • Contact
    • Services
  • Home
    • Reviews & Testimonials
    • Spotlight
    • Workshops & Events
  • Shop
    • Best-Sellers
    • Luxury Skin Care
    • Multi-Purpose Utility Soaps
    • Bath & Body
    • eGift Cards
  • GIVING BACK
    • New Hope Midcoast
    • Veggies To Table
    • Locally Sourced
    • Fair-Trade Items
  • LEARN
  • About Us
    • FAQ's & Policies
    • Wholesale
    • Contact
    • Services

Du Jardin Learning Center

Herbal Spotlight: Butterfly Pea Flower, About & Uses

2/15/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Butterfly Pea Flowers [Clitoria ternatea] provide gorgeous natural color, as well as many benefits for the mind and body. Add some natural Botanical Blue to your routine & brighten things up as we explore these amazing flowers & their benefits, & their uses.
Picture
 More than just a pretty face, Butterfly Pea flowers are a powerful Herbal Ally! Native to Southeast Asia, these flowers have been used for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, anti-stress & calmative agent; they are staples of Chinese & Ayurvedic medicine. Clitoria ternatea are considered to be adaptogenic. Adaptogens are substances that work to help the body resist stressors of all kinds, whether physical, chemical or biological, & to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes. They are packed full of antioxidants, flavonoids,& peptides, as well as anti-inflammatory compounds, particularly anthocyanin, which are believed to support cardiovascular health. 
They also contain catechins, which are said to be instrumental in burning belly fat, aiding weight loss as well as helping to control blood sugar. Drinking butterfly-pea flower tea is purported to rev up your metabolism, making the body burn more calories.
Butterfly pea flowers are also traditionally used cosmetically to stimulate hair growth, & to support glowing skin & graceful aging. The compound anthocyanin is known to increase blood circulation & helps to maintain a healthy scalp. It also aids in strengthening the hair follicles from within, resulting in increased hair growth. In fact, a 2012 study found these flowers to be more effective than the commonly prescribed minoxidil at promoting hair growth. Additionally, the flowers have been used in Thailand for centuries to make a rinse for the hair that is said to keep the dark color of the hair longer! They are considered one of nature's most effective ingredients for promoting hair growth & darkening hair naturally. Infact, we offer an SLS-free shampoo bar  & A Lash & Brow Serum using these gems! 
​Our Stimulating Shampoo Bars are c
rafted with Butterfly Pea Flower Infusion & Neem Oil to naturally strengthen the hair shafts & encourage new growth, while our Brow & Lash Serum marrys it with the power of pure Castor Oil to stimulate & condition these fragile, fine hairs while encouragibng new growth.
Picture
Picture
shop our stimulating
​sls-free
shampoo bars here
Picture
shop Lash & Brow Serum
Picture
Butterfly pea flowers are most often used as a tea & have an earthy-green flavor similar to that of green tea. The dried flowers, when steeped, release a deep indigo-blue color. Due to this, they are also often used as a natural food coloring agent in Malasian, Thai, & Burmese cooking.
​Most interestingly, this color is pH sensitive, producing a wide variety of shades ranging from fuchsia to bright blue-green as it is exposed to different ingredient’s pHs! 
This makes the herb VERY popular for cocktails!  As anyone who knows me would expect, I have had quite a lot of fun playing with their effects & use them frequently in the drinks I craft. 

​ I also craft an adaptogenic tea blend which contains them called Botanical Bliss. It is comprised of 15 different herbs & spices, including tulsi, elderflower, & nettle; many of these ingredients are wild-foraged. 
Picture
Picture
Enjoy naturally deep blue tea -- Or add a slice of lemon to turn yours fuschia!
​Want to play with them yourself?  We also offer individual herbs, including butterfly pea flowers, for sale bulk here in store & online.

Organic Butterfly Pea Flowers, Hand Foraged

$3.95 - $12.95

Wild harvested & carefully dried to preserve the whole flower heads. Our butterfly pea flowers are collected by hand in Thailand by Supanij Farm. 100% organic & wildcrafted. Dried flowers can be used in tea, cordials, tinctures, & syrups, as well as in cooking & beauty products. Delightfully pH sensitive, on their own they provide a deep indigo blue color, add an acid [like lemon juice] & watch it turn a vibrant purple-fuchsia! Flavor is an earthy floral-green note.

Sold by volume in 1 oz [about 5g] & 2 oz [10g] bags or 4 oz bail-jars that contain 3 ounces by volume [15g] of dried herbs.

Shop
The flowers can be steeped directly in all liquids, not just hot water, & the color is sure to thrill the child [or child-at-heart] in your life. Using them to create true blue milk is particularly fun for Star Wars fans. The pH color shift is really fun to play with as well – Simply add a slice of lemon to your tea & watch it go violently fuschia! 
Picture
Steeping Butterfly Pea Flowers In Milk
Check Out My 'Winter Blues' rice Pie Recipe Here
More than just the sheer strangeness of the colors, remember you are getting the herbal benefits of the butterfly pea flowers. This Herbal Ally provides so many benefits for mind & body. It is definitely worth adding to your own tea selection or Herbal Apothecary. 
I hope you enjoyed this look at these amazing flowers. Let me know how you like to use Butterfly Flowers & what color combo you create!   Until next time--Stay safe &  #StopAndEatTheFlowers ​
0 Comments

Herbal Spotlight: Ginger, with an easy Ginger Liqueur Recipe

12/12/2021

0 Comments

 
​Warm, spicy ginger is an ideal Herbal Ally for the colder Winter months. It has been used as a spice & medicinally for hundreds of years. In this post we will discuss some its properties & traditional uses, & I will share my recipe for a quick, easy Ginger Liqueur to enjoy on the imminent chilly evenings–
Ginger [zingiber officinale] is a member of the zingiberaceae family; the utilized part of the ginger plant is the rhizome, or the underground stem. It is an important cooking spice used all over the world in widely varied dishes from Indian curries to British gingerbread. Every form it can take, including fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, crystallized, candied, & powdered, has myriad uses in dishes from savory to sweet. Ginger is without a doubt the most versatile of flavors.
Picture
photo: K.Menard

Read More
0 Comments

Wow Them: Easy Salt-Preserved Lemons

11/29/2021

0 Comments

 
Give a Moroccan, umami lift to your Holiday cheese & charcutierie boards!  These preserved lemons are easy to make & will be ready in just 3 weeks---
Picture
Salt-preserved lemons, a popular ingredient in many Middle Eastern & Moroccan recipes,  are often found for sale in foody boutiques & are usually quite expensive. If you have ever tasted them, you know what a lovely punch they pack! Their  bright & deeply umami notes are quite Heavenly & can be used in myriad ways. Lovely on cheese boards, in dressings & compound butters, & to highlight entrees, preserved lemons are definitely worth exploring! What you may not realize is that they are extremely easy to make at home, for all you really need is lemons, salt, & time. In fact, if you get them started this week, you will have them in plenty of time to enjoy over the Holidays.

Read More
0 Comments

Herbal Spotlight: Chokeberries with my Simple Syrup and Candied Berry Recipes.

10/18/2021

0 Comments

 
Delicious & just as immune-supportive as the Elderberry, Chokeberries are in season now & are fabulous!   Join me as we discuss their growing habits, traditional uses, & I make a simple syrup & craft some delicious drinks with their bright, tart flavor---
Chokeberry, or Aronia, are part of the Rose [Rosaceae] family & are native to North America, although they are grown all over the world now. These shrubs are deciduous & are likely to be found growing wild in slightly-wet-to-swampy, wooded areas. There are wild growing red & black chokeberries; I am lucky to have nicely established patches of the black [aronia melanocarpa] growing around me. Aronia are easy to grow & fully mature in 5 years. Due to their amazing health benefits, these shrubs are also making the scene at many nurseries around the country, their popularity growing & now only slightly behind elderberry shrubs. Indeed, our local Food Co-Op, Rising Tide, just announced they are carrying frozen aronia from a local farm now!
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Herbal Spotlight: Elderberries with Elderberry Brandy Cordial Recipe

9/20/2021

2 Comments

 
Picture

Delicious & powerful, elderberries are wonderful for colds & flu, & also in times of stress. What better way to enjoy some than in a flavorful Elderberry Brandy Cordial?

​Early Fall, with elderberries in season, is the perfect time to make some.
It's easy & delicious -- I'll show you how!

Read More
2 Comments

Herbal Spotlight: All About Amari & how to make your very own

8/23/2021

0 Comments

 
Amari have been around for centuries & are the secret stars of more & more cocktails these days, but many people are still unfamiliar with them -- A tragedy I am doing my best to remedy! 
​ 
Join me as we explore what they are, how to use them, & even how to make your very own at home!
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Herbal Spotlight: Chocolate Mint with Recipes

8/9/2021

0 Comments

 
With her striking purple stems & killer flavor, Chocolate Mint is one to grow. Join me as we discuss this beautiful mint cultivar & a bunch of options for using your harvest!
Chocolate mint [Mentha × piperita f. citrata]  is one of many mint varieties easily picked up at your local greenhouse. You may have rubbed its leaves between your fingers there, enjoying that delicious fragrance, & thought “but what would I do with it?” & decided not to buy it. Well, this spotlight post is full of suggestions & recipes for your chocolate mint harvest, so indulge away! 
Okay,  this plant is in the MINT family [
Lamiaceae] so it will spread if not contained! Plant it somewhere with that in mind or in containers. And, expect it to come back with friends yearly, hence the need for an arsenal of use ideas!  
​
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Herbal Spotilight: Daylilies with Recipes

7/26/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
It just wouldn't look like New England without the wild daylilies all along our many crumbling rock walls. Effortlessly growing in field, forest, & yard, they are more than just beautiful -- daylilies are a bountiful food source as well!

​​Join me as we take a look at these delicious, gorgeous gems-
​

Read More
0 Comments

Herbal Spotlight: Common Milkweed, With Milkweed Blossom Cordial Recipe

7/12/2021

0 Comments

 

​Common Milkweed [Asclepias syriaca] is not only edible, it is delicious!  Far from hurting the butterflies by harvesting some ourselves, by caring for & planting it, we help ourselves AND the declining Monarchs!
So often dismissed as a bothersome weed, this plant actually has a long history of interesting uses in addition to delicious, culinary aspects.
In this post, we will make some milkweed cordial & learn more about it--
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Herbal Spotlight: Hemlock Reishi Mushroom

6/28/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

​T
he Hemlock Varnished Shelf Reishi is one of the easiest mushrooms to identify & is revered for its potency.
It has many traditional uses from medical to cosmetic. Come with me as we look a bit deeper into this polypore "Mushroom of Immortality" & its uses.

Read More
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Categories

    All
    Events
    Homesteading Tips
    Informational
    New Products
    Pet Care
    Recipes & Ingredients
    Soaps


    Picture
    Beautiful AND Responsible

      Sign Up Here For Our Newsletter

    Subscribe to Newsletter

    Picture
    Meet the Centuries-Old, French Cleaning Classic ​with A Modern Twist

    Author

    My husband & I were blessed with 2 beautiful girls. When I was diagnosed with MS, I couldn't keep up the pace working retail. We decided on a simpler life, built a cabin in the woods, & moved to mid-coast Maine ​


    Picture
    Treat Yourself To Our Amazing, Handcrafted Extracts

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019

    Picture
    Discover Luxury Herbal Skincare For All Skin Types
    Picture
    Our Multi-Purpose Utility Soaps Are Our Best Sellers For A Reason! Find Out For Yourself!

    Sign Up For Our Newsletter:  Recipes,
    Special Offers, Product Tips

Subscribe to Newsletter
Picture

'Beautiful & responsible'

 Online: Ship or Pick-Up
Store Hours:

Wednesday 11am - 4pm
​Thursday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 1pm

Damariscotta Farmers Market:​
May 26 - Oct 27 2023
QUICK LINKS:
​
About Us

Contact
Giving Back
LEARN

Wholesale
​FAQ's & Policies
Picture

207-563-6256      Dujardin.me@gmail.com       © Du Jardin 2019 

In the Smitten Barn  -  2 Hodgdon Street  -  Damariscotta, Maine 04543