Spirits in Chinese Medicine - Roots tonics and other delights

[herb ox]

A few days ago I came into some peculiar homemade alcoholic mixtures - one in particular looked like it had rosebuds in it and indeed, it smelled of roses. The label read "Calms the spirit". Another was a "Move wind-damp bi" and another simply listed the ingredients.

The only herbal concoctions I've made only give me a headache... I need something to cool my constitution down a bit rather than heating it up more.

Anybody got any favorite recipes?

I hear 100 grams of gou qi zi (chinese wolfberry) soaked in 2 liters of brandy for a month yields a good tonic for keeping your kidney essence in place

peace

herb ox

[vikinggoddess]

http://www.chinesetherapeutics.org/watermelon.html

watermelon martini

[herb ox]

YES!!!

Good one, V'Goddess... we'll be having that one at the next class gathering

h. ox

[vikinggoddess]

cool.

Yes the only time I made that recipe actually was for a TCM class party. I remember that was a fun one.

Oh also.. Dandelion root wine. you know pu gong ying the herb.. get the the N. American ones.. roots. Probably the best to soak in Brandy. Goes to liver. also clears heat. good one to counter the alcohol heat and toxicity.

[GeneChing]

...I know it's your favorite, but it's simply not good for you. You'll go blind.

[mickey]

Hi herb ox,

You may want to pay more attention to the wine that you use. From my experience:

1- Kao Liang/Vodkas are very strong and cause the energy to travel upward causing pressure and headache.

2- Johnny Walker Black does not go upward so powerfully. It tends to stay in the torso area more. I have been told that Jack Daniels does the same thing.


mickey

[herb ox]

Well, I'd probably have a harder time staying away from the Flying Fairy Jiu if I hadn't left it at your house, man! Truthfully, though, that stuff was pretty nasty... nice bottle, though!

JD better than Kao Liang, eh? Thanks, Mickey... maybe I'll go buy a bottle tonite Oh wait, big herb test tomorrow... hmmm.... maybe I can just chalk it up to a little research!

peace

herb ox

[vikinggoddess]

I believe Jack Daniels is contraindicated for Germans and Irishmen.

[mickey]

herb ox,

Now, I have been told that about Jack Daniels; I know about Johnny Walker Black. That stuff works for sure. If you try Jack Daniels, let me know how it works for you.

Sincerely,

mickey

[GeneChing]

Yeah, thanks for that, bro. Now that freakin' Flying Fairy wine is taking up space in my liquor cabinet. Not enough room for my JD now and that's just wrong. That reminds me - my JD bottle is empty; I'm due for a trip to BevMo.

[herb ox]

Gene - Maybe I'll reclaim that bottle to for some Jow... the look on your face when you first smelled that stuff was priceless, though... certainly worth the price of the liquor!

hey mickey - how about Gentleman Jack? Single malt scotch? Is it the grain (or potato, for that matter) that makes the difference? Why is it that ShaoXing wine never leaves me hung over - even when I drink it at 7am (there's a story behind that one!)

WHat gives?

herb ox

[GeneChing]

...and I do like JD. The idea of a high end JD is funny to me, like a premium budweiser or something. Don't get me wrong, I love JD.

But surely every form of alcohol has slightly different qualities, just like any medicine may elicit different side effects in different people. It's personal chemistry mixed with external elements. Everyone has their liquor of preference, which is not only the result of conditioning (my dad was a JD drinker) but also each individual's personal constitution. You may have good results with Shaoxing, but it might make some one else puke their guts out. I could tell an absinthe story here, but I won't.

I'm sure some people - chemists, brewers, vinters, distillers and many of our armchair know-it-all members here - could wax poetic and rant scientific about reasons for one alcohol being superior as the non-hangover elixer, but you should know from experience that's just their ego talking. One of my relatives collects wine; he's an anesthesiologist by trade and a gourmet by fashion and will endlessly expound on the superiority of wine to any other alcohol on the planet. I appreciate fine wine, but it tends to give me a headache a few hours after drinking it. That's just my weird body chemistry, gleened from years of failed experiments. As any alchemical researcher knows, a man's got to know his limitations.

[mickey]

Hi herb ox,

I don't know about Gentleman Jack. ShaoXing wine is pretty weak stuff in my book. Though it is still decent enough to lean back with and not have to worry about crawling home. People cook with it. I cook good Shanghai style fish with it ( no, I don't give out recipes).


mickey

[TenTigers]

Ng Ga Pei has a weird effect on me. One glass, and I;m buzzed, but four glasses and it seems to just level off, rather than getting completely drunk. RedHairedDevil might dissagree, however. I had him in my kwoon uptill 4am-we were drinking Ng Ga Pei, and plying hands all night.
Mao Tai tastes like Horse **** smells. I still don't know why people swear by it. Shao Sing is good, like dirty sherry. Goes great with siu lung bao. There is a sweet rice wine, like Shaosing, but sweet, that stuff is yummy!I forgot what Gaoliang was-gonna have to buy it again.
If you get a chance, try Confucious family Liquor, and drink it while eating sliced Chinese Pears.
Kind of the Chinese version of Tequilla and lime. Honestly, the two go great together.

[mickey]

Hi TenTigers,

Have you tried the Hong Kong version Ng Ga Pei? It is just too nice!

mickey