Sweet Woodruff and May Wine

May Day is just around the corner and now is the time to prepare your traditional treats, libations and crafts. I was inspired to share one of the sacred herbs of the holiday and a libation recipe that many of my adult readers might enjoy.

Sweet Woodruff 

Galium odoratum
Aka: Waldmeister (wood master/ master of the forest)
Some of the old herbalists spelt the name Woodruff with an array of double consonants: Woodderowffe. Later this spelling was written in a rhyme, which children were fond of repeating:
W   O   O   D   D  E,
R   O   W   F   F   E.

As the scientific name might suggest, Sweet Woodruff is a fragrant herb and it is often used in perfumes, colognes, oils, sachets, etc. When cut or dried it smells of fresh mown hay, making it fantastic for home scents (think sachets in bedding or linens, laundry detergent or wool ball scenting, etc). This mown hay scent comes from the chemical coumarin which can be found in many perfumes and fragrances.
In the garden it is used as ground cover and grows best in shaded areas; zones 3-6. As for harvesting I have heard 2 accounts, one says to harvest before it blooms for things like cooking and May Wine, another source says to harvest after it blooms for drying. I would recommend experimenting with both methods.

Magical Associations:

Holy Days: Beltane/May Day, Spring festivals
Deities and Saints: Walpurga, Green Man and other woodland gods such as Herne and Cernunnos.
Uses: used in May Wine, spring festival punches, used to bless the young farm animals born in spring, used in satchets to keep out unwanted pests and spirits as well as bring sweet dreams. Spells and other magical devices use this herb for love, especially love that draws in a man as they are said to be particularly keen on the scent.
Sweet Woodruff was 'hung and strewn in churches, and St. Barnabas Day and on St. Peter's, bunches of box, Woodruff, lavender and roses found a place there.' ~ Mrs. Greive's A Modern Herbal
This is also an herb fairies are said to be particularly fond of and would not be out of place on their altars or in their offerings.

Medicinal Qualities and Warnings:

There is some concern over the toxic potential of the plant's coumarin content; therefore, avoid use during pregnancy and lactation. That being said, May Wine is not recommended for pregnant women due to alcohol content and always check with your health professional before imbibing when nursing.

Image Source: http://bristolharbourgolf.com

May Wine

This is a libation traditionally drunk on, you probably guessed, May Day. The wine is usually white and dry to sweet and flavored with the European spring herb Sweet Woodruff.
The tradition of May Wine in Germany goes back to the 13th century according to Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs.
To make May Wine you need:

• 1 bottle of preferred spring wine
• 1/2 oz dried sweet woodruff
• 2 tbs sugar
• Ripe strawberries to garnesh (optional but highly recommended)

Steep the wooddruff in the wine (I recommend overnight in a closed decanter but an hour before serving is also alright).
Serve chilled and garnished.

If you decide to use fresh sweet woodruff, either bundle the stems and place them upside down, so the cut ends are not leaking into the wine or strip the leaves off the stems right after cutting and then strain the liquid.

Martha Stewart* (the woman is brilliant and I'm pretty sure a witch even if she doesn't embrace the title) recommends the following wines (some with food pairings) for your May Wine:

• German Rieslings (perfect for pork meals)
• German Kabinetts
• American Rieslings (specifically those from Washington State)
• Austrian White Wines (especially those made from Gruner Veltliner)
• New Zealand Sauvgnon Blanc (good with spring greens)
• Beaujolais-Villages (good with smokey grilled meats and vegetables)

*Martha Stewart Living May 2002