Little Woods Blog

Author: kristin

  • Backyard Botanicals by Little Woods’ owner Kristin M Roach

    Backyard Botanicals by Little Woods’ owner Kristin M Roach

    Our physical store is more than a tea shop, it’s a place to explore, to inspire curiosity in plants (tea in particular), and a place of calm wonder. The art that has become part of this environment is inspired by my passion for ecology, healing, and a deep love of plants.

    Bloody Dock, Gouache, 2021

    The current series of works on display are painting meditations in the form of botanical illustration. Uncertainty, overwhelm, and grief found me in the beginning of 2021 (unfortunately common combination for many of us these last two years). And it was in my backyard, spending sunrises with my local plant allies that I found myself and healed my heart.

    Un-Ripe Tart Cherries, Gouache, 2021
    Painting with age 19 Molly the day before we had to put her down.

    As an herbalist, it’s easy to think in terms of plants’ chemical components and how we can use them to support our bodies. We can lose sight of the healing power they hold by their simple existence in our ecosystem, the place nature holds as a sanctuary. The Backyard Botanical series is the pure reconnection to that place of plant sanctuary in my own life.

    As part of the series, I identified and researched each plant. On my portfolio, for those plant nerds out there, I’ve shared what I learned. Explore each plant in the series to learn more about what you might find in your own backyard, see process images, and purchase a print or the original.

    Solomon’s Seal, Gouache, 2021

    And the series continues. As the days are finally warming up, I’m back in the backyard painting more works that will someday find their way into the Little Woods space. While I’m not facing the same challenges I did last year, I continue the practice of spending time with the plants to replenish and restore.

    Yarrow, Gouache, 2021

    You can come visit the shop next time you’re in town to see the works in person and select a fine art print to enjoy in your own space.

    ArtWalk Studio Open House + Local Artist Carmen Cerra

    If you happen to be in town during the Annual Downtown Ames Art Walk (June 2nd 5 – 8pm this year), you can come chat with me in my studio above Little Woods or visit with local artist Carmen Cerra (he created our woodland animal tea party greeting cards) in the shop.

    If you’d learn more about what I’m up to in the studio on a regular basis, join my newsletter list to get a monthly-ish letter from me to you.

    Until next time…

    Kristin M Roach

  • Recipe: Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)

    Recipe: Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)

    Happy Cinco de Mayo! Food, festivals, and family fill this Mexican/ Mexican-American holiday! Bring a taste of this joyful celebration into your home this year with Spiced Hibiscus Iced Tea – a classic drink served in Mexican taquerias! It’s a great mocktail option to serve along side your favorite margarita!

    Here at Little Woods we mix up a special batch the week of Cinco de Mayo as our featured drink until it runs out — which is usually pretty quickly! First made based on a Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea) recipe over at Simply Recipes, we’ve adapted it over the years for our own tastes and tea bar service. Below is our own variation:

    Little Woods’ Agua de Jamaica Adaptation

    4 cups water
    1 cup dried hibiscus flowers whole (cut would work also)
    3/4 cup sugar
    2 x 2.75in cinnamon sticks
    1t. dried ginger root c/s
    1t. whole allspice berries
    1/4t. whole cloves

    1. Add spices and sugar to water and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
    2. Remove from heat and add hibiscus flowers. Let steep for 20 minutes.
    3. Strain into a pitcher.
    4. Top with 4 cups cold water. 

    For a sparkling twist, keep as a concentrate and add 1 part concentrate, 1 part carbonated water to a glass when serving.

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    Enjoy!

    – Little Woods –

  • Guacamole Recipe(s) – Debuting our newest blend!

    Guacamole Recipe(s) – Debuting our newest blend!

    Simple or complex, guacamole is always good. And now, you can dash in some of our guacamole spice blend and elevate it to the irresistible status it deserves. Beware. I literally couldn’t stop eating it.

    Inspired by a friend who insisted this was a must make blend, I did a little research, spent too much time looking for a source for the elusive mexican oregano (finally found it and am happy to say we’ve added it to our catalog), a lot of taste testing (nom nom nom), and voila. A new blend was born!

    What’s in it? Well, no fillers, additives, preservatives, dyes, or etc. In fact we left the salt out too so you can determine your own saltiness to taste.

    Ingredients: garlic, onion, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, Mexican oregano

    Now, Guacamole. The whole point of the blend. Here’s how we’ve made ours, but you can add it to any guacamole recipe you like. I’m going to give you some options too. Simple and classic or complex and gourmet!

    Classic Guacamole Recipe

    Mix it all together and enjoy with tortillas.

    Keep scrolling for EVEN better guacamole.

    Gourmet Guacamole Recipe

    Now, of course classic guac is DELISH. But I really like it even more when it’s filled with some other veg. Like tomatoes, cilantro, and onions, mmmm. Yum!

    My favorite way to “dice” an avocado so it’s easy to mash up for guacamole.
    1. Split your avocado in half, cut in half, remove the pit. Now here is the trick, score it, then use a spoon to scoop it out into a bowl.

    2. Dice up the cilantro, onions, tomatoes, and toss it all in the bowl.

    3. Sprinkle the salt right over the tomatoes and onions.

    4. Squeeze the lime (and/or lemon) over it all.

    5. Use a fork to mash it all together, but not too much.

    Dip those chips and enjoy!

    Until Next Time!
    Kristin M Roach

  • Recipe: Herbaceous Baked Eggs

    Recipe: Herbaceous Baked Eggs

    This one is so lovingly easy I thought I would just show you in photo essay format. About 2 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of roasting in the oven or toaster oven. It’s become my absolute favorite egg recipe when I have a half hour to make breakfast.

    Ingredient breakdown:

    • 2 eggs
    • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried herbs like chives and thyme
    • Salt and pepper to taste or for a little kick, Hunter Spice or Berbere.
    • 1-2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
    • Bonus add on: Canadian Bacon
    • Bonus add on: cheese like feta or parm on top

    Bake it all at 325F for 15 – 20 minutes until it puffs up

    Tip: if using dried herbs, put them in a little bowl with a splash of hot water to rehydrate them first.

    And that’s it. Enjoy!

    Kristin

  • Two Women in Herbalism who Inspired Little Woods

    Two Women in Herbalism who Inspired Little Woods

    March is Women’s History Month I’m taking the opportunity to celebrate two women who have deeply impacted my own herbalist path and the founding of Little Woods.

    Trilby Sedlacek

    Based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa she has spent her life fostering a community of herbalist with her apprenticeship program, classes, and open door nature at her shop. She’s a clinical herbalist and holds a masters in psychology and is one of the few herbalists in Iowa that holds the American Herbalist Guild Clinical Herbalist certification – a rigorous peer reviewed process that has to be renewed regularly though submitting case studies and showing excellence in client work, research, and herbal knowledge. Her shop is named Healing Green Angles and if you are ever driving through and catch it during opening hours, it’s a treasure. In addition to her educational efforts, she has also stood up here in Iowa and helped organize efforts in our local government to keep herbalism open and legal.

    For me, spending a year working with her helped set me on a solid foundation of making herbal medicine, integrating it in my own home, and emboldening me to start my own botanical supply company. Little Woods would not exist without her encouraging that “just go for it” attitude or helping me to see the need here in Ames for an apothecary. I discovered that while I do not want to be a clinical herbalist, I love working with the plants and want to be a supplier for those who are working with clients in this direct way. Thank you!

    Rosemary Gladstar

    I’ve never met her. Someday maybe. But it’s okay if not. She’s already given me so much through her books, interviews, classes, and advocacy. The book Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health was my first herbal recipe book and is still holding a well-used place on my bookshelf. She has a practical, straight forward approach to herbalism that I love. She melds scientific research and historical lore in that way I resonate most. The expansiveness of her life gives me hope it’s not unattainable to do all the things I dream of in my one short lifetime.

    If memory is serving me correctly it goes something like this:

    • started teaching classes and doing workshops,
    • opened an apothecary,
    • apothecary grew into Mountain Rose Herbs,
    • spun off to create Traditional Medicinal Teas – one of the first tea companies to navigate being FDA registered dietary supplements and having their nutritional facts panel, creating sage mountain retreat center,
    • created one of the first online comprehensive herbalist courses,
    • fought to UN-trademark Fire Cider (and WON!),
    • now has her sights set on Thieve Oil (another traditional formula name a company trademarked and is suing small herbal product makers over),
    • has published numerous books (I’m proud to be published by the same company, Storey Publishing), and lectured internationally.
    • That’s just off the top of my head! I know there is so much more.
    • Whew. She’s awesome!

    Who has inspired you?

    Who’s your herbal mentor, friend, favorite read? Let’s show these women some love — local unknown to historic giants. Leave a comment and link to what they are up to and where to find their work, shop, teachings, or even just their instagram profile so we can all get to know them too.

    Until next time!

    Kristin M Roach

  • Creating the Little Woods Space: New Paintings by Kristin M Roach

    Creating the Little Woods Space: New Paintings by Kristin M Roach

    Our physical store is more than a tea shop, it’s a place to explore, to inspire curiosity in plants (tea in particular), and a place of calm wonder. And it is with great pleasure that five years after opening I’ve finally added the next piece to the experience, a series of botanical paintings of threatened native plants.

    Curating the Space

    En. Specimen 01 by Kristin M Roach | ink, charcoal, gesso, raw beeswax on birch panel

    When first imagining the shop (and quite frankly feeling quite overwhelmed) one of my friends gave me the best advice — just approach it like you would any exhibit or room sized installation.

    Taking it to heart, I turned my artist eye to the shop. I stopped thinking in terms of maximizing shelf space and ROI’s, but instead how it would feel to come into the shop and the environment I was trying to create.

    When a customer told me that coming in the shop was like taking a walk in the woods at dawn… that, well. I’m tearing up just thinking about it. That’s it. Right there. That feeling. Wonder, calm, curiosity, solace.

    I’ve hosted my own work in the space before, but this particular series feels in tune with the shop so completely. I’m pleased to announce its addition to the space. Currently they are not for sale, but I do have prints of select tiles available. I can also create a similar piece for you space upon request based on a plant that speaks to your story. Just reach out via my portfolio site to arrange a commission.

    So without further ado, here is a deeper look at the works.

    En. Specimens 01 & 02

    En. Specimen 01 by Kristin M Roach | ink, charcoal, gesso, pigment, raw beeswax on birch panel

    En. is an immersive study of a single plant specimen slide. A meditation, an indulgence in a native plant that has threatened status. It’s not endangered yet, but our actions now will determine if it tips to endangered or stable. During the last decade more species of plants have faded away than in the entirety of my grandmother’s lifetime. And as new species thrive and others go extinct, what is our role going forward? For me, these paintings create a pause for us to consider their fate, our fate. 

    En. Specimen 01 by Kristin M Roach | ink, charcoal, gesso, raw beeswax on birch panel

    The specimen slides were provided by the Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL through their digital archive program. The Morton Arboretum is a 1700 acres living museum representing 4300 taxa from around the world. Their specimen vaults house plants native to the Chicago land area — where I attended university.

    Come visit the shop next time your in town to see the works in person, or visit my online portfolio to see details of this and other works. I’ll be posting a video of install + detail shots of the panels next week.

    Until next time…

    Kristin M Roach

  • Tea so Good, It’s Presidential!

    Tea so Good, It’s Presidential!

    Obama Oval meeting with King of Jordan Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

    Today is president’s day and we wanted to celebrate the favorite teas of our Presidents thoughout the history of our county.

    Disclaimer: This is made up for fun and based only loosely on guess work and a few facts. This article in no way is endorced, approved, or supported by the White House or any presdient. I have met Obama once, he came and talked to my class at my community college when I was 17 year’s old when he was running for Senate in Illinois. I’ve never had the chance to actually offer him tea. But if I do…

    It all started with the question of, if Obama ever came to Ames and ordered a tea from Little Woods, what would it be? With a little digging, the recommendation was obvious: Eternal Youth Iced Tea!

    And it just kept going from there. Here’s a round up of five presidents and the teas they would enjoy the most at Little Woods.

    Biden:

    Fireside

    Not a tea drinker — we get it… you just haven’t found one you like… YET. Fireside is our gateway tea for coffee drinkers like Biden. When he visits the shop, it’s what we will recommend.

    Obama:

    Eternal Youth

    Naturally caffeine free, it’s tart and fruity. Refreshing iced or hot. I like it unsweetened, but many love it with a little simple syrup or honey.

    Roosevelt:

    Lapsang Souchong

    What started out as an accident has turned into a staple of russian tea drinking. A chinese black tea that is smoked with pine.

    Jefferson:

    Namaste Green Tea

    A green tea that is smooth and subtly sweet. It has hand chopped freeze dried strawberries and lemon balm mixed with our Mao Jian green tea.

    Washington:

    Keemun Black Tea

    One of our favorite black teas, it’s a chinese black tea (red tea) that has a malty robust flavor. It’s wonderfully smooth on it’s own or with a little milk.

    Bush Sr:

    Gyokuro

    Our top shelf loose leaf green tea, we were lucky to meet this Japanese tea company two summers ago. Vegetal with a rich mineral tone. The color is a vivid yellow green when brewed to perfection.

    Want to get a little steeped in the history of Tea at the White House?

    I really enjoyed these articles and books about the subject, particularly the first by Sara Shacket of Tea Happiness.

    (this is the main image that Tea Happiness used, with a degree in painting and a love of art history I couldn’t help but share it with you)

    Happy Presidents Day and Happy Tea Drinking!

  • Lunar New Year Tea Recipe

    Lunar New Year Tea Recipe

    This year, we wanted to share with you a fun way to incorporate tea in your Lunar New Year celebration.

    While not a tradition Jason or I grew up with, it’s one we now love. On New Year’s Day, the kids make the tea and serve it to the adults. And not just any tea, a sweetened fruit tea.

    What is this sweet fruit tea you ask? Well, it’s lovingly simple – candied fruits chopped up and mixed with tea and cane sugar.

    We’ve put our own twist on it and tossed it with jasmine too. Here’s how to make your own sweet Lunar New Year tea.

    Ingredients

    Watch the videos for some extra blending tips as I chat with our staff about mixing up this fun sweet tea.

    Blending the Tea

    1. Take each strip of candied mango and dice into 1/4 inch pieces or smaller. If it’s sticking to your knife, sprinkle with granulated sugar – the sugar will stick to the sticky parts and make it easier to cut.

    2. Toss the green tea and mango together, add in and gently crush the jasmine blossoms.

    3. Keep mixing until you have a fairly even distribution.

    Brewing the Tea

    1. Bring your kettle up to 185 F.
    2. Add 1 heaping teaspoon to your infuser and place in a cup.
    3. Pour water over leaves and let steep 3-4 minutes.
    4. Remove infuser and enjoy!
    Fini!

    Until next time!

  • Drink Feature: Rendezvous Tea Latte

    Drink Feature: Rendezvous Tea Latte

    What do you get when you mix our Twilight black tea, frothy milk, and a gourmet rose syrup? A rendezvous with pure delight!

    You can stop by the shop during the month of Febrauary to enjoy this decidant treat. Okay, okay, we know not all of you can make it to downtown Ames. Do not dispare, this is how you can enjoy it at home any time of the year!

    Ingredients

    Directions

    1. Bring your kettle up to a boil and steep 1T of Twlight in 4oz of water (about a 1/2 cup).
    2. In a small sauce pan, warm up 1 cup milk over medium-low heat.
    3. Once it the milk starts to steam, whisk. Make sure to not let it boil.
    4. The tea should be ready, strain the leaves or pull out your infuser.
    5. Add 1t – 1T Rose Syrup to tea and pour in milk.
    6. Dust with the crushed rose for added decidance.
    Brianna making our rose simple syrup – want to make your own, get the kit here.

    Our Botanical Syrup Gift Box it makes for a great gift any time of year – it has our three favorite ingredients for making simple syrups: Rose, Hibiscus, and Cardamom (a key feature of our Chai Tea Latte).

    Already know how to make simple syrup and just need the rose? Grab it from our bulk section by the ounce to the pound.

    Until Next Time!

  • March Tea Passport Subscription Preview

    March Tea Passport Subscription Preview

    March Tea Passport Box

    This collection is everything you need to welcome in Spring. Saturday, March 20 is the Spring Equinox and brings with it the promise of warmer days, green things, and time outside in the sun. Here in Iowa we’ve been cooped up all winter, eating heavy foods, and maybe endulging in a bit too much of everything we tend to endulge in.

    Pre-order the March Box

    Bright Eyes Black Tea – Lovely iced or hot and a fresh citrus pop to wake you up and energize your body.

    Spring Equiox Green Tea – a fusion of a traditional herbalist spring tonic with our sencha.

    Mint Tonic – another traditional herbalist spring/summer tonic. Drink daily for the lovely favor, enjoy the nurishing nature of nettles.

    What are people are saying about the Tea Subscription?

    I love all the cozy touches to this box. I’m so looking forward to this monthly treat.

    Emily Crawford-Margison Sep 8, 2020 | 5 out of 5 stars    

    Perfect Gift for any occasion.

    ashleymrieves1 Jan 19, 2021 | 5 out of 5 stars 

    About the Little Woods Tea Passport Subscription

    Each month three teas (about 8-10 cups of each) are selected by the blending team at Little Woods to match the seasons. A hand-crafted tea passport accompanies your very first box welcoming you on your journey with new pages to add each month. You’ll learn the origin of the blend, how to brew it, caffeine level, and a space for your tasting notes.

    • Bonus samples in each box of our other spice blends and single origin teas
    • We never repeat a tea within the same year.
    • Guaranteed one caffeine free option each month for evening sips.
    • Hand-crafted passport included with first box and additional pages to add each month.
    • All natural artisan tea and tisane blends with no oils, additives, or fillers.
    Start your Tea Adventure today