In my first decoction I will be using a dried mushroom called Wood Ear; also known as mo-er, black fungus and cloud ear. This mushroom is used throughout Asia as an edible fungi and an herbal medicine, it is also known for its antioxidant properties. Wood ear mushrooms can be found in many Asian dishes and soups, but today we will boil the mushrooms and use the decoction liquid in cold process soap.
I have gathered my supplies and a package of dried Wood Ear mushrooms. I started out with the 1:9 ratio (10% dried herb, 90% liquid) that we have done with tinctures and infusions; but my mushrooms began absorbing so much of the water that I kept adding more water and ended up using 2.5% mushroom, 97.5% liquid. So when making your decoctions please remember to keep notes and adjust as needed.
I put the sauce pan and water on the stove top and began heating the water and the mushrooms, bringing it to a boil, and then letting it simmer for about 20 to 40 minutes. Once the simmering process has completed to the desired extraction level (the item becomes softer and squishy), I turned off the heat and let it sit to cool a bit before straining. These mushrooms smell great, I feel like adding a bunch of other vegetables and making a soup; maybe next time. Check out the photos of the mushrooms. Don’t they look great?
Such a simple and easy to follow process, I’ll show you tomorrow how to incorporate this wonderful decoction into a batch of cold process soap.
Making Decoctions – How To,
They look delicious!
A question–if you’re making a decoction from something that has been dried, could you soak it overnight or for a few hours (to reconstitute it) BEFORE adding the liquid for simmering/decocting?
Thanks–
The mushrooms that I used were dried prior to boiling/simmering. This is why I needed to adjust the water to product ratio. Start with the 10% dried material to 90% water, then watch how much liquid is absorbed. You may end up with the 2.5% dried material and 97.5% water like I did. Take notes as you prepare your decoctions.
Thanks, Tonya. I think I know what I’ll be doing over the long weekend…
And I love birdies’ idea of marshmallow root–would love to know how that turns out!
I’ll be paying close attention tomorrow…..
I have marshmallow root I want to try this with!
May make a good shampoo bar.
Alright all my questions are now answered… Did not see this part of the link.
Thanks again
How would you label a decoction to meet INCI standards? Thank you for the inspiration, other than my coffee soap everything else I make uses goat’s milk for the water portion. Now I am ready to branch out and try something new.
You will need the botanical name in INCI and water. That is all the decoction contains.
Cheers!
Tina