Orientation:
Please take a moment to listen to your animated instructor tell you about today’s class.
We will be holding it at the Galley. Using the aft stairwell, you can go down to Deck 3. The galley is straight ahead, past the Healing Bay and Aphrodite’s Beauty Salon.
Bring your notebook and a beverage. Read the notes below, watch the videos and download your recipe book.
Cautions and Guidelines
Is it safe to cook with essential oils? Possibly, but strict guidelines must be followed. Essential oils are very concentrated and can be poisonous if used in a too-high quantity, and the amount differs substantially between essential oils.
The medicine is in the dose, and too high of a dose can be fatal with some essential oils. The amount used for cooking is minimal. One or two drops go a long way in improving the smell and taste of some dishes.
Essential oils are much more toxic to youngsters. If you have allergies, avoid any essential oils originating from a plant you are sensitive to or allergic to. Pregnant women, anyone under the age of 7, and anyone breastfeeding should not consume essential oils. Never use them with animals. Many essential oils are usually helpful when taken externally but interact with medications in a problematic way if taken internally. Also, anyone who has epilepsy, diabetes, or allergies, to begin with, must be extremely careful.
Yet, they are used as flavouring for toothpaste and foods, so they are already in our food chain. Some essential oils like fruit peels- orange, lime, and lemon are generally very safe if you do not have sensitivities, except they are never advised for pregnant women.
It all comes down to dosing. You need very little essential oil to create a lot of flavour. Most essential oils already used as food enhancers commercially are declared safe at specific (low) quantities. Your downloads include a link to the GRAS chart (generally recognized as safe).
To reiterate, essential oils are potent. Only use safe essential oils, and do not use them on people who are underage, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, epileptic, sensitive, or allergic. The diabetic category is added here, as some essential oils can interact with diabetic medications.
Flavour Enhancement Ideas-
I prefer organic essential oils for cooking and baking when you can get them.
A few ideas about cooking with essential oils.
Always add them after the heat subsides, or they will boil or bake away, leaving your home smelling delicious but disappearing from your product. Could you add them at the last minute and stir well?
Add them to the fat portion of food. Essential oils work best if emulsified, allowing them to spread through the food. So, full-fat milk, cream, yogurt, olive oil, mayonnaise, eggs, or avocado disperse essential oils. Stir well to ensure even distribution.
In hot drinks, such as ginger or peppermint tea, add a drop of essential oil to a spoonful of honey, as honey is also a good emulsifier.
Some ways essential oils taste delicious-
After stir-frying your vegetables, create a tasty oil topping. Before taking the vegetables out of the frying pan, place one or two drops of ginger, cardamom, dill, lemongrass, or cumin essential oil (no more than four drops combined) in 2 tbsps of vegetable oil. Drizzle this over your creation, stir, and warm gently.
Add a drop of organic rose geranium or rose to vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Essential Oils Perk Up Cooking Oil–
I like a drop of cilantro, cardamom, and ginger on 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil drizzled onto my quinoa or other grains. You may also add the safe-to-consume essential oils in very low quantities to your other cooking oils, such as olive or coconut. Please decide whether you want to go citrusy or savoury. One drop of essential oil to a tablespoon of carrier oil is usually a safe choice.
Citrus- I like lime, grapefruit, orange, tangerine, lemon, mandarin or bergamot for a citrus sparkle.
Savoury– Try summer savoury, basil, marjoram, dill weed, black pepper, oregano or thyme.
Herbs can be used in a carrier oil if the product is consumed quickly. Essential oils do not spoil and go bad in the same way that herbs will.
A few ideas follow–
Place 3 drops of lime, e.o., into 1 Tbsp. Mix melted butter, coconut, or olive oil into the soup. It perks up chicken soup beautifully.
I like a drop of lemongrass in olive oil on fish dishes.
A drop of dill weed, e.g., in olive oil, is reminiscent of mid-summer feasts. It is good on olive oil or yogurt and drizzled on baked potatoes.
Lemon Pepper—Add two drops of lemon oil to 25 grams of coarsely ground pepper. Please put it in a jar with a lid. -Mix well and let it sit for at least four days before use.
Bread and Pastry—Add oils to bread dough before baking. One drop of orange and cinnamon, e.g., stirred very well, can add zest. Spice, citrus, and flower essential oils can taste lovely in pastry.
Puddings–
Add a few drops into puddings, such as rice, tapioca, or egg custard, for boosted flavour. There are a dizzying array of possibilities.
FDA-Approved for Internal Consumption
We do not necessarily agree with everything said by the company listed above, but the list of oils approved by the FDA is worth a peek. Please be sure to -always be careful with which essential oils you use internally, who you use them with and the quantity used. But you know this by now :)-
Citrus Flavoured Salt
Ingredients
· 6 tbsp Himalayan pink salt
· 1/4 cup powdered citrus; use either orange peel, lemon peel or lime peel.
· six drops of lemon, lime or orange essential oil.
1. Peel the fruit
2. Slice the peels into strips
3. Put sliced peels in the oven on the lowest heat setting, or use your dehydrator.
4. When dehydrated, put peels in a blender or coffee grinder and make a fine powder.
5. Add the essential oils to the mix and stir exceptionally well.
6. Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting, non-plastic lid.
7. Pour into a salt shaker and use on dishes where you would like a citrus/salt flavour, such as fish.
There are many other salt flavours you can create. This is just one example.
Here is an Herbal Salt Recipe Video-
To create more flavour than in the video, add a few drops of essential oil to match your herbal blend, i.e. marjoram, rosemary, basil, or oregano, before processing.
Video- Shrubs and Sipping Vinegars-Student Project, Toniese Fontaine
Shrubs and Sipping Vinegar might fit into herbal culinary more than aromatherapy. Yet, this fascinating subject is worth including in the Earth Spirit Curriculum. Toniese Fontaine shares her experiences with making shrubs. Turn the Volume up for this video:)
In Summary–
Quality Matters: Always choose high-quality essential oils. Choose only safe essential oils. Opt for organic oils to avoid pesticides or chemicals.
Less is More: Essential oils are highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way—usually, just a drop or two flavours an entire dish. Starting with less is better; you can always add more, but you can’t take it out once it’s in!
Dilution is Key: Due to their potency, essential oils should be highly diluted before being added to recipes. You can dilute them with carrier oil (like olive or coconut oil) or mix them into a fat dish component, such as butter or cream. This ensures even flavour distribution and reduces the risk of ingesting too much.
Heat Sensitivity: Some essential oils are sensitive to heat and can lose their beneficial properties or alter flavour when exposed to high temperatures. It’s often best to add them at the end of the cooking process or into dishes that don’t require heat, like salads or dressings.
Please be sure to know Your Oils: Familiarize yourself with the properties of each essential oil. Some oils, like lemon, orange, or lime, are generally safe for culinary use, but others can be toxic. Always research and understand the safety profile of each oil before using it in your cooking.
Remember, while essential oils can add an exciting dimension to your cooking, they differ significantly from traditional herbs and spices. Always be cautious and use less rather than more.
Here are a few more recipes to try–
Lemon Essential Oil Hummus
Ingredients:
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained
Three tablespoons tahini
Two cloves garlic, minced
Three tablespoons olive oil
Two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
One drop of lemon essential oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Blend chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth.
Add a drop of lemon essential oil and blend again.
Could you season with salt and pepper?
Serve with vegetables or pita bread.
Caution: Lemon essential oil is phototoxic, so avoid sun exposure after handling it directly.
Peppermint Essential Oil Chocolate Truffles (Not for anyone under 8). 
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1-2 drops of peppermint essential oil
Cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions:
Heat cream in a saucepan until it simmers.
Pour over chocolate chips in a bowl and let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
Add peppermint essential oil and mix well.
Chill the mixture, roll it into balls, and dust it with cocoa powder.
Caution: Peppermint essential oil is potent; start with one drop and taste before adding more.
Lavender Essential Oil Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 drop of lavender essential oil
Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Gradually add flour, mixing well.
Please just make sure to stir in lavender essential oil.
Roll dough, cut into shapes, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12-15 minutes.
Caution: Lavender essential oil should be used sparingly due to its strong flavour.
Rosemary Essential Oil Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
3 cups baby potatoes, halved
Two tablespoons of olive oil
1 drop of rosemary essential oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Toss potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes.
Once done, mix with rosemary essential oil and serve.
Caution: Rosemary essential oil should be used moderately due to its intense flavour.
Orange Essential Oil Fruit Salad
Ingredients
Mixed fruits of your choice (e.g., berries, kiwi, pineapple)
One tablespoon honey
1 drop of orange essential oil
Instructions:
Combine mixed fruits in a bowl.
Whisk together honey and orange essential oil, drizzle over the fruit, and toss gently.
Each recipe shows how essential oils can enhance flavour in unique ways. Always remember that essential oils are potent; a little goes a long way. Enjoy experimenting with these in your kitchen!
Check your Practical Potions Journal downloads below for many ideas about cooking with essential oils.