Wildcrafting spice blends and baking forest spice honey cookies: Today, it’s as easy as a trip to my local grocery store to pick up exotic spices from all over the world, and yet -- these are not the flavors of my home. These spices don’t dance in my landscape, don’t grow alongside the other plants I forage for. My home climate here in the Pacific Northwest isn’t hot enough for cinnamon, mace, or cloves. But a walk in the winter woods doesn’t feel lacking! The more I explore and fall in love with the layers of magic that make up my relationship to the landscape, the more I notice. As I wander out on a winter afternoon, I notice that the woods DO smell spicy, and sweet, and earthy, and crisp. They smell balanced and beautiful. 🌿 A walk in the winter woods and meadows. A pocket-full of berries and seeds. A warm pan just starting to shimmer. The seductive fragrance of toasting spices engulfing me. The peace of hand-grinding in a mortar and pestle, breathing in the scent of the spicy wilderness. I love every part of this ritual, and I have been delightfully surprised at just how many flavors are hidden right under my nose! 🌿 Foraging for your own wild spices and processing them by hand is a practice of patience and reverence. Remember: this is a choice you are making. You could pick up a jar of Pumpkin Spice at any grocery store in minutes, while this process will take some time. It’s not another errand to run, it is a practice in being engaged with your environment and your senses in a way that feels truly magical. I treasure the blends I make, knowing that they are a collaboration between my dexterous hands and my beautiful environment. 🌿 Join me in making these delicious forest spice honey cookies, plus whipping up a few other spice blends made from local foraged flavors! You’ll delight in them all winter long, plus they make fantastic gifts 🌿💚 🌿 Can you think of any local wild plants that might be tasty in a spice blend? What kind of mix would YOU make?? . ✨✨✨ . #wildcrafting #wildfoodlove #wildfoodforaging #cottagecorebaking #cottagecore #forestcore #wildcrafted #foraged #foragingforflavor #misswondersmith #thewondersmith