FENNEL SUGAR MICE FOR FLATULENCE

2 egg whites

250g icing sugar

200g dessicated coconut

4 tbsp fennel seeds

20 drops peppermint essential oil

A few drops homemade natural colourings (optional):

- for pink, use beetroot juice or blackberry jam

- for yellow, use turmeric

- for green, use juice pressed from chopped parsley

To decorate:

Cloves for eyes

Pumpkin seeds for ears

String for tails

1. Beat the egg whites until frothy but not stiff. Stir in the sieved icing sugar, coconut, fennel seeds and peppermint essential oil, and mix until the mixture forms a firm dough. (Feel free to add more sugar if the mixture is not stiff enough to hold its shape.)

2. Knead in a few drops of colouring (optional).

3. Form the dough into 21 little mice shapes - greasing your hands lightly with sunflower oil beforehand helps immensely with this. Place cloves for eyes, pumpkin seeds for ears and string for tails. Arrange the mice on a sheet of greaseproof paper and leave in a warm, dry place to harden for 24 hours.

USE: When windy, eat 1-2 mice per day, remembering to remove the cloves first.

STORAGE: Will keep in an airtight tin for up to 6 weeks.

ANTI-ANXIETY SAFFRON EGG NOG

500ml whole milk

2 bay leaves

36 threads / 3 pinches saffron

2 strips orange rind

3 tbsp golden syrup

200ml single cream

3 eggs

150ml white rum

Grated fresh nutmeg, to serve

1. Pour the milk, bay leaves, saffron, orange rind, golden syrup and cream into a pan, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve.

2. Break the eggs into a glass heat-proof bowl, then slowly whisk in the hot milk mixture.

3. Place the bowl above a pan of boiling water and heat gently, stirring, until the mixture thickens to a custardy consistency. Then take it straight off the heat.

4. Whisk in the rum, then pour the mixture into a jug. Cool, then leave to stand in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before serving.

5. Serve over ice with grated nutmeg.

USE: Drink no more than 1 wineglass a day.

CAUTION: Contains alcohol.

STORAGE: Keep in the refrigerator. Will last for 2 weeks.

ROASTED CRANBERRY MINCE PIES

1 kg cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 Bramley apple, chopped

1 tsp mixed spice

100g unsalted butter

100ml maple syrup

300g soft brown sugar

3 tbsp dark rum or Cointreau

100g candied orange peel

Flour, for dusting

2 rolls ready-made shortcrust pastry

Icing sugar, to dredge

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Distribute the cranberries and chopped apple between two roasting tins. Sprinkle over the mixed spice and fleck with the butter. Drizzle the maple syrup over. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the fruit is slightly shrunken with a golden tan.

3. Remove the roasted cranberries from the oven and place in a bowl. Mix in the sugar, rum or Cointreau and candied orange peel.

4. Sprinkle flour onto a work surface and roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. Using a 7cm cookie-cutter, cut out discs of pastry and place into a greased mince pie tin. Prick the base of each pie with a fork and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven, and spoon the cranberry filling into each pastry cup. Return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Leave the pies to cool, then dredge with icing sugar.

USE: Eat 1 or 2 pies a day.

STORAGE: Store in an airtight container and eat within 1 week.

ROSEHIP AND GINGER FIZZY SHERBET - FOR HANGOVERS

50g fresh rosehips

1 tsp Maldon salt

2 tsp dried ground ginger

1 tsp citric acid

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3 tbsp glucose

1. Preheat the oven to 80°C (180°F), or its lowest setting.

2. Bash the rosehips in a mortar and pestle to break them up slightly. This will split the fruit - remove the seeds and discard.

3. Add the salt to the split hips and give them another quick bash with the pestle. The goal is just to break them up a little, not turn them into mush.

4. Scatter the rosehips on a baking tray and put in the oven at 80°C (180°F). Immediately turn off the heat and leave in the oven for half an hour or so until they are dried but not burnt.

5. Remove the dried hips from the oven and grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Mix with all other ingredients, then store in an airtight container.

USE: Add half of the sherbet to 1 litre of warm water. Stir and drink freely.

STORAGE: Provided it is completely dry, this will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

FIR TREE AND CALAMONDIN HOT TODDY

Note: Use fir needles from the Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) or Norway Spruce (Picea abies.)

For the echinacea-infused rum:

15g fresh echinacea root (or 10g if using dried)

100ml white rum

For the hot toddy:

120ml fir needles

1 star anise

3 calamondin oranges or 1 lime, sliced

250ml boiling water

2 tbsp eucalyptus honey

Pinch of black pepper

1 shot (28ml) echinacea-infused rum (see ingredients above)

1 tsp unsalted butter

1. To make the echinacea-infused rum, combine the echinacea root and the rum and leave to steep in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks. Strain out the echinacea and bottle up. The mixture will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

2. To make the hot toddy, strip the needles from the fir branches until you have 120ml.

3. Put the needles in a teapot or bowl with the star anise and sliced calamondin oranges or lime, honey and black pepper. Pour over the freshly boiled water. Cover and leave to steep for 15 minutes.

4. Strain into a pan, and reheat on the stove.

5. Once reheated, add the echinacea-infused rum and butter until melted. Stir, then serve in a large cup.

USE: For adults, drink 1 cup only in the evening or before bedtime.

CAUTION: Contains alcohol. Consideration should be made when driving.

STORAGE: Best made fresh for use at once.