Horehound, Marrubium vulgare.
A greyish-leaved herb, somewhat resembling mint in appearance; traditionally used in the manufacture of cough remedies.
Cough candy recipe:
- Cover dried or fresh aboveground parts of horehound with water
- Simmer for 15 minutes
- Strain
- Measure liquid - how much did you get? 5 dl (= 1 pint)? Add 5 dl (=1 pint) sugar. 500 g (= 1 pound)? Add 500 g (= 1 pound) sugar. Or just add 2 cm (= 2/3 inch) sugar to your 2 cm (= 2/3 inch) liquid, while still in the kettle. This is a very mild medicinal herb that's going to get boiled all the way to timbooktoo and back again; it's not all that important to get dot-precise measurements.
- Also add 1 tablespoon oil or butter, that way you won't have to watch your kettle, as it now has to
- Boil for 2-4 hours, or until at least half the volume is gone
- Pour unto cookie sheets
- Let harden
- Break into candy-sized chunks
- Take a "candy" (yech) when you have a cough.
A nicer cough candy recipe:
- Instead of the horehound take 1 part peppermint, 1 part thyme, and 1 part hyssop. Yum!