As featured on ITV's Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh on Sunday 1 November 2026, Jekka shares more herbal magic inspired by the folklore and traditions of Halloween and Allhallowtide.

From a warming remembrance tea to a fragrant love potion, discover how herbs have long been associated with remembrance, protection, love and good fortune. We also explore the traditions surrounding cleansing bundles and the fascinating folklore of hawthorn, known in Ireland as the fairy thorn.

For more Halloween inspiration, discover our traditional soul cakes and lemon thyme flapjacks.

Allhallowtide Remembrance Tea

Herbs have long been associated with remembrance, protection and good fortune, making this warming infusion a fitting way to mark Allhallowtide.

Using Jekka’s Eastern Promise herbal infusion as its base, this fragrant tea combines tulsi, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and cardamom with a little rosemary, calendula, clove and nutmeg. Rosemary has a particularly strong connection with remembrance, while the other herbs and spices have their own traditional associations with warmth, protection and purification. The additional ingredients are used sparingly, allowing the wonderful balance of flavours in Eastern Promise to shine through.

Ingredients

2 Jekka’s Eastern Promise herbal infusion bags
1 small sprig fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried calendula petals
1 whole clove
A very small grating of nutmeg
500–600ml boiled water, allowed to come just off the boil
Honey, if wished

Steps

Place the Eastern Promise herbal infusion bags, rosemary, calendula, clove and nutmeg in the cafetière.
Pour over the hot water and leave to infuse for 3–5 minutes.
Press and pour.
Taste before adding honey; the Eastern Promise base already has plenty of warmth and spice.

A Little Herbal Love Potion

Roses have long been associated with love and affection, making them the perfect ingredient for a traditional love potion. Combined with the fresh, lemony fragrance of lemon balm and the natural sweetness of apple juice, this beautifully simple drink brings a little herbal magic to Halloween and Allhallowtide.

Ingredients

500ml cloudy apple juice
A small handful of fresh lemon balm leaves
A small handful of fragrant, edible rose petals
A few drops of beetroot juice (optional, for colour)

Steps

Roughly chop the fresh lemon balm leaves and rose petals.
Add them to the apple juice and whisk briefly to release their flavours and fragrance.
Strain the mixture into a bottle or serving jug.
For a deeper pink colour, add a few drops of beetroot juice, taking care not to overpower the delicate flavours of apple, rose and lemon balm.

Serve chilled and enjoy a little herbal magic!

Jekka's tip: Always use rose petals that are suitable for culinary use and have not been treated with pesticides.

A traditional cleansing bundle of sage, rosemary and bay, herbs historically associated with protection and purification. Tied together and gently smouldered, their fragrant smoke was believed to cleanse spaces and ward off negative influences.

Beyond the Recipes: Hawthorn and Fairy Folklore

Alongside her Halloween recipes, Jekka also explores the fascinating folklore of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), a tree steeped in centuries of mystery and superstition.

In Ireland, lone hawthorn trees, often known as fairy thorns, were traditionally believed to be connected to the fairy world. These trees were treated with great respect, and disturbing them was thought to bring misfortune.

Hawthorn also has a history as a landmark for community gatherings and meeting places. Its folklore is particularly rich around seasonal celebrations, including Halloween, when the boundary between the natural and supernatural worlds was traditionally believed to be at its thinnest.

A wonderful reminder that plants have always been valued for more than their culinary uses, carrying stories, beliefs and traditions through generations.

Want to Know More?

Herbs have always been treasured for more than their flavour and fragrance. From comforting infusions to ancient traditions and folklore, they connect us with the people who grew and used them through generations.

If you enjoyed these recipes, why not try Jekka's traditional soul cakes and lemon thyme flapjacks?

Discover more fascinating stories in Herbs, Magic and Folklore: The Plants Behind Halloween, or explore our collection of Jekka's Herb-Based Recipes.