You will need
- a handful of strawberry leaves
- a handful of cinquefoils leaves
- a handful of tansy or mallow leaves
- 4 large handfuls of plantain leaves
- 2 quarts of cow’s milk
Process
Dr. Konopko used to say that this cream was very useful in winter, especially for those keen on skiing, mountain climbing as well as for people with very dry skin, sensitive to low temperatures. It softens and heals. Due to the delicate texture it easily and effortlessly spreads onto skin.
The recipe taken from «The complete collection of urban and rural recipes» by Charles Carter (the volume first published in 1732) says: «Take a small handful of strawberry leaves, the same amount of cinquefoils and tansies (or mallow) and 4 large handfuls of plantain leaves. Wash them and place in a distiller with 2 quarts of cow’s milk. Once you obtain a quart of the ready product, stop distillation. Soak a linen tissue in the distilled water and wash your face before sleep, and a few times during the day. It is best to prepare the water in spring. It can be stored in a glass bottle for the whole year.»
Possibly the cream can indeed be stored for the whole year, but Dr. Konopko said the product was so great and beneficial, that people who needed it used it up really quickly. He himself kept it in the fridge for less than a week before running out of it completely.