Rules of the home apothecary
Every working shelf runs on the same handful of house rules, and every one of them was learned by ruining a batch. Adopt them early and skip the tuition.
- Label everything
- name and date — you will not remember
- Small batches
- made often beats made once
- When in doubt
- throw it out — jars are cheap
- Keep it visible
- a cupboard you see is a cupboard you use
- One new thing at a time
- learn it properly, then move on
- Write it down
- the notebook is the real apothecary
What goes on every jar
The label
- What it is — common name, plainly
- When it was made — month and year
- What went in — every ingredient
- When it's done — use-by, honestly
- How to use it — dose or method
The habits
- Label before you fill — not after
- Pencil on kraft — survives the shelf
- Date the opening too — syrups keep score
- No label, no shelf — the house rule
Keep this one — and get early access.
Steepie is a cozy little web app for your home apothecary: recipes, ratios, and a place to keep the ones you love. Join the beta waitlist and we’ll email you the three-sheet Home Apothecary Set — the cold-season shelf, five make-ahead recipes, and the starter shelf. Printable, and yours to keep.
Steepie shares traditional and educational information about herbs and home rituals. It isn’t medical advice, and it’s no substitute for a professional when one is needed.