Where to Start with Rosalee de la Foret
Rosalee de la Foret is a registered herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild and one of the most popular herbal educators working today. Her path into herbalism began out of necessity: diagnosed with a terminal autoimmune disease in her early twenties, she turned to plant medicine when conventional approaches fell short. Over more than two decades, she used herbal remedies to support her healing and completely transform her health. That personal experience shapes everything she writes. She does not approach herbs as abstract botanical science or mystical folklore. She treats them as practical, everyday tools for real people with real health concerns, and she teaches readers how to match specific herbs to their individual constitution and needs.
Start here
Alchemy of Herbs
Rosalee de la Foret · 384 pages · 2017 · Easy
Themes: herbalism, herbal remedies, cooking with herbs, herbal energetics, natural health
The best entry point into Rosalee de la Foret’s work, and one of the most practical introductions to everyday herbalism in print. De la Foret profiles 29 common herbs and spices, most of which you can find at any grocery store, and shows you how to transform them into teas, meals, beauty products, and healing remedies. What sets this book apart is its focus on herbal energetics: the idea that different herbs work best for different people depending on their individual constitution.
Why Start Here
De la Foret has a gift for making herbalism feel immediately accessible. Rather than sending you to specialty shops for obscure dried roots, she starts with ingredients you probably already own: cinnamon, garlic, ginger, turmeric, black pepper. Each herb profile includes its history, energetic properties, specific recipes, and guidance on who it works best for. That last element is rare in beginner herbalism books and reflects her training as a clinical herbalist.
The book is structured so you can open it to any herb and start making something useful that same day. The recipes range from simple teas and spice blends to more involved preparations like elderberry syrup and fire cider. Every recipe is designed to be delicious, not just medicinal. De la Foret believes that the best herbal medicine is the kind you actually enjoy taking.
Her writing is warm and encouraging without being vague. She backs up traditional uses with references to scientific research, giving readers confidence that these approaches have real substance behind them. The personal stories woven throughout, drawn from her own health journey and her years of clinical practice, keep the book grounded and human.
What to Expect
A beautifully designed, full-color book organized by herb, with each profile covering energetics, preparation methods, recipes, and contraindications. The opening section teaches you the fundamentals of herbal energetics so you can start matching herbs to your own body’s needs. At 384 pages it is thorough, but the recipe-forward format makes it easy to dip in and out rather than reading cover to cover.
Alternatives
Rosalee de la Foret & Emily Han · 424 pages · 2020 · Moderate
A natural next step after Alchemy of Herbs, co-written with herbalist and forager Emily Han. Where the first book focuses on kitchen-shelf herbs, Wild Remedies takes you outdoors to identify and harvest two dozen common wild plants for food and medicine. The book includes 75 recipes along with detailed plant profiles, seasonal foraging guides, and beautiful illustrations to help with identification.
Why Read This
If Alchemy of Herbs opened your eyes to the healing potential of everyday herbs, Wild Remedies extends that awareness into the world right outside your door. De la Foret and Han teach you to see dandelions, nettles, elderberries, and other common wild plants as valuable allies rather than weeds. The seasonal structure encourages a deeper relationship with your local landscape, making herbalism a year-round practice rather than a kitchen hobby.
The book balances practical foraging guidance with a philosophy of reciprocity and care for the land. It includes advice on ethical harvesting, habitat awareness, and how to tend wild plant populations rather than deplete them. That ecological consciousness sets it apart from most foraging guides.
What to Expect
An illustrated guide organized by season, with plant profiles covering identification, habitat, harvesting, and multiple preparation methods. The 75 recipes include foods, teas, tinctures, and body care products. At 424 pages, it is comprehensive, best approached after you have some basic herbal experience from Alchemy of Herbs or a similar introduction.