The Traveller’s Stomach
There are meals shared with strangers, spices that surprise the tongue, and unfamiliar waters that leave
the belly unsettled. The road feeds us with generosity, but not always with gentleness.
This tincture was made for those moments - the tightness beneath the ribs,
the nausea that comes with winding roads, the heaviness after rich foods,
the uneasy belly that disrupts sleep. A companion for the guts of the wanderer.
The Caravan Digestif Tincture
Soothing • Grounding • Travel Comfort
Old-World Origin
In the spice markets of Fez, Tunis, and Palermo, traders shared not only flavours, but remedies for the belly.
Caraway for wind and cramping. Fennel for fullness. Ginger for motion sickness.Lemon peel for cooling and clarity.
These ingredients were traded as eagerly as rice, wool, and resin.
Healers tucked seed blends into cloth packets, steeped them in strong liquor,
then gifted them to travellers who shared long tables and longer routes.
This formula honours the belly wisdom of market healers and midwives of the road.
Ingredients (120 ml)
Seeds & Herbs
✶ 1 tsp fennel seeds (lightly crushed)
✶ ½ tsp caraway seeds
✶ ½ tsp anise seed (not star anise)
✶ Fresh peel of ½ lemon (thin strip, no pith)
✶ ½ tsp grated fresh ginger or ¼ tsp dried ginger
Alcohol Base
✶ 150 ml Italian Grappa (traditional digestif spirit)
-or-
✶ 150 ml fine French Eau-de-vie (prefer clear fruit varieties)
Non-Alcoholic Base
✶ Raw apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
✶ ½ tsp honey or date honey (optional)
The Preparation
Lightly crush fennel seeds to release aroma.
Add all seeds, ginger, and lemon peel into a clean glass jar.
Pour grappa/eau-de-vie (or vinegar base) until fully submerged.
Seal, then wrap the jar in a scrap of market fabric -
many healers believed digestive remedies must be clothed in colours of trade, abundance, and shared tables.
Steep in a cool, dark place for 21-24 days, shaking gently every 2-3 days.
Strain, bottle in amber glass, label with a small spiral or seed symbol.
How to Use
✶ 2-3 drops on the tongue after meals
✶ 3-4 drops in warm water before sleep
✶ 2 drops in tea during nausea
✶ 1 drop beneath the tongue before bumpy travel
Symbolism
✶ Fennel - release of tension, wind, and fullness
✶ Caraway - gut comfort, steadying turbulence
✶ Anise - sweetness, breath easing digestion
✶ Ginger - warmth, motion, travel support
✶ Lemon Peel - cooling clarity, stomach brightness
✶ Grappa/Eau-de-vie - ancestral digestive tradition
Intention
"May my belly soften, release, and welcome the flavours of the world without discomfort."
Author’s Note
I made this tincture after nights of heavy meals shared with generous cooks across different countries.
It remains a quiet thank-you to my stomach for every dish it has welcomed from strangers’ kitchens.
CaravanSerai Gypsy