Bewitched: Jori Jayne Emde and the Revival of Love Potions
Ever heard the one about the dram that causes its victim to fall for the first person she sees? Stories of misguided dosing attempts—from Titania’s entanglement with an ass inA Midsummer Night’s Dreamto a lovelorn Andrew McCarthy turning Mariel Hemingway into a sexual harpie in “Tales from the Crypt”—have been smearing the reputation of love potions since Tristan and Yseult.
But ask Jori Jayne Emde, who quietly produces love potions in her idyllic converted barn laboratory in Chatham and she’ll tell you that’s all drama conjured for cinematic effect. The chef, fermentation expert and renownedFish & Game“flavor maker” is also a passionate arcanist, dedicating hours to translating medieval texts into modern elixirs designed to soothe PMS, embolden the spirit and even inspire dreams. She sells these, along with craft-fermented vinegars and condiments, on her website,Lady Jayne’s Alchemy.
“In the movies, it’s more exciting to drop something in someone’s wine without them knowing,” says Emde. “But I think you need to have a connection with [a love potion] in order for it to work. Everything I make is intended to affect self-love: It triggers euphoria, happiness and it helps with confidence. The goal is to empower.”
She began making her love potion years ago, after stumbling upon one in a 14th-century tome. “I collect a lot of historical texts, and cookbooks in particular,” she explains. “While reading one of these books,The Forme of Cury在烹饪中,有一个爱锅食谱ion. So, I went down the rabbit hole looking for more of them. These recipes are really hard to translate, because they’re in Old English. But as I continued to look, they all had a similar base: coriander seed, honey, rose hips—all of these love-oriented botanicals.”
The first iteration of her love potion appeared in a Valentine’s Day cocktail served at Fish & Game, the Hudson restaurant that Emde operates with her husband,Chef Zak Pelaccio, and co-chef Kevin Pomplun. Before long, Emde was bottling it for friends looking to enhance their amorous feelings. “It’s really delicious,” she enthuses. “I use a proprietary blend of medieval spices, wild apples from my property to make the vinegar, then combine it with rose hips and coriander seeds from my property—or, if I don’t have any, fromLetterbox Farm—and honey from Fish & Game Farm.”
Available for $10 per four-ounce bottle, the suggested dosage is seven dashes combined with five ounces of your preferred beverage. Before imbibing, one is instructed to say the following ceremonial prayer: “By the power of her mighty moon, I charge thee with love and desire.”
But Emde encourages those seeking tonics to reach out to her directly for more customized versions. “That is something I enjoy tremendously,” says Emde, noting that love potions don’t require the recipient to have a partner. “You can take it to give yourself self-love and push out any doubt. I make something that has beautiful intentions to give you more confidence. It’s not about creating a tingly sensation or horniness!”
Though, she’s not opposed to exploring tingles.
“I haven’t had a stranger ask me about impotence,” she laughs. “Guys are weird about that sort of stuff. ‘Hey, you got something for my softie?’ But, I would be open to toying around with stimulants.”
Fish & Game|@fishgamehudson
Lady Jayne’s Alchemy|@jorijayne
Chef Zak Pelaccio|@zakarypelaccio
Letterbox Farm|@letterboxfarmers
