I am about to harvest Lactula serriola (Prickly Lettuce) as it is beginning to flower, but wanted to verify the best preparation methods. In Doc Jones book of medicinal weeds he speaks of “putting the leaves and stems in the blender with vodka, then letting them sit for a few weeks for tincture”. With the high volume of water in the plant, would it be better to use Everclear for the higher alcohol content? Also, is it possible to put the leaves and stems in the freeze dryer to dry for later use or teas?