Ancient Herbs Are Still Fresh!
There is something wonderful about growing a fresh herb garden or having a lovely vase of fresh herb sprigs on your counter in the summertime, but often we're not quite sure what to do besides lovingly admiring them. Here is a brief history of some popular herbs, along with some culinary ideas.
Anise Hyssop is neither an anise nor a hyssop, but in fact Agastache. This North American native was once widely used by American Indians for a variety of internal complaints including coughs. It was also popular for sweetening other dishes. In the late 1800s, American beekeepers planted agastache around their hives to give the honey a nice anise flavoring. Both the leaves and flowers are edible- try adding the flowers to salads for a pretty touch, and use the leaves to make either hot or iced tea.
Basil is popular throughout the world. In the west it is widely associated with Italian dishes, but in India, a variety of basil called Tulsi or Holy Basil is considered sacred by Hindus. It is the star of the Tulsi Vivaha, a festival which begins the annual marriage season. It's Ayurvedic uses date as far back as the Vedas, the oldest known scriptures still in use today. Basil has a distinct flavor made up of over 20 known constituents. Some of the oils present are also found in Anise, Cinnamon, Clove, Lemon, Rose, Lilac, Orange, Thyme, and Camphor. Soaked Basil seeds make a refreshing drink. Try combining heirloom garden tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped basil, and salt. Now that is the quintessential sumer dish!
Chives and Garlic Scapes are both members of the Allium family that includes onions, garlic, and leeks. Scapes are excellent chopped up anywhere you'd use garlic- in fact, they are the top of the garlic plant. Their flavor is not as strong as the bulb. Our friend Shelley claims that scapes make the best hummus around. Chives are probably best known for hanging around with potatoes, but the pretty round purple flowers make a nice edible addition to other dishes as well. Here's a tip for cutting chives: hold a bundle of chives over your dish and use kitchen shears or scissors to snip perfectly sized pieces. This also works great for scallions and possibly even scapes if your shears are strong enough.
Lemon Balm has been held dear in civilized society for at least 2,000 years. It was mentioned in the Odyssey, ordered grown in every Monastery garden by Charlemagne, and grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. It's been touted as a cure for everything from dog bites to heart ailments, but these days it's more likely to be grown for it's light lemon-mint flavoring than for the medicine cabinet. Use both leaves and stems for making tea: mix it with other fresh herbs and black tea for a delicious twist, or make a fruit punch and garnish each glass with sprigs of it. Chop the fresh leaves for cooking. Lemon Balm is a refreshing addition to any cold salad such as mixed fruit, chicken salad, and marinated vegetables. Try it with fish or add it to stuffing. It can also be used to make a cleansing steam facial, and for kicks you can even rub it on wooden furniture to help polish the wood while giving it a nice fragrance!
Mint is one of the most popular flavoring agents in the entire world, yet the fresh plants are seldom tasted outside of the tea pot. Try adding spearmint to a pea and potato dish, tabbouleh, or any salad for a cooling twist. Peppermint or Chocolate mint is a bit stronger, so if you'd like to experiment with it, just remember to start sparingly. Try adding small amounts to a fresh fruit salad.
Nasturtium's name is quite confusing, for the true Nasturtium family is Watercress. The plants we call Nasturtium are actually members of the Tropaeolum family. The reason for the mix-up? In the 16th century, when Nasturtiums were introduced from India, it's flavor was thought to be similar to that of watercress, and so it was called Indian Cress. The peppery leaves and flowers are used both internally and externally as a remedy for baldness and poor hair and skin conditions. The leaves make a nice accompaniment to egg or soft cheese dishes, the flowers brighten up both the look and taste of an ordinary salad, and the unripe fruits can be pickled as a caper substitute.
Rosemary comes from the Latin Rosmarinus, meaning "dew of the sea". It is native to the Mediterranean regions and has as many symbolic uses as culinary. Rosemary is a symbol of friendship, remembrance, and loyalty. Medicinally, it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. A flavonoid present in the plant called diosmin is currently being researched in hopes that it may alleviate the symptoms of Toxic Shock Syndrome. Rosemary is a common flavoring agent in meats such as lamb. At the farm, it is often found sprinkled on our own herbed foccacia bread. The leaves and twigs are rather tough, so it is best to chop the leaves finely or add a sprig to your dish, removing before serving.
Savory was once a staple herb in Europe. It was once of the strongest flavoring agents available before the age of world exploration and trade introduced black pepper. The Latin name is "Satureja", stemming from the ancient Greek belief that it was a plant owned by the Satyrs, a half-man , half- goat creature that roamed the mythological forests. It's strong flavor is used to make a tea that is both an expectorant and a cough remedy. Savory is almost always called for in classic recipes that combine green beans and lentils, and it is supposedly the essential flavoring agent when cooking trout.
Sorrel or Dock is another herb that's been around for quite some time. Rumor has it that Caesar's soldiers cured themselves of scurvy by consuming the astringent herb, which has a very lemon-like aftertaste. Sorrel is excellent in salads, sauces and dressings (Kevin likes to pair it with strawberries for a refreshing vinaigrette). It adds color and acidity to mayonnaise and soft cheese spreads. It is best either used raw or thrown into a cooked dish at the last second- cooking sorrel makes the flavor disappear. Medicinally, sorrel is an excellent detoxifying herb that can help stimulate bile flow. Here's an interesting fact: sorrel extract is an ingredient in some cleaning products for removing rust, mold, and ink from linen, wood, silver, and wicker. mmmm.
Tarragon was once restricted to the gardens of nobility only. It was believed to fight fatigue in the Middle Ages, leading to pilgrims stuffing it in their shoes before setting off on long journeys. It is one of the French Fine Herbs, and is a common flavoring agent for both vinegar and fish. Thomas Jefferson was one of the earliest American tarragon lovers; he readily distributed divisions and seeds around the new world. Tarragon makes an excellent accompaniment for any creamy sauce or egg dish. The flavor is strong, so go lightly and add when the dish is nearly complete- if it cooks too long, it may become slightly bitter.
Thyme has been useful for a wide variety of remedies over the centuries. Sprigs were burned to chase stinging insects out of the house. As recently as WWI, thyme oil was used as an antiseptic. a warm tea was used to prevent nightmares, and a combination of beer and thyme was believed to be an antidote to shyness (isn't beer and anything an antidote to shyness?). Thyme is a staple ingredient in clam chowder and goes great with borscht or any Italian dish.
When cooking with fresh herbs, just remember that one Tablespoon of fresh equals one teaspoon of dry, so if your recipe calls for dry, you need to use more than what it calls for. For more herb recipe ideas, click here.
Anise Hyssop is neither an anise nor a hyssop, but in fact Agastache. This North American native was once widely used by American Indians for a variety of internal complaints including coughs. It was also popular for sweetening other dishes. In the late 1800s, American beekeepers planted agastache around their hives to give the honey a nice anise flavoring. Both the leaves and flowers are edible- try adding the flowers to salads for a pretty touch, and use the leaves to make either hot or iced tea.
Basil is popular throughout the world. In the west it is widely associated with Italian dishes, but in India, a variety of basil called Tulsi or Holy Basil is considered sacred by Hindus. It is the star of the Tulsi Vivaha, a festival which begins the annual marriage season. It's Ayurvedic uses date as far back as the Vedas, the oldest known scriptures still in use today. Basil has a distinct flavor made up of over 20 known constituents. Some of the oils present are also found in Anise, Cinnamon, Clove, Lemon, Rose, Lilac, Orange, Thyme, and Camphor. Soaked Basil seeds make a refreshing drink. Try combining heirloom garden tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped basil, and salt. Now that is the quintessential sumer dish!
Chives and Garlic Scapes are both members of the Allium family that includes onions, garlic, and leeks. Scapes are excellent chopped up anywhere you'd use garlic- in fact, they are the top of the garlic plant. Their flavor is not as strong as the bulb. Our friend Shelley claims that scapes make the best hummus around. Chives are probably best known for hanging around with potatoes, but the pretty round purple flowers make a nice edible addition to other dishes as well. Here's a tip for cutting chives: hold a bundle of chives over your dish and use kitchen shears or scissors to snip perfectly sized pieces. This also works great for scallions and possibly even scapes if your shears are strong enough.
Lemon Balm has been held dear in civilized society for at least 2,000 years. It was mentioned in the Odyssey, ordered grown in every Monastery garden by Charlemagne, and grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. It's been touted as a cure for everything from dog bites to heart ailments, but these days it's more likely to be grown for it's light lemon-mint flavoring than for the medicine cabinet. Use both leaves and stems for making tea: mix it with other fresh herbs and black tea for a delicious twist, or make a fruit punch and garnish each glass with sprigs of it. Chop the fresh leaves for cooking. Lemon Balm is a refreshing addition to any cold salad such as mixed fruit, chicken salad, and marinated vegetables. Try it with fish or add it to stuffing. It can also be used to make a cleansing steam facial, and for kicks you can even rub it on wooden furniture to help polish the wood while giving it a nice fragrance!
Mint is one of the most popular flavoring agents in the entire world, yet the fresh plants are seldom tasted outside of the tea pot. Try adding spearmint to a pea and potato dish, tabbouleh, or any salad for a cooling twist. Peppermint or Chocolate mint is a bit stronger, so if you'd like to experiment with it, just remember to start sparingly. Try adding small amounts to a fresh fruit salad.
Nasturtium's name is quite confusing, for the true Nasturtium family is Watercress. The plants we call Nasturtium are actually members of the Tropaeolum family. The reason for the mix-up? In the 16th century, when Nasturtiums were introduced from India, it's flavor was thought to be similar to that of watercress, and so it was called Indian Cress. The peppery leaves and flowers are used both internally and externally as a remedy for baldness and poor hair and skin conditions. The leaves make a nice accompaniment to egg or soft cheese dishes, the flowers brighten up both the look and taste of an ordinary salad, and the unripe fruits can be pickled as a caper substitute.
Rosemary comes from the Latin Rosmarinus, meaning "dew of the sea". It is native to the Mediterranean regions and has as many symbolic uses as culinary. Rosemary is a symbol of friendship, remembrance, and loyalty. Medicinally, it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. A flavonoid present in the plant called diosmin is currently being researched in hopes that it may alleviate the symptoms of Toxic Shock Syndrome. Rosemary is a common flavoring agent in meats such as lamb. At the farm, it is often found sprinkled on our own herbed foccacia bread. The leaves and twigs are rather tough, so it is best to chop the leaves finely or add a sprig to your dish, removing before serving.
Savory was once a staple herb in Europe. It was once of the strongest flavoring agents available before the age of world exploration and trade introduced black pepper. The Latin name is "Satureja", stemming from the ancient Greek belief that it was a plant owned by the Satyrs, a half-man , half- goat creature that roamed the mythological forests. It's strong flavor is used to make a tea that is both an expectorant and a cough remedy. Savory is almost always called for in classic recipes that combine green beans and lentils, and it is supposedly the essential flavoring agent when cooking trout.
Sorrel or Dock is another herb that's been around for quite some time. Rumor has it that Caesar's soldiers cured themselves of scurvy by consuming the astringent herb, which has a very lemon-like aftertaste. Sorrel is excellent in salads, sauces and dressings (Kevin likes to pair it with strawberries for a refreshing vinaigrette). It adds color and acidity to mayonnaise and soft cheese spreads. It is best either used raw or thrown into a cooked dish at the last second- cooking sorrel makes the flavor disappear. Medicinally, sorrel is an excellent detoxifying herb that can help stimulate bile flow. Here's an interesting fact: sorrel extract is an ingredient in some cleaning products for removing rust, mold, and ink from linen, wood, silver, and wicker. mmmm.
Tarragon was once restricted to the gardens of nobility only. It was believed to fight fatigue in the Middle Ages, leading to pilgrims stuffing it in their shoes before setting off on long journeys. It is one of the French Fine Herbs, and is a common flavoring agent for both vinegar and fish. Thomas Jefferson was one of the earliest American tarragon lovers; he readily distributed divisions and seeds around the new world. Tarragon makes an excellent accompaniment for any creamy sauce or egg dish. The flavor is strong, so go lightly and add when the dish is nearly complete- if it cooks too long, it may become slightly bitter.
Thyme has been useful for a wide variety of remedies over the centuries. Sprigs were burned to chase stinging insects out of the house. As recently as WWI, thyme oil was used as an antiseptic. a warm tea was used to prevent nightmares, and a combination of beer and thyme was believed to be an antidote to shyness (isn't beer and anything an antidote to shyness?). Thyme is a staple ingredient in clam chowder and goes great with borscht or any Italian dish.
When cooking with fresh herbs, just remember that one Tablespoon of fresh equals one teaspoon of dry, so if your recipe calls for dry, you need to use more than what it calls for. For more herb recipe ideas, click here.
posted by Sara at
10:40 AM
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