Wonderful World of Herbs

Herbs are great for seasoning your recipes, and certain herbs work best in specific dishes. When one fixes a dish of mixed vegetables, it's a good idea to add a small amount each, of thyme and oregano. If you have fresh herbs, they make the food taste much better than the dried kind you get at the grocery store. If your herbs seem extra dry, use a little more as seasoning. You can grow your favorites in small-to-medium containers on your windowsill, or you can have a special portion of your outdoor garden set aside for herbs. Since I live where the winters are often severely cold, I always plant in containers so they can be brought inside during winter.

If we could buy fresh herbs that have just been harvested from their plants and vines, that would be great. Some herbs have great medicinal values, such as mint, garlic and others. There are also herbs that exude a pleasant aromatic scent. Some have flowers, and others have a lovely look of greenery. Some herbs are grown indoors as a hobby, and are probably harvested also for the taste that enhances many different recipes. It is recommended to start small with the indoor plantings, and see how fun it can be.

Chives are one of the most interesting and delicious, especially on top of your baked potato and sour cream. If you plant the chives in an outdoor garden in late summer, you can dig up a plant or two and put them in large pots to keep in a cool windowsill or light garden for winter harvest. The pots should be left outdoors until after a few frosts for the greatest leaf production.

If you purchase herb plants or seeds to start your herbs in the spring, ask your garden shop sales person about the soil and moisture content, as with the great difference in soil and moisture of the large variety of herbs available, it is difficult to know how to care for them. However, most herbs need good drainage, but should never be left to dry out - just so they are slightly moist.

Herbs are also quite nutritious, and will add more antioxidants and vitamins to your meals. They will make vegetables (especially fresh ones) and meats taste so good, you will not crave as many sweets. There are also some herbs that enhance a variety of fruits.

You can also make herbal teas, and you can experiment with a mixture of a variety of herbs. Any time of year is a good time to get into the tea spirit. Start collecting the herbs you will need and begin trying different tastes and scents as an experiment. If you do not find a mixture you like at once, keep trying a new mixture, eliminating one herb and substituting another until you find a taste that really satisfies. When you come up with a great-tasting tea, but it seems a little weak, simply add more of the herb that tends to be giving the greatest taste. Keep working on this until you have a delicious hot or cold tea. Some herbs to try for tea are lemon balm, apple sage, and many scented geraniums. If the tea flavor is still slightly bland, try adding cinnamon, spices, lemon or orange peel, rose hips, hibiscus flowers, or even dried fruits. These flavors are complemented by the herbs.

Sources:

"The Herb Gardener," A Guide for All Seasons, by Susan McClure, 1996, Printed in the United States by RR Donnelley & Sons Company
"The Herb Handbook," by: Pamela Westland, Gallery Books, Quintet Publishing Limited 1991