Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick
Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.
At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."
Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.
A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."
[snipped]
She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.
"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
http://www.ghosttraveller.com/THIRTIES%20RECIPES.htm
Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies
1 cup butter or full fat margarine
2/3 c sugar
1 c molasses
1/4 c sour milk
2 1/2 c sifted all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
Cream butter thoroughly. Add sugar gradually and cream together until fluffy. Add molasses and milk. Mix well. Sift flour with soda, ginger, and salt 3 times. Add flour to butter mixture, mix thoroughly. Chill. Roll out dough on floured surface thin and cut out with cookie cutters or a floured glass. Bake on greased cookie sheets at 375 for 8 minutes, until done.
Round the World Cookbook, 1934
This one, as well as Cakes and Cookies With Personality, was put out by the makers of “Nucoa :The Double-Purpose Food” (also the makers of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise). It was one of those brands of white shortening (”oleo-margarine”, they gleefully referred to it as) that came with a packet of yellow food dye if you wanted to pass it off as a butter substitute. The wholesome thrift spread for bread and flavor shortening that now contains over 7500 units of vitamin A in every pound...
Butterscotch Pie
1 pre baked pie crust
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter (or, if you prefer, ‘Nucoa oleo-margarine’)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp powdered sugar
Heat a heavy fry pan over medium heat. Add the butter and brown sugar and stir until the sugar is melted and a thick brown syrup is formed. Add one cup of the milk into the pan, and the vanilla. Beat the egg yolks lightly in a medium sized bowl, and combine with the remaining milk and the flour until smooth. Add to the mixture in the fry pan and stir over medium heat until thickened and creamy. Pour into cooled pie crust. Beat remaining egg whites with powdered sugar until stiff and spoon decoratively over pie. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven until meringue is browned, Serve cold.
Substitutes for sour milk or buttermilk
from Successful Baking for Flavor and Texture by Martha Lee Anderson, 1936
Sweet milk can be artificially and quickly clabbered or soured by the acids present in citrus fruit juices, that is, lemon, orange, or grapefruit juice, or by vinegar. To change sweet milk to sour milk, equaling it as a leavening agent with baking soda, use the acid juices in the following quantities:
1 1/3 tbsp vinegar (4tsp)
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (4 1/2 tsp)
1/4 c grapefruit juice (4 tbsp)
3/4 c orange juice(12 tbsp)
For example: when vinegar is used to clabber sweet milk, place 1 1/3 tbsp vinegar in a measuring cup, add sufficient sweet milk until the combination of milk and vinegar equals the quantity of sour milk required. Mix well. In any case, the resulting sour milk will react with 1/2 tsp baking soda. It can be used in place of sour milk or buttermilk in any baking soda recipe.
Philippine Goulash
2 cans red kidney beans
1/2 lb sliced bacon
1 quart can tomatoes
1 tsp Rumford Baking Powder
1/4 lb cheese
salt and pepper
Cook the bacon crisply, then lift it from the pan. Add the kidney beans to the bacon fat. Then tomatoes to which Rumford Baking Powder has been added. Stir all together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover closely, set in moderate oven and cook slowly for 1 hour. Then remove the cover and sprinkle with grated cheese. Arrange the bacon strips all over and cook for 10 minutes longer. Serve in a casserole.
Raisin Pie
2 c seeded raisins
1 1/2 c boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 c sugar
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
Cook the raisins and water in the upper part of a double boiler for 5 minutes. Mix the salt, cornstarch, and sugar and pour the mixture over them, stirring constantly. Return to the double boiler and cook 5 minutes longer. Add the lemon rind and juice, cool, then bake between two crusts.
http://www.ghosttraveller.com/Fifties%20recipes.htm
There’s nothing you can’t make in an electric skillet. Check out the disclaimer at the end: “This is not a very sweet cookie...”
Fry Pan Cookies
Skillet temperature: 350
1 egg
1/4 c milk
1 c dates, chopped fine
3 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c shortening
2 tsp nutmeg
In measuring cup combine eggs, milk and dates. Set aside. Into large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, nutmeg, baking soda and baking soda. Add shortening and blend as for pie crust. Pour liquid over other ingredients and combine thoroughly. Shape into 2 rolls that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in wax paper. Chill, and slice into 1/4 inch slices as needed.
Preheat electric skillet to 350.
Place 12 cookies into fry pan. Cover. Bake for 5-6 minutes on first side. Wait until golden brown, then turn with spatula. Bake 3-4 minutes on second side. Cool on a cake rack, and frost with milk frosting as desired. This is not a very sweet cookie.
http://www.foodreference.com/html/fall-squash-recipes.html
ENJOY THE FALL HARVEST WITH DELICIOUS SQUASH RECIPES
Autumn is harvest time. You can certainly enjoy these tasty squash recipes any time of year, but they seem particularly good as the weather cools down and we go back to using our ovens again. Time to cook delicious comfort foods.
Either of these recipes can be made with a variety of squashes. I have just listed the squash I prefer to use. They are so easy. They just bake alongside a roast beef or chicken or anything else you may have the oven turned on for. And they are a great part of any healthy diet.
CITRUS BAKED SQUASH
1 butternut squash (or any squash you prefer)
a mixture of 1/2 orange juice and 1/2 water
Peel the squash and slice it crosswise, so some of the slices are thick circles, about 1-1 1/2” thick. Arrange the slices in a Pyrex type baking dish. The size depends on the amount you are cooking. Just make sure they are in a single layer in the dish, not on top of each other.
Pour the orange juice and water mixture over the squash until it reaches about half way up the slices. Cover with foil and bake in a 350ºF for about 45 minutes, or until they are soft when a knife is inserted in the middle. Watch along the way to make sure the liquid does not dry out completely. If it does, just add a bit more.
Serve the slices drizzled with the extra orange sauce.
SWEET AND RICH PEPPER SQUASH
pepper squash (or any squash you prefer)
brown sugar
butter
cinnamon
Slice each pepper squash in half and clean out the cavity. Put a teaspoon of butter in each cavity. Add a dash of cinnamon and a teaspoon of brown sugar to each cavity.
Bake, covered in a 350ºF oven for 30 minutes, then uncover it for the last 15-30 minutes, so the sugar sauce thickens.
This squash can be served as is, in halves in the skin. If you prefer you can scoop out the squash and sauce, mix it together and put it in a pretty serving dish
I don’t salt either of these recipes because I find them tasty enough as is, but feel free to add a bit of salt if you would like.
I hope your family and friends enjoy these delicious recipes as much as mine.
Karen Ciancio is a cook and a fan of all things cooking related.
Her website www.cookingnook.com contains recipes for all occasions, cooking tips, cooking measurement conversions and lots of kitchen ideas. Come visit us as we grow.
http://www.foodreference.com/html/savorystuffedsweetd.html
SAVORY STUFFED SWEET DUMPLINGS
5 A DayServes 4. Each serving is equal to three and a half 5 A Day servings.
Ingredients
2 sweet dumpling squashes (approx. 24 ounces)
1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
1 1/4 cup water
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup raw pine nuts, toasted
salt to taste
Cut squashes in half lengthwise (from stem to blossom end). Scoop out seeds, and place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, shiny side down.
Bake at 400ºF for 40 minutes.
While squashes are baking, combine rice, water, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan.
Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
Turn heat down to low and steam 35 to 45 minutes until tender.
Combine tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, black pepper, herbs, and olive oil in a large skillet.
Sauté over high heat until onions are softened and transparent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
When rice is cooked, add to ingredients in skillet along with pine nuts and mix well.
Season to taste.
Stuff squash cavities.
Spread the remainder of the stuffing onto the bottom of a lightly oiled 7” x 9” baking pan.
Lay squashes on top of stuffing.
Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, shiny side down.
Bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 325, Fat 9g, Calories From Fat 25%, Carbohydrates 54g Protein 8g, Cholesterol 0mg, Fiber 5g, Sodium 17mg.
CDC.gov - 5 a Day
http://www.foodreference.com/html/chilichpotcaker.html
CHILI-CHEESE POTATO CAKES
Add shredded Cheddar cheese, canned diced chilies, beaten egg and chopped green onion to prepared mashed potatoes.
Form into patties, coat with cornmeal and brown both sides in skillet until hot and lightly crisp.
This recipe is courtesy of www.potatohelp.com
http://www.foodreference.com/html/latkes-spl-902.html
LATKES, SWEET POTATO LATKES
Divine Kosher Cuisine: Catering to Family and Friends
by Rise’ Routenberg, Barbara Wasser
These pancakes are exotically flavored with ginger and allspice. To ensure even cooking, don’t crowd the latkes in the skillet.
Pareve Or Dairy
Yield 12 To 16 Latkes
Ingredients
• 4 1/2 cups peeled and shredded sweet potatoes or yams
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup flour (use 1/3 cup matzoh meal for Passover)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger or cloves
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Applesauce and/or nondairy sour cream for pareve (use sour cream for dairy)
Directions
1. Combine potatoes with eggs, flour or matzoh meal, sugar, salt, pepper and spices.
2. Drop mixture by heaping spoonfuls into hot oil in large skillet, turning once after first side is browned. Drain on brown paper or paper towels.
3. Serve with applesauce and sour cream or nondairy sour cream.
How to Freeze and Reheat Latkes
1. Stand latkes up in freezable container and cover with foil or plastic wrap.
2. To reheat, place latkes in single layer on cookie sheet and bake at 375°F
http://www.foodreference.com/html/rice-cakes-balls.html
CHEESE RICE SQUARES
Yield: Makes 25 squares.
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped ripe olives
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• Paprika for garnish (optional)
Combine rice, cheese, onions, olives, bread crumbs, seasoning, eggs, lemon juice and pepper sauce in large mixing bowl.
Press mixture into buttered 8x8-inch baking dish.
Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.
Bake at 375 degrees 10 to 15 minutes.
Cut into 25 squares. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 31
Total Fat 1g
Cholesterol 20mg
Sodium 39mg
Total Carbohydrate 3g
Protein 1g
USA Rice Federation www.usarice.com
VEGETABLE RICE BALLS
Yield: Makes approximately 3 dozen rice balls.
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 9-ounce envelope vegetable soup mix
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
Combine rice, mozzarella cheese, soup mix, bread crumbs, Romano cheese, pepper and eggs in large mixing bowl.
Shape into 1-inch balls; place on well-greased baking sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 30
Total Fat 1g
Cholesterol 20mg
Sodium 128mg
Total Carbohydrate 3g
Protein 2g
USA Rice Federation www.usarice.com
CHEESE RICE BALLS 1
Yield: Makes about 6 dozen.
• 4 cups hot cooked rice, cooled to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup finely crushed crisp rice cereal
• Vegetable oil for frying
Combine rice, cheese, horseradish, salt, mustard, pepper, egg, Worcestershire sauce and oil in large bowl; chill.
Form mixture into small balls about 3/4 inch in diameter; roll in crushed cereal.
Fry in hot oil (365 degrees) until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Drain on paper towels.
Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 43
Total Fat 3g
Cholesterol 9mg
Sodium 73mg
Total Carbohydrate 3g
Protein 1g
USA Rice Federation www.usarice.com
http://www.hdu3a.org.uk/Recipes/b5.htm
War Time Mock Recipes
Mock Crab
War time always brought out the best in women’s resourcefulness, and the number of “Mock” recipes is unbelievable. There was Mock Crab and Mock Salmon to mention but two. They were probably nothing like real crab and real salmon but no doubt delicious in their own right. Brenda Law well remembers, when she was a care assistant in the 90’s she used to help an old lady who had managed though two world wars. She would give Brenda tastes of Mock Crab and Season Pudding but was reluctant to divulge her recipes. Just before she died, the old lady confided these two recipes to Brenda.
2 large tomatoes , peeled 1 piece (?) onion
2 oz cheese 1 egg
1 oz butter salt and pepper
Put all the ingredients into a pan, adding the well beaten egg last. Cook until the onion is tender
Supplied by Brenda Law
Season Pudding
2 well beaten eggs 2 oz shredded suit [suet?]
1 grated onion 8 oz flour
2 oz oatmeal Salt, sage and thyme to taste
1 thick slice of bread, soaked and beaten to a pulp
Mix all the ingredients together and beat well. Either cook in the oven or fry.
Supplied by Brenda Law
Nellie Barker’s Recipe
Mock Salmon
1½ lbs tomatoes, skinned 2oz grated cheese
grated onion 1 egg
½ oz butter salt and pepper
2 oz bread crumbs
Put butter, grated onion and skinned tomatoes into a pan and simmer until tender. Add grated cheese and breadcrumbs, then the beaten egg and seasoning. Blend until it thickens put into a dish and cover with melted butter.
Supplied by Sheila Craven
Mock Cream
2 oz sifted icing sugar 1 gill of milk
2oz margarine few drops vanilla essence
½ oz cornflour
Blend the cornflour with the milk and boil for three minutes. Allow to go cold and then beat into the creamed margarine and sugar, a little at a time. Add the essence and beat until smooth
Supplied by Peggy MacKay
from the Creamola booklet
Ruth Vigors remembers
When I was girl, we had very hot summers and my visits to Australia remind me of those hot days. We used to have a lovely cooling salad that looks most attractive served in helpings on beds of lettuce.
Soufflé Salad
15 to 30 mls lemon juice 1 packet of lime or lemon jelly
5 oz hot water 30 mls mayonnaise or salad cream
5 mls salt 2½ oz cold water or pineapple
juice
Beat all the ingredients together and quick chill until almost set. The add about 1lb of carrot cabbage and pineapple all shredded (or cabbage, apple and raisin or any combination of your choice). Then chill to set.
Supplied by Ruth Vigors
http://www.homemadecookies.ca/Cookbook/Working-Classes.html
Refreshing Drink For Sore Throat Attended With Fever
(Plain Cookery Book For The Working Classes)
Boil two ounces of barberries with half an ounce of violets in a quart
of water for ten minutes; sweeten with honey, strain off into a jug, and
drink several glasses during the day.
http://www.homemadecookies.ca/Cookbook/Working-Classes.html
http://www.homemadecookies.ca/Recipes/CookBooks.html
http://www.hdu3a.org.uk/kitchen.html
http://rochellesvintagerecipes.blogspot.com/
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/pfciabatta.html
Sourdough Ciabatta
A recipe from The Sourdough Home
http://www.sourdoughhome.com
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Ciabatta is an Italian word meaning “slipper”. It’s a soft bread Our little slipper that is shaped like a slipper. It’s a messy bread. It’s a bread where I use a mixer. Enjoy it by tearing it apart and dipping the pieces into a nice flavorful olive oil. As is so often the case, I stole this recipe and converted it to a sourdough recipe. After years of not giving full credit to the person from whom I stole this recipe, I can now say (thanks to an astute site visitor and google groups) that the recipe was first posted by Fortune Elkins in the usenet newsgroup rec.food.baking. She hasn’t been there in some time, and she is surely missed. I’ve changed the recipe a bit here and there, so the errors that have crept in are certainly my additions, and the good stuff is Fortune’s original text.
Ciabatta needs a super, super wet final dough, like mud. It should be very sticky. Don’t add any extra flour beyond what’s called for in the recipe. It has to be very, very wet. You won’t be able to knead it by hand, which is why you should either use a mixer or the stretch and fold technique.
This recipe makes 3 loaves. You need to start the bread the evening before you plan to bake. Also, I recommend using the nicest, greenest extra-virgin olive oil, because you can taste it in the bread.
It’s not nearly as much work at it might seem at first; in fact, it’s quite easy!
First, we’ll make a thick sourdough starter for this bread, using your regular starter as a base and we’ll let it work overnight developing taste and power. Thicker starters tend to have more sour taste which works very well in this bread. Mix:
Ingredients U.S. Customary Measure
(Cups and Spoons) Grams
Sourdough Starter 1 cup 190 grams
Water 7/16 cup 110 grams
White unbleached all-purpose Flour 2 1/8 cups 260 grams
You want to mix this until the thick starter holds together and is well mixed. You want a dough that is smooth and elastic.
Put the thick starter in a clean bowl and cover it. I like using my KitchenAid’s mixing bowl because it has nice straight tall sides. Let te thick starter rise in a warm place for 12-15 hours until the thick starter rises sky-high and then collapses back onto itself. If your house is warm, this could happen faster, maybe even 8-10 hours. But in general, slower is better here.
Once your thick starter has risen and fallen, it’s time for the next step, making the dough. You’ll need:
Ingredients U.S. Customary Measure
(Cups and Spoons) Grams
Thick starter, from above All of it All of it
lukewarm Water 1 2/3 cup 320 grams
lukewarm Milk 1/4 cup 64 grams
White unbleached all-purpose Flour 5 cup 620 grams
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 3 TBSP 30 grams
Salt 2 tsp 11 grams
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Drained oil-packed
(optional, but nice) 1 cup 110 grams
Once the thick starter has collapsed, it will be airy and gaseous. Mix together the thick starter, water, milk, the olive oil, the salt and about 1/3 of the flour. You can mix this with a wooden soon, your hands, or your mixer on a medium speed. This will break up the thick starter, and the mix will be like soup.
If you are using the stretch and fold technique, and you want to add sun dried tomatoes, add them now. If you are using a mixer, lower its speed from a mixing to a kneading speed. However you are mixing this dough, add the rest of the flour gradually while continuing to mix the dough.
If you are using a planatary mixer like a KitchenAid, keep a wooden chopstick on hand to push the sticky, muddy dough down so it won’t climb over the top of the dough hook. Knead in a machine for about 5-6 minutes. You may have to stop the mixer to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice. You may also use the stretch and fold technique.
As the dough kneads in the machine, you will see it turn from a puddle of mud to a sticky dough with long, long strings of gluten forming and stretching from the sides of the bowl to the ball of dough on the hook.
If you are using the tomatoes, and haven’t already added them, do so now and knead the dough for another minute.
Cover the dough in the mixer bowl and let rise for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until at least double in bulk. (My dough tripled in just 1-1/2 hours, because I have a warm kitchen.)
Get three baking sheets and sprinkle them with flour. Take a spatula and carefully spoon out a third of the still very sticky dough onto each. Try not to deflate the dough too much, although it will deflate some, you can’t really help it.
Since ciabatta means slipper in Italian, try to make each loaf the length of a man’s shoe. If you spoon the dough out to one edge, and sort of use your spatula to guide it in a ribbon down the baking sheet you can preserve the light strands or striations in the dough, which will look nice when it’s proofed and baked. The loaves will probably be about an inch thick. If you want to give them a nicer shape, flour your hands lightly and neaten up the edges into an oblong. Think shoe, not loaf! Think rustic - don’t make the loaves over-neat and perfect, you want a rustic look. Flour your hands again and very gently pat the tops of the loaves to flour them, or sprinkle them with flour if you’re afraid of smushing them.
The dough will still be like glue at this point, so don’t even try to handle it much. It’s a mess, and that’s the way it needs to be. Let them proof for 30-40 minutes, or until a little less than double.
Preheat the oven to a solid 425 degrees. You’ll get better results with a baking stone or unglazed and unsealed quarry tiles, of course. Bake for 25-30 minutes until very light golden brown, (maybe 22-25 minutes if using stones or tiles). Either way, an instant read thermometer should measure 190 degrees when poked into the loaf. Try not to overbake the bread..
Cool on a rack, etc.
Have fun - share it with family and friends at the dinner table or in front of the TV or stereo, tear off hunks and dip ‘em in warm oil. Add a bottle of wine.... what could be finer?
Thanks for the recipe Fortune, where ever you are. And sorry about the changes.
© Copyright April 8, 2001 - April 10, 2008 All rights reserved by Mike Avery
Home and info on Sourdough bread:
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/downloads.html
Information on all parts of bread making:
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/tips.html
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/recipes.html
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/chipotlebeanbread.html
http://www.sourdoughhome.com/resources.html
http://www.thisiscooking.com/traditional-irish-recipes.asp
Traditional Irish Recipes
A selection of Traditional Irish Recipes
Barm Brack (Traditional Irish Bread)
click for recipe and printer friendly page
Instructions:
2 1/2 c Mixed dry fruit—currants
Dark & golden raisins. 1 c Boiling black tea
1 ea Egg
1 ts Mixed spice (see note*)
4 ts Marmalade
1 c (heaping)superfine sugar
2 1/2 c Self-rising flour
Place dried fruit in a bowl, cover with the hot tea and let soak overnight. The next day, add the remaining ingreds. and mix well. Preheat oven to 375 F. Pour batten into greased 7” square pan and bake in the center of oven for 1 1/2 hrs. Let cool in the pan on awire rack. Slice and serve buttered with tea.
NOTE* (Mixed spices: equal parts of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and mace.
1. In Northern Ireland and in the Republic, BRACK is the Celtic word for salt and is used to mean “bread”. Barm brack is leavened bread, the word BARM meaning yeast. 2. The term “barmbrack” for an Irish fruit loaf or cake does not derive from barm or leaven. It is a corruption of the Irish word “aran breac” (Speckled Bread).
Colcannon (Traditional Irish Dish)
click for recipe and printer friendly page
Instructions:
7 lg Potatoes (or more)
1 ea Large bunch kale greens
1/4 c Butter
Milk or cream as needed 4 ea Strips of bacon, cut up
1 tb Onion, minced
Salt & pepper to taste Peel and boil 7 or 8 med. to lge. potatoes until done. Remove stalks from leaves of kale greens and tear or chop into very small pcs. Bring to a boil with a bit of bacon and simmer while potatoes cook. Mash the potatoes with 1/4 c. of butter and milk or cream as needed. Add salt and pepper. Drain the chopped, cooked kale. (You should have about twice as many potatoes as kale. Mix the two together with 1 tb. minced onion. Correct seasoning and serve with butter.
NOTE: Colcannon is a mixture of buttered greens and potatoes. Traditionally concannon was eaten at Halloween. A heaping portion is dished onto each plate. A well is made in the center of the mount to hold a generous portion of butter. The colcannon is eaten from around the outside in. You take a scoop, dip it in the well of butter in the center and eat. With a glass of buttermilk, the WAS a meal in itself. In the Midlands, colcannon is called “thump”. In the north and western parts of Ireland it is called “champ”. To tell fortunes on Halloween, a ring and a silver coin were mixed into the colcannon...whoever got the ring was soon to marry and whoever got the coin would be wealthy.
Dublin Coddle (Traditional Irish Dish)
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Instructions:
1 lb Bacon bits (pref. smoked)
1 lb Good meaty sausages
3 ea Large onions
3 ea Potatoes (or even four)
1 x Handful fresh parsley
1 x Grind fresh pepper
Bacon bits are the off-cuts from the various types of bacon, which are sold very cheaply in Dublin pork butchers’ shops, specifically for making coddle. They contain a good mixture of fat, lean and skin. I prefer to buy regular bacon with the rind on and cut it up into even-sized pieces. Leave on the rind, as it adds great richness to the soup. Buy the finest quality pork sausages you can afford (or find). Peel and chop the onions roughly. Peel the potatoes as thinly as possible. If they are large, then cut them into two or three large pieces; otherwise leave them whole. Chop the fresh parsley. — Place a layer of onions in the bottom of a heavy pot with a good close-fitting lid. Layer all the other ingredients, giving each layer a grind or so of fresh-ground pepper. Add no more than 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce the heat at once, cover tightly, and barely simmer for 2 to 5 hours. The perfect way to cook it is in a heavy casserole pot in a very low oven at 250F. I know this sounds vague, but if the pot is heavy and the lid tight, it really can’t come to any harm. The longer and slower the cooking, the better. If you prefer, before serving, remove the sausages and quickly brown them on one side under the broiler. Serve with white soda farl to mop up the soup, and bottles of stout. It is a most restorative food.
Irish Soda Bread/Maxie (Traditional Irish Bread)
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Instructions:
2 1/2 c Flour
2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Salt
1/2 ts Baking soda
1/4 c Margarine
1/2 c Sugar
1 Egg; beaten
1 1/2 c Buttermilk *
1 c Raisins
1/2 c Currants
1 tb Caraway seeds (optional)
I would like to share with you our family’s traditional Irish Bread Recipes which has always been a staple in our household. These recipes are shared by fellow Hibernians throughout the Boston area: Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and soda, set aside. Cream the margarine and sugar. Add beaten egg and buttermilk, blend well. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients. Mix by hand only until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in raisins, currants, and caraway seeds. Pour into greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Brush top with melted magarine. Sprinkly with a little sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees for 30 minutes longer. Test in the middle of the loaf before removing from oven.
Boxty (Traditional Irish Dish)
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Instructions:
1 c Raw grated potatoes
1 c Leftover mashed potatoes
2 ts Baking powder
2 ts Salt
2 Eggs
1/4 c Milk, to bind (more or less)
Squeeze grated raw potatoes in cheese cloth to remove as much moisture as possible. Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Mix all potatoes with dry ingreds. and add beaten eggs. Mix well, and add sufficient milk to make batter. Drop by tablespoons onto hot buttered frying pan and cook over moderate heat until browned (4 min. per side.) Serve hot and well buttered with or without sugar.
NOTE: Boxty is the traditional Irish fare for Shrove Tuesday. Composed of grated raw potatoes, mashed cooked potatoes, with flour added as a binding agent, Boxty is either fried in a pan or browned on a griddle. It is mentioned in a traditional children’s Irish jingle: “Three pans of boxty, baking all the day, What use is boxty without a cup of tay?”
Haggerty (Traditional Irish Dish)
click for recipe and printer friendly page
Instructions:
Ingredients
3 each potatoes
1 each onion
2 tablespoon bacon fat
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 salt, to taste
1 pepper, to taste
1 sour cream, to garnish
Directions:
Wash and peel potatoes and cut into paper thin slices. Pat dry with towel. Cut onion into paper thin slices. Heat half of the bacon fat in a heavy frying pan and fill the pan with alternate layers of potatoes, onions, and cheese, finishing with potatoes. Sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper. Dot the final layer with remaining bacon fat. Cook over moderate heat until potatoes are almost tender. Turn the Haggerty carefully onto a plate and then carefully slide it back into the pan and continue cooking until done.
To serve, cut into wedges and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Potato Collops (Traditional Irish Dish)
click for recipe and printer friendly page
Instructions:
3 ea Med. potatoes
1 lg Onion
Salt & pepper to taste 2 ts Chopped parsley
1/4 lb Raw bacon, diced
2 tb Butter
1 c Scalded milk (still hot)
1/4 c Grated cheddar cheese
Peel the potatoes and cut into very thin slices. Chop onion. Place a layer of vegetables on a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with seasonings, parsley and diced bacon. Dot with butter. Repepat layers until all ingreds. are used. Pour milk over top with cheese. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 F. oven for 45 min. Uncover and continue cooking until potatoes are done and top is nicely browned.
NOTE: A collop is a small portion of any food.
Slieve Na Mbam Carrots (Traditional Irish Dish)
click for recipe and printer friendly page
Instructions:
12 Young carrots
3 tb Butter
1/2 c Milk
Salt & pepper to taste 1/2 c Heavy cream
2 Egg yolks
1 ts Chopped fresh parsley
Trim and wash the carrots and halve lengthwise. Melt butter over med. heat. Add milk, season with salt and pepper. Add carrots and cook gently until just tender. Remove from heat and stir in cream and beaten egg yolks. Reheat but do not boil, stirring constantly until the eggs thicken. Correct seasoning and add parsley.
NOTE: The reddish crest of Sleieve na mBan (The Mountain of Women in Ireland) rising above the milk-white mist that forms there gives its name to this dish of cream-wreathed carrots.
Scrolling through the recent posts - there was yours! I have been planning on starting a new starter for a couple days, now. (Even started one a couple days ago - and intend to start another tomorrow - totally different!)
I copied your post, here, and emailed it to myself. Sho’nuff - all the links work! THANK YOU!
I kept one starter growing for ten years. I wish I hadn’t had to let it go. I made the best sourdough pancakes you would ever DREAM of!
I bought 45# of flour - nine five pound bags (General Mills) and 25# of bread flour (from Sam’s Club) in the last months. Three jars of yeast. Oil, lard, crisco, buter - I’m ready!
THANKS again, Granny! (If there is a ping list - JOIN ME UP!) LOL!
http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/mexico/chorizos.html
Mexican Sausage (Chorizo)
6 ounces chiles guajillos
2/3 cup vinegar
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Wipe the chiles clean. Remove stems, then cut lengthwise. Remove seeds, and place in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and let sit for 30 minutes. Discard water and place the chiles in a blender jar. Add the vinegar and garlic cloves and purée until smooth; set aside.
Place the pork in a large bowl. Add the paprika, oregano, salt, cumin, coriander, pepper, and allspice. Mix well. Add the chili sauce and combine well. Stuff into casings, or fry as patties.
Granny note:
I have made this sausage, and do not have my recipe.
I do not know what these chili’s are, but they will be hot and spicy.
This was one of my mothers favorite meals, cooked, add beaten eggs and serve with refried beans and fried potatoes.
Bill liked it added to fried potatoes as they cooked.
http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/mexico/chilesca.html
Pickled Chiles and Vegetables
1/2 pound jalapeños
6 carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 whole cloves
8 small bay leaves
2 fresh sprigs of thyme
8 fresh sprigs of oregano
1/3 cup oil
2 large onions, cut into wedges
2 cups apple cider vinegar
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Remove the stems from the chiles, then cut each in quarters lengthwise. Remove seeds and place in a large bowl. Slice the carrots into 1/8-inch slices and add to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss well. Let sit for 1 hour.
Place the garlic, peppercorns, cumin, cloves, 6 bay leaves, and the fresh herbs in a blender jar. Add 1/4 cup of water and purée mixture..
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the blended mixture and the onions. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
Strain the chiles and carrots and reserve the juice.
Add the vegetables to the saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add the reserved juice, vinegar, whole cloves, thyme, sugar, and remaining whole bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Cool and store.
http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/mexico/calaguis.html
Stewed Zucchini (Calabacitas Guisadas)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 small, ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 serrano chile peppers, diced
4 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt to taste
Heat the oil in a saucepan. sauté the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, tomatoes, and chile peppers.
Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then gently stir in the zucchini slices.
Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just tender. Season with salt.
http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/mexico/papaguis.html
Stewed Potatoes (Papas Guisadas)
6 red potatoes, scrubbed
2 ripe tomatoes
1 to 2 serrano chile peppers, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
2 ounces queso fresco cheese, crumbled
Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Cook in boiling water until just tender. Drain and set aside.
In a blender, place the tomatoes, chiles, and garlic. Blend until smooth, using a few drops of water if necessary; set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté over fairly high heat for 5 minutes.
Add the potato and continue frying, gently turning potatoes often to prevent over-browning.
Pour the sauce over the potatoes, reduce heat, and cook for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and serve.
You are welcome, recipes have always been “made for sharing”.
Next time you buy yeast, look for the 18 ounce package of SAF yeast, it is the same as the jars you buy, and far cheaper. Read your jar label and read the SAF yeast label.......
I had already ordered it, when it came, I had to find out how to use it and and find that it is the brand the Mormons use and store and have used it several years.
I buy my flour and yeast, beans and other dry food at:
Walton Feed. Com
It is cheaper to pay shipping, than it is to buy in Kingman.
And their products, as in beans, oatmeal, flour, etc is so much cheaper....
I put it in the freezer, then take out about a weeks needed at a time and put it in the expensive jar.
Sour Dough is something every one should know, and once you get in the habit of using it, you will miss it when you stop.
Back in the 1960’s, I got a small cookbook from Alaska Gov. on sourdough cooking, which I have lost ......there was a recipe for a chocolate cake, that took 2 days to make, you just kept adding this and that and it was so good.
You are on the ping list, I ping every few days, rather than the single posts.
I am so glad you are here to read and hope you will share your recipes with us.
How I miss being able to garden and cook all day.
http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/2004/texmex/loma.html
Loma Linda Pralines
Makes 24 Pralines
These are the kind of simple pralines they serve at Loma Linda and other old-fashioned Tex-Mex restaurants.
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
Aluminum foil, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray
Combine the sugars, syrup, butter, and 5 tablespoons water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
Add the pecans and continue cooking until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (238 degrees F).
Remove the pan from the heat and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the candy begins to turn opaque.
Quickly drop spoonfuls onto aluminum foil and allow to harden.
Store the pralines in an airtight tin.
This yeast comes in 18 oz packages at walton feed.com and some of the big stores, I did not check the site, ran across it by accident and wanted to get it posted.....No, I had never heard of it, before the first package arrived...LOL
http://www.safyeast.com/home.html
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/blossomfarm/message/1
HERBS OF THE BIBLE
In the Bible the importance of plants were mention in numerous
scriptures. Vegetables such as: onions, cucumbers and beans. Fruit
and nut trees such as: walnut, apricot, black mulberry and almonds.
Ornamental trees such as: willow, oleander, popular, cypress, cedar,
pine, tamarix, acacia and many, many more. But my interest is the
study of historical uses of herbaceous plants.
I narrowed down the plants that are mostly winter hardy in our
area in case you are interested starting your own bible garden. Most
of the following plants are the real thing but as always there is
question and much debate among scholars.
People who lived in Jesus’ time were wonderful herbalists. Many
herbal plants are mentioned in the bible. They used the herbs not
only for food, but to flavor food and also for medicinal purposes.
They did not visit the doctor around the corner or the hospital.
We know that biblical people set aside plots specifically for
herbs: Kings 21:2
[And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I
may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house:
and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it
seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.]
We can start with Adam and Eve. On day three of creation, we read
about the earth bringing forth herbs. Genesis 1:11-12 And God said,
Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the
fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself,
upon the earth: and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his
kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after
his kind: and God saw that it was good. Here we read that the Lord
says for the earth to bring forth herbs. The garden is such that
nothing needs to be planted because the Lord has already set
everything in motion. On day six, God creates Adam and Eve and
brings them into the garden. The Lord tells Adam that He has given
him every green herb for meat. All Adam has to do is walk through
the garden and pick some herbs and eat. Adam and Eve have it made in
the garden, but it will not last long. In Genesis 3:1-7 we can read
about the temptation and fall.
The following plants are a few found in scriptures in the bible and
a few are just for fun.
Hyssop (Hyssops officinalis)
A lovely, shrubby low evergreen plant with blue summer flowers.
Hyssop as we know it may or may not be the hyssop mentioned by
David. Was once referred to as the herb used in purification: Psalms
51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow. It was also used for ritual cleansing and
sprinkling of blood in the tabernacle Lev. 14:4,49 Then shall the
priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds
alive [and] clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.
The medicinal use of Hyssop can be found in John 19:29. Now there
was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with
vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus
therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he
bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. Today we know it has mild
germ killing properties. A poultice of hyssop is said to help heal
wounds and bruises. Teas have been used historically to treat fever,
colds, indigestion and asthma and was most likely used for this back
then. In Medieval monastery gardens all contained hyssop, which was
believed to ward off the evil eye.
Sweet Flag or Calamus Root (Acorus calamus)
Sweet smelling Calamus refers to the many aromatic grasses found
growing in abundance in the Holy Land. Iris like leaves similar to
cattails but yellow green in color and very aromatic. Once used as a
strewing herb on floors in churches, as people crunched the rushes
underfoot, the fragrance was released.
In the scripture the Lord delivers instructions to Moses for the
proper way to make and use a holy anointing oil Exodus 30:25. “Take
thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred
shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and
fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,”
Calamus leaves were also used in Native American Indian purification
rituals and historically used to dispel worms. Roots can be eaten
raw or candied to soothe indigestion, coughs, and headaches. Until
the late 1960s it was found in hair and tooth powders as well as
bitters, tonics and liqueurs. Roots are used as a fragrance fixative
in potpourri. Many people use the plant today for scenting linens;
collect the rhizome in late fall and wash off the mud, chop up and
dry well on screens, then place in little cotton muslin bags among
you linens. It is also used in Asia to deter ants.
Rue (Ruta chalepensis)
Shrubby evergreen with an unusual blue green fern-like foliage,
grows on the hills of the Holy Land as a low straggling shrub
(because of the desert like weather) with pungent smelling leaves.
Jesus referred to it being tithed Luke 11:42. “But woe to you
Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect
justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without
neglecting the others.”
An ancient symbol of sorrow, in Christian times it was
nicknamed “Herb of Grace” for the grace given by God following
repentance of ones sins. Brushes were made of the plant to sprinkle
holy water before a Roman Catholic High Mass.
During the middle ages it was added to exorcism mixes to offer
protection against evil spells and to ward off the plague.
Historically, ointments were used to treat gout, rheumatism and
sprains. Rue can cause photosensitivity when handle fresh with very
unsightly dark pigments that take many months to go away. Ask me how
I know!
Lavender (Lavendula angustiofolia)
Has been a favorite herb for centuries and my favorite as well.. The
historic use and recognition of lavender is almost as old the
history of man. As an herb, lavender has been documented in use for
over 2,500 years. In ancient times lavender was used for
mummification and perfume by the Egyptians and peoples of Arabia.
The Greeks and the Romans bathed in lavender scented water and it
was from the Latin word “lavo” meaning “to wash” that the herb took
it’s name.
Lavender is often mentioned in the Bible, not by the name lavender
but rather by the name used at that time, spikenard. In the gospel
of Luke the writer reports: “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of
spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped
his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odor of
the ointment.”
Another ancient Christian reference to lavender involves how it got
its scent. The plant is believed to have been taken from the Garden
of Eden by Adam and Eve. However, the powerful perfume came later.
According to legend the clothing of baby Jesus when laid upon a bush
to dry by Mother Mary bestowed the scent. This may explain why the
plant is also regarded as a holy safeguard against evil. In many
Christian houses a cross of lavender was hung over the door for
protection
St. Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
We are all familiar with the popularity of St Johns wort used by
herbalist as `Natures Prozac’. But historically, with the spread of
Christianity the plant was associated with John the Baptist; it was
said that it flowers on his birthday June 24 and bleeds red oil from
its leaf glands on August 29 the day he was beheaded. But wether
this is true or not I alway forget to pay attention that week. But I
have actually notice red spot showing up later in the season. It is
said harvesting on St Johns Birthday it is the most potent. It’s
ancient name, Fuga Daemonum, referred to it’s power of driving away
evil spirits. The night of St. John has been celebrated all over the
world by peasant girls who hang the plant over their doors, and
sleep with it under their pillows, to get rid of evil spells, or to
foretell who their future husbands will be.
Rosemary
(Rosmarinus officinalis)
Has a pine-y aroma and dark green needle-like leaves, very rarely
returning after our long wet springs. For centuries people thought
that rosemary plants would grow no higher than 6 feet in 33 years so
as not to stand taller than Christ. Another Story tells that the
flowers were all originally white but changed to blue when the
Virgin Mary hung her cloak on a bush while fleeing from Herod’s
soldiers with the Christ child.
In medieval times it was burned to cleanse the altar. And was added
to love sachets or place under the bed and above the door to protect
from harm. Besides the historic uses, rosemary is best known for
remembrance and friendship. At one time rosemary was in every
wedding, and at funerals mourners tossed fresh sprigs into the grave
as a sign that the dearly departed would not be forgotten. Even
today rosemary signifies love, friendship and remembrance.
Costmary or Bible-leaf (Chrysanthemum balsamita)
This whole plant emits a soft balsamic aroma. Since colonial days,
the leaves marked the pages of bible verses; however it did not
serve as just an innocent bookmark. Sleepy churchgoers would sniff
and nibble on the edges and they would be revived during long,
boring sermons. I wonder if it could be determined which parish had
the most boring clergy by the amount of Costmary grown in the area?
Since it also has insect repelling properties I also believe they
used as book marks to keep bugs at bay.
Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum)
Light green sprawling fluffy herb with clusters of airy yellow
flowers. Mary is said to have prepared the Christ child’s bed with
this herb. Thereafter it was known as Our Lady’s Bedstraw, and the
formerly white flower-heads turned to a golden hue. “And she gave
birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and
laid him in a manger... Colonials would also stuff pillows with
Lady’s Bedstraw to induces sleep with the honey-like vapors.
BITTER HERBS
Bitter Herbs are often mentioned in the Bible with sharp tasting
bitter leaves. Considering the quality of their food, these
digestive aids were probably very necessary for good intestinal
bacteria and health. It is thought, by the scholars of the Bible,
that many herbs were used in this manner, including dandelion,
sorrel, hawkweed, sow-thistle, wild lettuce, mint, wormwood and
chicory, which grow abundantly in the peninsula of Sinai, in
Palestine and in Egypt.
Ex 12:8 The Israelites were commanded to eat the Paschal lamb “with
unleavened bread and with bitter herbs”.
Mint (Mentha species)
Mint was well known as being used for flavoring food as it still is
today. Some bible experts say mint was among the “bitter herbs”
mentioned. Mint was valued for its fresh aroma and sweet taste and
often used to flavor meat. Also an important “strewing” herb, mint
stems were hung in doorways and thrown on dirt floors to mask the
effects of inadequate sanitation. Scholars disagree on which mint
was actually the mint of the Bible. There were probably many mints
then, as there are today. It freely crosses pollenates and produces
great differences.
Luke 11:42 “But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue
and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God:
these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” .
Wormwood (Artemesia absinthum)
Moth repellent and excellent dried foliage used in herbal wreaths. A
very lovely, silvery shrubby perennial that can be used in a shrub
border. Once used to flavor alcohol; that use is now banned. The
active ingredient, can lead to serious mental disorders if taken
internally; do not, under any terms, use this herb internally!
Wormwood is frequently mentioned in Scripture, always for its
bitterness, sorrow and suffering. According to legend, wormwood grew
up in the trail left by the serpent’s tail as it slithered out of
the Garden of Eden.
Jeremiah 9:13-15 And the LORD says: Because they have forsaken my
law that I set before them... but have stubbornly followed their own
hearts and have gone after [other gods]... Therefore thus says the
LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am feeding this people with
wormwood, and giving them poisonous water to drink.”
Revelation 8:11
In John’s vision of the end of the world, a star fell from
heaven. “The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters
became wormwood, and many died from the water, because it was made
bitter.”
In conclusion, all herbs are Biblical. However, we have come to
think of some as more meaningful to Biblical times. The real beauty
of the plants lies in the association with the inspiring stories of
the Bible.
It is with a garden that the Bible begins....
[This is now a dead group, a shame, as it showed promise]
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/blossomfarm/message/2
Please visit www.blossomfarm.com for more information.
Herbs have played an important part in man’s life for countless
years — in his politics, romance, love, religion, health, and
superstition.
Celery was used by the Abyssinians for stuffing pillows. Ancient
Greeks and Romans crowned their heroes with dill and laurel. Dill
also was used by the Romans to purify the air in their banquet halls.
Some herbs were given magical properties, probably because of their
medicinal uses. The early Chinese considered artemisia to have
special charms. In France during the Middle Ages, babies were rubbed
with artemisia juices to protect them from the cold. Ancient Greeks
used sweet marjoram as a valuable tonic, and parsley as a cure for
stomach ailments. Rosemary was eaten in the Middle Ages for its
tranquilizing effects and as a cure-all for headaches.
Chives, still a common herb often found growing wild, had economic
importance throughout Asia and many Mediterranean countries. Odd as
it seems now, the early Dutch settlers in this country intentionally
planted chives in the meadows so cows would give chive-flavored milk.
Mint, another popular herb today, also had its beginnings early in
history. Greek athletes used bruised mint leaves as an after-bath
lotion. In the Middle Ages, mint was important as a cleansing agent
and later was used to purify drinking water that had turned stale on
long ocean voyages. Mint also was given mystical powers It was used
to neutralize the “evil eye” and to produce an aggressive character.
Mustard was lauded by Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, and
Shakespeare called it a desirable condiment in several of his plays.
Other herbs with importance dating back to early times include
basil, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme.
Early settlers brought herbs to America for use as remedies for
illnesses, flavoring, storing with linens, strewing on floors, or
burning for their pleasant fragrances. Some herbs were used to
improve the taste of meats in the days before preservation
techniques were developed. Other herbs were used to dye homespun
fabrics.
Herb gardens were almost an essential feature of pioneer homes. They
were placed in sunny corners near the house to be readily available
to the busy homemaker. As the population of the new country grew,
people from many nations brought herbs with them. This resulted in
an exchange of slips, seeds, and plants.
Many herbs familiar to settlers from other countries were found
growing wild in the new country. These included parsley, anise,
pennyroyal, sorrel, watercress, liverwort, wild leeks, and lavender.
American Indians knew uses for almost every wild, nonpoisonous
plant, but they used the plants chiefly for domestic purposes —
tanning and dyeing leather and eating.
Definition, Number, and Types of Herbs Available
Early herb gardens were the major source for food seasoning. The
need for homegrown herbs, however, declined with the advent of
modern stores. Today, many gardeners are rediscovering the joy and
pleasure of producing their own herbs.
Definition of Herb
From the botanical viewpoint, an herb is a seed plant that does not
produce a woody stem like a tree. But an herb will live long enough
to develop flowers and seeds.
Number of Herbs Available
A true herb connoisseur can select from a wide variety of common and
not-so-common herbs. For example, the E & A Evetts Ashfields Herb
Nursery of Shropshire, England, lists 57 herbs, 16 mints, 17 onion-
type herbs, 20 sages, and 17 thymes in a recent catalog.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbook on Herbs lists 73 different
types of herbs.
Some herbs fit into one or more classifications according to use —
culinary, aromatic, ornamental, and medicinal.
Culinary Herbs
Culinary herbs are probably the most useful to herb gardeners,
having a wide range of uses in cooking. These herbs, because of
their strong flavors, are generally used in small quantities to add
flavor. Parsley, produced in the largest amount, is used mostly as a
garnish. Next in popularity is sage — an important flavoring in
pork sausage. Other popular culinary herbs include chives, thyme,
savory, marjoram, mint, and basil.
Aromatic Herbs
Aromatic herbs have some novel uses and are not as popular to grow.
Most have pleasant smelling flowers or foliage. Oils from aromatic
herbs can be used to produce perfumes, toilet water, and various
scents. For home use, the plant parts are used intact, often to
scent linens or clothing. When dried, many aromatic herbs will
retain their aroma for a considerable period. Some common aromatic
herbs include mint, marjoram, lovage, rosemary, and basil.
Ornamental Herbs
Ornamental herbs have brightly colored flowers and foliage. Many
have whitish or light-colored flowers. Valerian has crimson blossoms
while borage and chicory are blue-flowered. Such herbs as variegated
thyme, mint, lavender, and chives produce variegated foliage.
Medicinal Herbs
Medicinal herbs have long been thought to have curative powers. But
while present medical knowledge recognizes some herbs as having
healing properties, others are highly overrated. Medicinal herbs
should be used carefully. Some herbs are harmless while others can
be dangerous if consumed.
Herb Types
Herbs also can be classified as annuals, biennials, and perennials.
Annuals bloom one season and then die. Biennials live for two
seasons, blooming the second season only. Once established,
perennials overwinter and bloom each season.
Herbs for Beginning Gardeners
Beginning herb gardeners may have a problem deciding which herbs to
plant because of the large number of herbs from which to select. A
quick check of your supermarket shelf will give you some idea of the
types of herbs used in cooking and also will serve as a planting
guide. Many cookbooks also offer information on uses of various
herbs as flavorings.
Following is a good variety of flavors and uses of recommended herbs
for beginners:
Strong herbs — winter savory, rosemary, sage
Herbs strong enough for accent — sweet basil, dill, mint, sweet
marjoram, tarragon, thyme
Herbs for blending — chives, parsley, summer savory
As your interest and needs increase, you can add to the variety of
herbs in your garden. Keep in mind that herbs can be annuals,
biennials, or perennials when selecting herbs to grow for the first
time.
Annuals (bloom one season and die) — anise, basil, chervil,
coriander, dill, summer savory
Biennials (live two seasons, blooming second season only) —
caraway, parsley
Perennials (overwinter; bloom each season once established) —
chives, fennel, lovage, marjoram, mint, tarragon,
thyme, winter savory.
Outdoor Herb Culture Tips
Most commonly used herbs will grow in the Northeast. If you have
room, you can make herbs part of your vegetable garden. However, you
may prefer to grow herbs in a separate area, particularly the
perennials.
Herb Garden Size
First, decide on the size of your herb garden; this will depend on
the amount of variety you want. Generally, a kitchen garden can be
an area 20 by 4 feet. Individual 12- by 18-inch plots within the
area should be adequate for separate herbs. You might like to grow
some of the more colorful and frequently used herbs, such as parsley
and purple basil, as border plants. Keep annual and perennial herbs
separate. A diagram of the area and labels for the plants also will
help.
Site and Soil Conditions
When selecting the site for your herb garden, consider drainage and
soil fertility. Drainage is probably the most important single
factor in successful herb growing. None of the herbs will grow in
wet soils. If the garden area is poorly drained, you will have to
modify the soil for any chance of success. To improve drainage at
the garden site, remove the soil to a depth of 15 to 18 inches.
Place a 3-inch layer of crushed stone or similar material on the
bottom of the excavated site. Before returning the soil to the bed
area, mix some compost or sphagnum peat and sand with it to lighten
the texture. Then, refill the beds higher than the original level to
allow for settling of the soil.
The soil at the site does not have to be especially fertile, so
little fertilizer should be used. Generally, highly fertile soil
tends to produce excessive amounts of foliage with poor flavor.
Plants, such as chervil, fennel, lovage, and summer savory, require
moderate amounts of fertilizer. Adding several bushels of peat or
compost per 100 square feet of garden area will help improve soil
condition and retain needed moisture.
Sowing Herb Seed
Nearly all herbs can be grown from seed. Although rust infects
mints, very few diseases or insects attack herbs. In hot, dry
weather, red spider mites may be found on low-growing plants. Aphids
may attack anise, caraway, dill, and fennel.
A few herbs, such as mints, need to be contained or they will
overtake a garden. Plant them in a no. 10 can or bucket; punch
several holes just above the bottom rim to allow for drainage. A
drain tile, clay pot, or cement block also can be used. Sink these
into the ground; this should confine the plants for several years.
Herbs can also be grown in containers, window boxes, or hanging
baskets. These methods will require more care, especially watering.
If possible, sow seeds in shallow boxes in late winter. Transplant
seedlings outdoors in the spring. A light, well-drained soil is best
for starting the seedlings indoors. Be careful not to cover the
seeds too deeply with soil. Generally, the finer the seed, the
shallower it should be sown. Sow anise, coriander, dill, and fennel
directly in the garden since they do not transplant well.
Most biennials should be sown in late spring directly into the
ground. Work the soil surface to a fine texture and wet it slightly.
Sow the seeds in very shallow rows and firm the soil over them. Do
not sow the seeds too deeply. Fine seeds, such as marjoram, savory,
or thyme, will spread more evenly if you mix them with sand. Some of
the larger seeds can be covered by as much as one-eighth of an inch
of soil. With fine seeds, cover the bed with wet burlap or paper to
keep the soil moist during germination. Water with a fine spray to
prevent washing away of the soil.
Cutting and Division
Cutting and division also are useful in propagating certain herbs.
When seeds are slow to germinate, cuttings may be the answer. Some
herbs, however, spread rapidly enough to make division a main source
of propagation. Tarragon, chives, and mint should be divided while
lavender should be cut.
Harvesting Herbs
Fresh leaves may be picked as soon as the plant has enough foliage
to maintain growth. To ensure good oil content, pick leaves or seeds
after dew has disappeared but before the sun becomes too hot. For
dry, winter use, harvest leaves before the flower buds open. Pick
the seed heads as the color changes from green to brown or gray.
Wash dirty leaves and seed heads in cold water; drain thoroughly
before drying.
Winter Protection
Perennial and biennial herbs should be winter protected. Many herbs
are shallow-rooted, which makes them susceptible to heaving during
spring thaws. Mulch with straw, oak leaves, or evergreen boughs 4
inches deep to protect the plants. Apply the mulch after the ground
has frozen in early winter. Do not remove the mulch until plants
show signs of growth in early spring. Early removal could result in
some early frost damage.
Indoor Herb Gardening
Herbs can also be grown indoors for year-round enjoyment. Growing
herbs indoors is no more difficult than growing them in the garden.
Indoor plants will need essentially the same conditions as herbs
grown outdoors — sunlight and a well-drained soil mix that is not
too rich.
Select a south or west window. Different herbs have different light
requirements, but most need a sunny location; in winter, “grow
lamps” or fluorescent lamps are helpful in supplementing light.
When planting, mix two parts sterilized potting soil and one part
coarse sand or perlite. To ensure sweetness of the soil, add a cut
of ground limestone per bushel of soil — or 1 teaspoon of lime per
5-inch pot. There should be an inch of gravel at the bottom of each
pot to ensure good drainage.
Consider the water needs of each herb. Growing plants need more
water as do plants in clay pots or hanging baskets. Misting and
grouping the plants on a tray of moistened pebbles will help keep
them in a humid condition. Don’t drench herbs — avoid getting herb
roots soggy.
Annual herbs can spend their full life cycle in a pot indoors.
Perennial herbs, however, will do better if you place them outdoors
during the summer. Plunge the pot in soil up to its rim, or keep it
in a protected location on the porch or patio.
Herb plants need sun during the summer months, so place them
accordingly. To prevent the loss of foliage and avoid plant damage,
bring herbs indoors before frost. A light frost is helpful on mint,
chives, and tarragon; it tends to induce a rest period and make the
resulting new growth firm and fresh.
You can maintain an indoor herb garden indefinitely by periodic
light feeding, yearly repotting, renewing annuals, seasonal moves
outdoors for perennials, and occasional pruning. Water plants as
needed. Use several planters or a divided one to allow for different
moisture needs of plants.
Drying Herbs
If you have an herb garden, you’ll find that home-dried herbs can be
just as tasty as those bought at the store. However, proper handling
is as important to the success of your herb harvest as good cultural
practices.
Preparation
Most herbs are at their peak flavor just before flowering, so this
is a good time to collect them for drying and storage. To be
certain, check drying directions on specific herbs in a reliable
reference book. Cut off the herbs early in the morning just after
the dew has dried. Cut annuals off at ground level, and perennials
about one-third down the main stem, including the side branches.
Wash herbs, with the leaves on the stems, lightly in cold running
water to remove any soil, dust, bugs, or other foreign material.
Drain thoroughly on absorbent towels or hang plants upside down in
the sun until the water evaporates.
Strip leaves off the stalks once plants have drained and dried,
leaving only the top 6 inches. Remove all blossoms.
Natural or Air Drying
Herbs must be dried thoroughly before storing. Herbs with high
moisturecontent, such as mint and basil, need rapid drying or they
will mold. To retain some green leaf coloring, dry in the dark by
hanging plants upside down in bunches in paper bags. Hanging leaves
down allows essential oils to flow from stems to leaves. Tie whole
stems very tightly in small bunches. Individual stems will shrink
and fall. Hang in a dark, warm (70o-80oF [21.1o-26.7oC]), well-
ventilated, dust-free area. Leaves are ready when they feel dry and
crumbly in about 1 to 2 weeks.
Drying Seeds
Seeds take longer to dry than leaves, sometimes as much as 2 weeks
for larger seeds. Place seed heads on cloth or paper. When partially
dry, rub seeds gently between palms to remove dirt and hulls. Spread
clean seed in thin layers on cloth or paper until thoroughly dry.
You also can dry herb seeds by hanging the whole plant upside down
inside a paper bag. The bag will catch the seeds as they dry and
fall from the pod.
Over Drying
For quick oven drying, take care to prevent loss of flavor, oils,
and color. Place leaves or seeds on a cookie sheet or shallow pan
not more than 1 inch deep in an open oven at low heat less than
180oF (82.2oC) for about 2 to 4 hours.
Microwave ovens can be used to dry leaves quickly. Place the clean
leaves on a paper plate or paper towel. Place the herbs in the oven
for 1 to 3 minutes, mixing every 30 seconds.
Silica Gel or Salt Drying
Silica gel or noniodized table salt can be used to dry or “cure” non-
hairy leaves. Clean and blot dry leaves before placing them in a
tray or shallow pan of the silica gel or salt. After the leaves have
dried, approximately 2 to 4 weeks, remove the leaves from the drying
material, shake off the excess material, and store them in glass
containers. Before using, rinse leaves thoroughly in clear, cold
water.
Another method of drying herbs is to remove the leaves from the
plants, wash them, and spread them thinly on screens to dry,
avoiding exposure to bright light. Cheesecloth makes a good screen
material and stretches well.
Freezing Herbs
Herbs also can be frozen. Harvest herbs according to
recommendations. Wash them thoroughly and blanch them in boiling,
unsalted water for 50 seconds Cool them quickly in ice water and
then package and freeze them. Washed fresh dill, chives, and basil
can be frozen without blanching.
Storage
When completely dry, the leaves may be screened to a powder or
stored whole in airtight containers, such as canning jars with
tightly sealed lids.
Seeds should be stored whole and ground as needed. Leaves retain
their oil and flavor if stored whole and crushed just before use.
For a few days, it is very important to examine daily the jars in
which you have stored dried herbs. If you see any moisture in the
jars, remove the herbs and repeat the drying process. Herbs will
mold quickly in closed jars if not completely dry.
Once you are sure the herbs are completely dry, place them in the
airtight containers, and store them in a cool, dry place away from
light. Never use paper or cardboard containers for storage as they
will absorb the herbs’ aromatic oils.
Herb Description, Culture, Harvesting, and Use
Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
Description
Anise is a dainty annual that grows from 1 ½ to 2 feet high. It
has
finely cut, serrated leaves and very small, whitish flowers in flat
clusters. The leaves and seeds have a warm, sweet taste that
suggests licorice.
Culture
Anise grows rapidly from seed. Plant after all danger of frost has
passed. If planted in rows, thin to 6 to 8 inches apart in rows 2
feet apart.
Harvesting
The green leaves can be cut whenever plants are large enough. Gather
seeds about 1 month after flowers bloom.
Use
Anise leaves can be used in salads and as a garnish. Use the seeds
to flavor confections such as cakes and cookies. Oil from anise seed
is used in medicine.
Basil (Sweet) (Ocimum basilicum)
Description
Basil is an attractive annual, about 18 inches tall with light-
green, fairly broad leaves. The flowers are small, white, and appear
in spikes. There are several species of cultivated basil, one having
purple leaves.
Culture
Basil grows easily from seed planted after all danger of frost has
passed. Pinch stems to promote bushy, compact growth. Avoid lush
growth as it may reduce the flavor.
Harvesting
Green leaves can be picked about 6 weeks following planting. It is
best to cut leaves for drying just before flowers open.
Use
Spicy-scented basil leaves are one of the most popular of all herbs
used in cooking. Cooks favor basil for tomato dishes in either fresh
or dried form.
Borage (Borago officinalis)
Description
Borage is a decorative annual with coarse, hairy leaves and stems
and beautiful sky-blue flowers in a star shape. The plant grows
about 2 to 3 feet tall.
Culture
Borage is easily grown from seed and will sow itself. This plant
does best in dry, sunny places. Although it is difficult to
transplant, you can stretch out the harvest by sowing three times at
4-week intervals.
Harvesting
Pick blossoms as they open. Use leaves fresh anytime; they are
seldom dried.
Use
Sprays of borage flowers and leaves are used to give a cool,
cucumber-like flavor to summer drinks. Bees are attracted to the
borage plant.
Caraway (Carum carvi)
Description
Caraway is a biennial plant that grows about 30 inches tall. The
flowers appear in flat, white clusters and, like the finely cut
leaves, resemble those of carrots.
Culture
Caraway can be easily raised from seed. Usually, plants do not bear
seed the first year they are planted, but if planted in the fall,
they will bear seed the following year. This herb is not easily
transplanted. If sown in rows, thin to 8 to 12 inches apart in rows
3 feet apart. Protect roots with mulch in winter.
Harvesting
Seeds can be picked when ripe, about a month after flowering, when
they are grayish-brown in color.
Use
Caraway seeds have a warm, aromatic odor and flavor and are popular
in cooking. The oil of caraway seeds is an important ingredient in
liqueurs. Use in Hungarian-type dishes, coleslaw, cheese spreads,
meat stews, and fish casseroles.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Description
Catnip is a hardy perennial plant that grows 3 to 4 feet tall. The
heart-shaped leaves are green above and gray below. The plant has
purple flowers.
Culture
Catnip is a hardy plant that will grow in sun or shade. It can be
grown from seed or propagated by division. When young, the plants
are decorative. As they grow older, however, they become scraggly.
It’s best to plant catnip as a background plant.
Harvesting
Cut and dry the mature leafy tops and leaves.
Use
Catnip leaves are used for tea and seasoning and also are attractive
to cats.
Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
Description
Chervil is an annual plant that grows up to 2 feet tall. It’s lacy
leaves resembe parsley but are a lighter shade of green. The flat
heads have delicate white flowers.
Culture
Chervil can be raised from seed sown in the garden in early spring.
Seedlings are difficult to transplant. Thin plants 3 to 4 inches
apart. For denser foliage, cut the flower stems before they bloom.
Harvesting
Pick leaves just before the buds break. Cut and dry the green,
tender leaves.
Use
Chervil leaves are used much like parsley - in soups, salads,
sauces, egg dishes, and cheese soufflés.
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Description
Chives are small, dainty, onion-like plants that grow in clumps
reaching about 10 inches in height. They are a hardy perennial with
decorative, light purple flowers.
Culture
Chives demand little care other than dividing when they become
overcrowded. They are easily propagated by division or from seed and
make attractive border plants.
Harvesting
Cut fresh leaves for use as they grow.
Use
Chives are used to impart a delicious, subtle, onion-like flavor to
foods.
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Description
Coriander is a dainty annual plant that grows about 2 feet tall. It
has finely divided leaves that are both strong-smelling and ill-
tasting. Small white or purplish-tinged flowers appear in small,
flat heads.
Culture
Coriander is easily grown from seed sown in the garden in spring.
This plant does well in any good garden soil. Thin plants 7 to 10
inches apart.
Harvesting
Harvest plants when 6 inches high or pick leaves sparingly when
plants are 4 to 6 inches tall. Gather seeds as they ripen in mid-
summer.
Use
Coriander seeds, round and about one-eighth of an inch in diameter,
have a delicious perfumed taste and odor and are used as a condiment
in confections.
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Description
Dill, a popular annual, has bluish-green stems that contrast with
finely divided, yellow-green, plume-like leaves and yellowish
flowers. Dill grows about 2 to 3 feet high.
Culture
Dill is easily grown from seed sown in the garden in spring after
all danger of frost has passed. Sow the seed where you want it to
grow as it is difficult to transplant. Stake tall plants.
Harvesting
For best results, pick leaves just as flowers open. Pick seeds when
they are flat and brown.
Use
Both the leaves and seeds of dill are popular for flavoring pickles,
sauerkraut, and beet dishes. It can be combined with garlic and
pepper to produce a highly flavored Mediterranean or East European
pork roast (often cooked over a spit outdoors). The seeds yield a
fragrant oil.
Fennel (Florence) (Foeniculum dulce)
Description
Fennel is a perennial (but usually grown as an annual) that grows to
about 3 to 4 feet tall. The leaves are finely divided into thread-
like segments and are light green.
Culture
Fennel grows easily from seed planted in the garden in spring. Sow
in full sun. Space rows 3 feet apart. Thin plants 10 to 12 inches
apart and stake when 18 inches tall to protect from wind.
Harvesting
Pick seeds when ripe. The best stems for eating are the tender
flower stalks just before they blossom.
Use
Fennel seeds are used as a condiment. The leaves have an anise-like
flavor and the stems can be eaten like celery. Seeds can be used in
cheese spreads and vegetable dishes.
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Description
Horehound is a somewhat coarse perennial plant that is covered with
a whitish down. The leaves are crinkled and tend to turn downward.
Culture
Horehound grows well in light soil and withstands full sun and
intense heat. It is a hardy plant but needs protection where winters
are very cold. Horehound can be propagated from seed, cuttings, or
by division. Because of its weedy growth habits, it is best to place
this plant in the background.
Harvesting
Leaves and small stems can be cut in May before plants bloom.
Use
Horehound is the source of the familiar old-fashioned horehound
candy.
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Description
Hyssop is a hardy perennial that grows no more than 2 feet tall. It
has woody stems, small pointed leaves, and spikes of small purple
flowers. There also are forms with pink or white flowers. If kept
clipped, it makes a good border or small hedge.
Culture
Hyssop will grow in rather poor soil and is easily propagated from
seed. When it is established, it is a quite hardy plant.
Harvesting
Use the youngest leaves and stems as needed.
Use
Hyssop’s pungent leaves are used to flavor liqueurs and sometimes
are used as a condiment. Oil obtained from the leaves is used in
making perfume.
Lavender (Lavandula vera)
Description
Lavender is a many-branched, somewhat woody, perennial plant growing
1 ½ to 3 feet tall. The narrow leaves are about 2 inches long and
have a pleasing gray-green color. The small lavender flowers are
borne on long-stemmed, slender spikes.
Culture
Lavender grows best in rocky, dry, sunny places with an abundant
amount of lime in the soil. It can be propagated by seed or
cuttings. If winters are severe, the plant needs protected.
Harvesting
Cut whole flower spikes when the first flowers begin to open, and
dry.
Use
Lavender is one of the most famous of all herbs for the fragrance of
its dried flowers and the oil distilled from them. It is used most
often in sachets and perfumes.
Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
Description
Lovage is a hardy perennial with large, rich green leaves that
resemble those of celery. The leaves are stronger tasting, but
sweeter than celery.
Culture
Lovage does best in a rich, fairly moist soil and can be propagated
from seed planted in late summer.
Harvesting
Use the leaves fresh, or dry them at any time.
Use
The leaves and stems of lovage give a celery flavor to soups and
salads. Blanch stem bases before eating.
Marjoram (Sweet) (Marorana hortensis)
Description
Sweet marjoram, usually grown as an annual, is one of the most
fragrant and popular of all herbs. Its growth habit is low and
spreading, and it reaches a height of about 8 to 12 inches. It has
small, oval, gray-green leaves that are velvety to the touch.
Culture
This plant can be easily grown from seed or cuttings. In colder
climates, it is best treated as an annual or kept overwinter as a
pot plant. Its color makes it an attractive border plant.
Harvesting
Sweet marjoram leaves can be used anytime. Cut the leafy stems at
flowering and dry for future use.
Use
Sweet marjoram leaves, fresh or dried, can be used as a flavoring in
cooking. The oil derived from the leaves is used in making perfume.
Oregano (Wild marjoram) (Origanum vulgare)
Description
Oregano, also called “wild marjoram,” is a hardy perennial that has
sprawling stems which can grow to 2 feet tall. This plant is much
coarser than sweet marjoram and smells more like thyme. It has small
pink or white flowers.
Culture
Oregano grows well in poor soil and can be propagated by seed or
division. Thin plants 10 to 12 inches apart. Stimulate foliage by
cutting back flowers. Replant when plants become woody in 3 to 4
years.
Harvesting
Use fresh leaves as needed. Preserve leaves by drying.
Use
Oregano leaves are used extensively as a flavoring on pizza.
Sprinkle leaves over lamb or steak rubbed with lemon juice. Add to
other Italian-type sauces.
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Description
Parsley is a hardy biennial that is usually treated as an annual. It
is popular because of its much-divided, sometimes curly leaves which
have a characteristic flavor and smell.
Culture
Cut parsley when the leaves are of suitable size. Leaves can be used
fresh or dried.
Use
Parsley is one of the most familiar of all herbs and is used for
both garnishing and flavoring. It is relatively high in vitamins A
and C and iron.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Description
Peppermint is a perennial plant with spreading rootstalks and many
upright stems 2 feet or more in height. Its dark green leaves and
reddish-tinged stems have a characteristic warm, spicy scent. Tiny
purplish flowers appear in thick terminal spikes 1 to 3 inches long.
Culture
Peppermint does best in a rich, moist soil. Propagate by division or
cuttings. The plant will grow in sun or shade. It is best to renew
beds every 3 to 4 years.
Harvesting
The more frequently the sprigs are cut, the better the growth. Use
leaves at any time. Leaves to be dried are best taken just as
flowers begin to appear.
Use
The leaves are used in tea and for other flavoring. Oil from the
plant is used in products such as chewing gum, confections, toilet
water, soap, and liqueur.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Description
Rosemary is a hardy evergreen shrub in areas where winter
temperatures stay above 5oF (-15oC). In the Northeast, however, this
perennial should be taken indoors and kept as a pot plant during
winter. The narrow leaves have a leather-like feel and a spicy,
resinous fragrance.
Culture
Rosemary grows best in well-drained, sunny locations in lime-rich
soil. It can be propagated by cuttings or grown from seed. Pinch the
tips to direct growth.
Harvesting
Use fresh leaves as needed.
Use
Rosemary is a popular flavoring for meats and dressings or as a
garnish on large roasts. Oil from leaves is used in medicine.
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Description
Sage is a woody, hardy perennial plant with oblong, wooly, gray-
green leaves that are lighter underneath and darker on top. Sage
grows 2 to 3 feet or more in height and has a tendency to sprawl.
Culture
Start from seed or cuttings. A slow starter, sow seed indoors and
transplant. Plant sage where it will receive full sun. Space plants
2 to 2 ½ feet apart. Plants eventually become woody and should be
renewed every 3 to 4 years.
Harvesting
Pick the leaves before or at blooming. Cut back the stems after
blooming.
Use
This aromatic and slightly bitter herb is noted for its use in
stuffings for poultry, rabbit, pork, and baked fish. It also can be
used in sausage or meat loaves.
Savory (Summer) (Satureja hortensis)
Description
Summer savory is a tender annual that grows up to 18 inches tall. It
has small bronze-green leaves and very small white or lavender
flowers. The leaves are pungent and spicy.
Culture
Summer savory grows best in a well-worked loamy soil. Seed can be
planted in the garden in spring.
Harvesting
Cut leafy tops when the plants are in bud. Hang in an airy, shaded
place until crisp and dry.
Use
Summer savory is popular as a condiment with meats and vegetables
and is generally considered sweeter than winter savory.
Savory (Winter) (Satureja montana)
Description
Winter savory has dark green, shiny, pointed leaves much stiffer in
texture than summer savory. It is a woody perennial plant growing to
2 feet in height with small white or lavender flowers.
Culture
Winter savory does best in a light, sandy soil. Keep dead wood
trimmed out. Propagate by cuttings or raise from seed.
Harvesting
Pick young shoots and leaves at any time. The leaves are almost
evergreen but not as pungent in winter. It is best dried for winter
use.
Use
Winter savory is a condiment often used as a flavoring in liqueurs.
Its taste is not as sweet as summer savory.
Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Description
This hardy perennial plant has pointed, slightly crinkled leaves
that are a lighter shade of green than peppermint. The whole plant
has a sweet characteristic smell.
Culture
Spearmint grows best in a somewhat moist soil and can be propagated
by cuttings or division. Renew beds every 3 to 4 years. Growth is
enhanced by frequent cuttings.
Harvesting
Pick the fresh leaves and leafy stem tips for use at any time. For
drying, it is best to cut leaves just as flowering begins.
Use
Spearmint leaves are used in teas and to flavor cold drinks and make
mint sauce. The oil is used in confections.
Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
Description
Tarragon is an herbaceous perennial that grows to about 2 feet tall.
It has multibranched growth with narrow, somewhat twisted, green
leaves.
Culture
Tarragon will grow in full sun but seems to do better in semishade.
It can be propagated from root cuttings or by division. It needs
protection in winter in cold climates. Make new plantings every 3 to
4 years.
Harvesting
It is best to use fresh young leaves and stem tips. Flavor is lost
when tarragon is dried.
Use
Tarragon leaves have a distinctive flavor similar to anise and are
used in salads, marinades, and sauces. Leaves yield flavor to
vinegar when steeped.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Description
Thyme is a low-growing, wiry-stemmed perennial that reaches about 6
to 10 inches in height. The stems are stiff and woody and leaves are
small, oval, and gray-green in color. The lilac flowers are borne in
small clusters and the leaves are very aromatic.
Culture
This plant grows best in light, well-drained soil. Thin plants 8 to
12 inches apart. It is best to renew the plants every few years.
Propagate with cuttings, divisions, or by direct seeding. Thyme is
an attractive edging plant or a spreading plant among and over rocks.
Harvesting
Cut leafy tops and flower clusters when first blossoms open and dry.
Use
Thyme is widely used as a seasoning. Oil of thyme is used in
medicines and perfumes. It goes well in gumbos, bouillabaisse, clam
chowder, poultry stuffings, and slow-cooking beef dishes.
Woodruff (Sweet) (Asperula odorata)
Description
Sweet woodruff is a low, spreading, perennial plant that forms
clumps about 8 inches in height. The slender leaves are borne in
starry whorls. The flowers are tiny and white and form in loose
clusters. When the plant is crushed, it has a sweet scent similar to
freshly mown hay and vanilla.
Culture
Sweet woodruff can be grown as a perennial if winters are not too
severe, but it needs winter protection or should be taken indoors in
cold climates. It will thrive in semishade and makes an attractive
ground cover under taller plants.
Harvesting
Harvest and dry plants in the spring when fragrance is the strongest.
Use
Sweet woodruff is most often used in flavoring German May wine and
in other drinks.
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