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helenh_gw

Do you use herbs?

helenh
11 years ago

I know I love rosemary and bay leaves, but I don't take the time to use them. The bottles in my cabinet of purchased dried herbs are probably all past the expiration. I did have a Christmas rosemary plant one winter and used it on chicken. It was good. I am reading/scanning an American Test Kitchen magazine. A chicken salad recipe calls for fresh parsley and fresh tarragon. I don't even know what tarragon tastes like and wonder if I'm missing something. I couldn't be without garlic but that is not an herb. Cilantro counts but I haven't dried or saved any of that and only use it in salsa.

This post was edited by helenh on Sun, Jan 20, 13 at 21:28

Comments (10)

  • aiwen
    11 years ago

    Definitely! Helen, I have Rosemary "Arp" that has survived 5 winters. It blooms off and on from Dec to spring, well the one on the south side of the house does, the others not so much. I have lots of parsley, it self seeds and I just let it live where it wants to. I grow basil every year. I have thyme, sage and oregano. And, of course LOTS of garlic and chives. I use them all. During the hot summer days, I put herb leaves on one of those pizza pans with holes in in and put it out on the table on the deck in full sun. In 3-4 hours, they are dried.

  • sunnyside1
    11 years ago

    Good tip about drying herbs on a pizza pan with holes. Thanks.
    Sunny

  • helenh
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I like the look of parsley it stays green; I'll have to get some. I've never had luck keeping rosemary for long. I do have some sage in a pot.

    Ann that drying trick is a good idea. I had never heard of Arp.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Arp rosemary

    This post was edited by helenh on Mon, Jan 21, 13 at 10:01

  • christie_sw_mo
    11 years ago

    I've heard of tarragon but can't remember every using any. All the other herbs that were mentioned I use occasionally except for Arp Rosemary which I'd never heard of either.
    It would be nice to have fresh herbs in my garden, although knowing me, I would most likely be in too big of a hurry to run outside and get something and would be reaching into my cabinet instead. I do that with garlic most of the time. Garlic powder is handier than using bulbs.

    I try new recipes a lot. I get bored cooking the same things over and over. Sometimes I have to buy an herb or spice that a recipe calls for and then I never use it again. I'm sure I've have expired things in my cabinet too.

  • sunnyside1
    11 years ago

    I like to cook too, Christie, and try new recipes. deepsouthdish.com and smittenkitchen.com are wonderful online. "They" say that any herb/spice in an old tin is too old to use. Found some real antiques in the cupboard and threw out a bunch not too long ago. When I replaced, I did so with mostly $1 bottles, as I'm going to keep fresh bottles on hand now. It does make a difference.

    I also have an herb garden and love to smell the thyme. Loads of basil in my tomato bed every year and I swear this summer I'm actually going to make pesto.

    Does anyone have comfrey? I use it in my compost pile and the leaves as mulch around vegetables. Had to order it a few years ago, as not available locally. Hope I can always grow it, as it makes a wonderful polutice for aches and pains of arthritis and sprains.
    Sunny

  • helenh
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I have never grown comfrey but it looks like an attractive plant.

    Is mint an herb? I do like to use apple mint for mint tea. When I was a child a neighbor woman used to give me hot sweet mint tea and I still like it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: images of comfrey

  • aiwen
    11 years ago

    Yes, Helen, mint is an herb. It is also a pest!! I got the 'Arp' Rosemary from the lady who taught the herb class when I took master gardener classes. She brought samples of herbs and I asked for the rosemary sprig. It is easily rooted.
    Don't throw out those old spice tins! I sold a pumpkin pie spice tin that was dated 1987 on Ebay...there was a bidding war and it sold at $22.00!! hahaha

  • sunnyside1
    11 years ago

    Who knew? lol Don't think any of mine or Mother's were that old, but good for you!

    Just think how RICH the landfill is (in potential/hindsight)! I still have kitchen utensils Made In USA that I hope I can keep working. I'm looking for a tarragon plant this spring, as I'm curious as to why I thought I didn't like it back in the 70's. I didn't like paprika, either, but the new (Spanish) Smoked Paprika sends me. Put a bit in potato soup today and it was definitely more flavorful.

    If anyone wants to order a comfrey plant or two (they last forever) please e-mail me for the address. They are very reasonable and delivered nice, juicy roots, just dug.
    Sunny

  • helenh
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I sometimes listen to podcasts A Way To Garden by M. Roach on i-tunes. This latest one mentioned holy basil that some people use to make tea. She also mentioned Horizon a company in Oregon that sells medicinal herbs. I don't used medicinal herbs or know anything about them. I grow valarian for the fragrance.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Horizon Herbs

  • gldno1
    11 years ago

    If I remember tarragon has a slightly licorice taste and there are two kinds, Russian and French. I think French is the best for culinary use.

    I am starting a new herb bed right outside the back door so I will be more tempted to actually use fresh herbs in my cooking. So far, I just have rhubarb and chives. I have sage in the garden that I dry and use each year. I have a rosemary plant in the milk parlor because it won't survive the winter. I need to try the 'Arp' variety. I had thyme until I accidentally tilled it up....need get more.
    I always grow basil in with the tomatoes and grow garlic in a row in the garden. I had oregano until it took over the world and I eliminated it. I have lots of bronze fennel that I save seeds and use in Italian dishes (licorice tasting too).

    I think there is an herb nursery in Buffalo I want to check out.

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