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Culinary herbFAQ part 6/7
Archive-name: food/culinary-herbs/part6
Posting-Frequency: monthly (on or about 20th) Last-modified: 27Jul03 Version: 1.17b URL: http://ibiblio.org/herbmed/faqs/culi-cont.html ---------------------------------------------- 3 Gardening ---------------------------------------------- 3.1 Herbs for groundcover Also see Growing chamomile, 2.7.1, above. ---------------------------------------------- From: jera.ksu.ksu.edu I've found the following plants useful as groundcovers. Unless otherwise noted, all are perennial, and hardy in my Zone 5 (north-central Kansas) garden. * pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium Don't fertilize this regularly, it doesn't need the encouragement). NON-EDIBLE. * lemon thyme, Thymus x citriodorus Otherwise known as the thyme that ate Cleveland; semi-evergreen in my garden. * mother-of-thyme, Thymus serpyllum Semi-evergreen, turns a lovely bronzed-purple color in the winter. * caraway thyme, Thymus herba-barona Used in the late Middle Ages to flavor baron of beef, hence the name. A very low, flat, spreading plant with a fascinating fragrance & flavor. * oregano thyme, Thymus sp. Grows much like mother-of-thyme, wonderful oregano scent and flavor. * Aztec sweet herb, Lippia dulcis Low, sprawling annual; odd, resiny scent; it's supposed to self-seed readily, cuttings root fairly easily. * oregano, Origanum vulgare May be a bit tall for a groundcover, especially after 2-3 years; spreads vigorously; attractive flowers. * germander, Teucrium chamaedrys NON-EDIBLE but fun, a broadleaf evergreen; great for rock gardens and retaining walls; attractive flowers. * mints, Mentha sp. These may be a bit tall for many uses, but for a moist spot that's hard to mow, or that washes out frequently, give them a try - I've found that the candy-scented varieties are somewhat less invasive. * chamomile, Anthemis nobilis + Matricaria recutita These don't grow well in my area, it's too hot and dry; one is annual, one perennial. ---------------------------------------------- From mflesch.mail.coin.missouri.edu (Mary A. Flesch): I can't believe no one has mentioned the mint family in this group. At my last house, I planted a tiny spearmint plant to have in iced tea (I'm originally from Louisville, KY and was also planning on juleps). By the time I moved 2 years later, I was able to dig it up and give to four friends while still leaving plenty for the new owners! ---------------------------------------------- 3.2 Herbs you can't get rid of (= easy gardening) Also see Growing horseradish, 2.20.1, above. ---------------------------------------------- From: ecoli.cix.compulink.co.uk (Peter Harris) Marigold and nasturtium. Just sprinkle a few packets around and your only future problem is thinning them down each year. From: hetta.saunalahti.fi Then there are the mints (Mentha sp.), horseradish, Artemisia ludoviciana, bouncing bet (Saponaria sp.) and comfrey. They should be planted in containers which are dug into the ground to avoid them taking over the garden, and to make it possible to get rid of them if you decide to. Among the wild seeders are motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), catmints (eg. Nepeta cataria, Nepeta grandiflora), wild oregano (Origanum vulgare), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), mallows (eg. Malva moschata, Malva rosea), and hyssop. A prolific annual is California poppy, Eschscholtzia californica. ---------------------------------------------- 3.3 Tall herbs ---------------------------------------------- From: ecoli.cix.compulink.co.uk (Peter Harris) Fennel is the obvious one, the tinted variety is nice although I only have the ordinary. Really good fun is lovage, it can be huge. It is known in Germany as the "Maggi Herb" and is a constituent of that proprietory food enhancer. It has a pretty strong "dark" taste and was used to "extend" stews. I.e. it made a stew taste as thought there was more meat in it than there really was! Latin names: Lovage = Levisticum officinale. Fennel = Foeniculum vulgare. From hetta.saunalahti.fix Some nice tall medicinal herbs: Angelica archangelica, if permitted to flower; Inula helenium, with nice yellow flowers; Valeriana officinalis, especially if it gets lots of nutrients; Verbascum thapsus and some other mulleins; some of the mallows; motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), Russian tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus); and some of the Rudbeckia sp., like Rudbeckia laciniata. More? Sure, but I can't remember any offhand. Can you? ---------------------------------------------- 3.4 Herbs for shade ---------------------------------------------- From: eberts.donald.uoregon.edu (sonny hays-eberts) Sweet cicely and woodruff are two I've had good luck with, in heavy shade. Most culinary herbs prefer full sun. Those that are shade tolerant, as a general rule, are not as heavy on flavor. From: mrooney.mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney) Many of the broader leaf herbs will grow in the shade, especially the ones that tend to bolt. A good example of this is cilantro or parsley. ---------------------------------------------- 3.5 Growing herbs indoors ---------------------------------------------- I love cooking with fresh herbs so I tried growing my own. I planted basil, chives, dill, and parsley in June. The chives are doing fine. From: Catherine A Hensley hensley.lims1.lanl.gov I have bad news. The chives will eventually begin to look sickly, because they will become root-bound and they will also be expecting a cool spell. When this happens, remove them from the pot, break off a chunk of plant and roots, and move these to a new pot. Then put them in the refrigerator for a week or two, and then back out on the window sill. The basil is OK; however, it is not growing as tall and thick as I had imagined. I suspect that it needs more sunlight. Basil that needs more light tends to get leggy--long spindly growth and few leaves. Is that the problem? Another possiblility is that the basil is root-bound. How large is the pot, compared to how large the plant is? If the pot is in danger of falling over from the weight of the plant, or if the plant is dropping leaves, move the whole thing to a larger pot. My parsley looks like it is dying a slow death. It is not really growing, and the leaves near the bottom have yellowed and sort of mushed into the soil! Did I overwater? Is it the temperature? I keep the AC on. Parsley in the soil grows a long tap root, like a carrot (same family). In a shallow pot, it can't do that, so the root splits into many thinner roots and go around and around the pot until it runs out of soil. Yup, root-bound again. Next time try to find a narrow but deep pot. My dill looks about the same as the parsley. I know I should not have planted it in the summer. It went to seed almost immediately. Should I throw it out? Is there anything I can do? Going to seed immediately is a sign of stress, although I don't know if dill usually has a tap root too. Anyway, as an annual herb, it's now past its prime and can't be made to get young again. g Should I not be growing these herbs inside? Are there any herbs or peppers that are good to grow indoors? If so, what are they, and when should I plant them? I am especially interested in cilantro, mint, and jalapeno peppers. In spite of its problems, many people grow parsley inside, so that's okay. Dill grows to about 3 ft, so that is probably not a good choice. Basil is good, but it is an annual, so expect to sow some more as the seasons pass. I grow rosemary inside successfully, but before I gained some experience I killed three in three years. Peppers can be grown inside, but they like bright light, and in order to have fruit the flowers must be hand-pollinated (not as hard as it sounds, sometimes you can just thump the flowers with your fingertip to encourage self-pollinating). I also grow lemon-scented geranium and ginger inside over the winter, although they live outside during the summer. ---------------------------------------------- 3.6 Growing herbs from cuttings ---------------------------------------------- Has anyone ever tried to root lavender before? I am trying it and I'm not quite sure if I'm doing it right. I have taken long woody stems from my outdoor plant and have placed them in damp sand in potting pots indoors. I believe I am just to keep the soil moist, is this correct? Also, how long should it take before roots develope and I am able to transplant them? From ceci.lysator.liu.se (Ceci Henningsson): This is something about lavender that I wrote for rec.gardens some time ago. It works well with most herbs. For particularly watery-stemmed plants (think impatiens) putting them in a jar with water, like you describe works well. If you add just a teeny-weeny pinch of rooting hormone to the water, you'll be surprised at how quickly the cuttings develop lots of roots. Lavender is one of the easiest plants (along with fuchsias) to take cuttings from, so it's a good idea to start with them if you're not familiar with the technique. In addition to what you do, I do the following: I take fairly new stems and pinch out the flower buds. New stems root easier than older, woodier stems. For this reason cuttings are often taken in spring when there are lots of new stems. If your cuttings fail now, try again in spring. (Disregard that if you're in the southern hemisphere.) The reason I pinch out the buds, is that I want the plant-to-be to concentrate on making roots, not on flowering and setting seed. I cut the stem from the plant just above a leaf pair, and then I cut the stem just below a leaf pair. It may seem wasteful to throw a large portion of the stem in the compost, but it won't grow any roots anyway (or at least not as easily as the part just below the leaves). I also remove the leaves below soil level. Start by watering the growing medium. I usually water it so that water comes out at the bottom. That means it is fairly wet. Then I level the surface before coming back to the cutting. I use what my local nursery sells as "sowing soil". It is potting soil with 1/3 sand added. Before I insert the stem into the growing medium, I dip the lower part (the one that will be below the surface) in a rooting hormone, that will aid the formation of roots. If you don't have any rooting hormone at home, you can get it at your garden center. It doesn't cost much, and lasts a lifetime, so it's really a cheap investment. Because you now have the powder on the stem, you can't just push the stem into the growing medium, or you will rub off the powder. Instead you poke a hole into it, and insert the stem. Make sure there is contact between the stem and the growing medium. That is called "firming in". Then I take a clear polythene bag, cut a few small holes into it and put it over the pot. Place the pots in the shade. Too much sun and heat will dry out the plants before they have formed any roots to take up water with. Rooting usually takes a few weeks. Some general advice: * Think about hygiene. This is something to do on the clean kitchen counter, rather than on the lawn, because you want to introduce as few germs and fungus spores as possible. Since soil and plant material from the garden carries a lot of microbes which are harmful to people (tetanus and parasite eggs for instance), it's vital for your health that you clean the counter afterwards. If you have a greenhouse or potting shed you can do this in, that's probably the best place. * Check on the cuttings from time to time. They won't need any water for the first few weeks until they have formed roots if you have them under plastic bags. You can see that roots have formed when there's new (light-green) growth on the cuttings. Have patience and don't put them in the garden at once. They need to be a bit more established first. I suggest that, depending on the size of the pot you're using and how exposed to sun and winds the site is, to wait for maybe 1 month after new growth is showing before planting out. * Place as few cuttings as possible in each pot. That way, if you get a fungus infection in one pot, the whole lot won't be ruined. Also, use small pots. Soil that is not "used" by roots has a tendency to get stale, and that's something you have to avoid here. * When planting out, remember that lavender plants get quite big, although the cuttings seem tiny. I know from experience that it's easy to be tempted into putting them quite close to each other. This is getting to sound quite complicated, though, in real life, it isn't. I've taken maybe 10 lavender cuttings at 3 occassions, and none of them failed. Lavender cuttings seem particularly tough. Some times I've been convinced that they had died when they were bone-dry, but they've always come back to life with the help of some water. ---------------------------------------------- 3.7 Warning signs of soil nutrient deficiencies ---------------------------------------------- From: Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu This is information obtained from Charles Knight (my soils professor). Element Function Deficiency symptoms in plants Macronutrients: Component of all amino Uniform yellowing appears N - nitrogen acids, enzymes, proteins, first on lower leaves. Growth etc. ceases. P - Essential for ADP, ATP, DNA, Purple veins. Some plants: phosphorous RNA. Involved in protein unform ashy color. Stunted synthesis. growth. Tip-burn, brown spots appear K - potassium Regulates water uptake. first on lower leaves. Weak Component of cell walls. stems. Uniform yellowing appears Ca - calcium Component of cell walls. first on young leaves. Involved in cell division. Growing tips (roots and shoots) die. Plants dwarfed. Mg - magnesium Component of chlorophyll. Yellowing of the veins. Enzyme activator. Yellowed areas die. Component of all proteins. Uniform yellowing in whole S - sulphur Important in enzyme plant. Thin lateral stems reactions and photosynthesis. (exception: Cruciferae). Micronutrients (only a few GRAMS per acre needed) Fe - iron Component or co-factor of Yellowing of the veins. many oxidases. Larger veins stay green. Essential for Mn - manganese photosynthesis, Yellowing of the veins in N-metabolism, younger leaves. N-assimilation. Promotes growth hormones, Zn - zinc seed maturation and Rosette. Small yellowed production leaves. Scalloped leaf edges. Important in photosynthesis, Pale yellow-bleached leaves. Cu - copper protein and carbohydrate Leaves and stems not firm. metabolism. Tip and stem dieback. Essential for cell division Yellowing of younger leaves. B - boron + development. Synthesis of Internal browning of cork of nucleic acids, plant stems and fruit. Many flowers hormones. abort. Mo - Essential for N-fixation and Uniform yellowing of whole molybdenum assimilation. plant. Extreme curling of leaves. Cl - chlorine Influences photosynthesis Unknown. and root growth. Co - cobalt Essential for N-fixation. Unknown. ---------------------------------------------- 3.8 Etc. ---------------------------------------------- 3.8.1 Fungicides in general and for damping off ---------------------------------------------- I need help identifying a whitish fuzz that's causing our rosemaries to shrivel and die back. Then I need help figuring out what to do about it. I have tried washing it off, but it keeps returning within a week. One of the big ones seems to have died completely from this already, the others have mostly only new growth left alive. Is it possible that the fuzzy mildew from our neighbor's grape vines could have taken hold on rosemary? From: Joyce Schillen gardenpg.cdsnet.net: What you describe certainly sounds like a fungus, of which powdery mildew is one. A very good fungicide is 3 tablespoons baking soda, 2 1/2 tablespoons horticultural oil (also called ultrafine oil or summer spray oil) and 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap mixed in a gallon of water. Spray all surfaces about every ten days. This has been tested extensively by Cornell U. for black spot on roses, and in Israel for powdery mildew on squashes. Some plants are sensitive to the oil, so test it on a small section first to make sure there's no phytotoxicity. Another good fungicide is strong chamomile tea. This works great on damping off disease in seedlings: Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1/4 cup chamomile blossoms and let steep until cool. Then strain into a spray bottle. Spray on seedlings AND soil whenever evidence of damping off disease or other fungus appears. I swear, this is nearly magical. I've seen it completely knock down that white cottony growth that shows up on soil surfaces and makes seedlings keel over and die. The tea only keeps a week or so before turning rancid, so that's why I make such small quantities. ---------------------------------------------- From: Kathryn M. Bensinger kbensin.MAIL.STATE.TN.US: What you will find inside any plant suffering from fungus is the vegetative body know as mycelium. What you see above the stem surface is actually the fruiting body of the fungus. The mushrooms you eat are just the fruiting body, the rest of the "plant" is below ground. If you slice open a twig or stem of an infected plant (dying or dead) and find squiggley line which resemble threads or fine root hairs, you have fungus. Most mycelium is whitish or tannish but may be other colors depending on which fungus; one toadstool has blood red! Both vinegar and baking soda will work by altering the pH of the plants surface; one to very acid, the other to very alkaline. This allows the plants natural resistance with an edge so it can throw off the fungus. Baking soda is used most often with powdery mildew because this fungus likes cool, humid, acidic environments. It works best before the "powder" shows. Here in TN the summers are always so humid it feels like you could wring the air and I spray my bergamont and other suseptible plants with baking soda/ water mix once a week from before any sign of fungus til humidity levels drop (about the end of June til end of Sept). It works. Vinegar works everywhere baking soda doesn't - this is my choice when I don't know which fungus I'm dealing with. Healthy plants never get fungus. Too much fertilizer causing too lush growth, light conditions which are low and (plants get leggy), night temperatures that are too cool or too hot, and (especially in winter)waterlogged soil due to poor drainage, etc. are all stress which weaken the plant and allow fungus the opportunity to move in. ---------------------------------------------- 4 Processing herbs ---------------------------------------------- 4.1 Vinegars ---------------------------------------------- Also see at least 2.4.3 Chive Vinegar and 2.9.3 Mint Vinegar. Best of the herbal forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi...6/vinegar.html Best of the herbal forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi.../dill-dip.html Best of the herbal forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi...sturtiums.html Best of the herbal forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi...naigrette.html ---------------------------------------------- From: adawson.ehs.eduhsd.k12.ca.us Hmm...I have made many herbal vinegars for my own home use and have always used cidar vinegar. This, for me, has always seemed quite sufficient and is very economical. Is there any reason why cidar vinegar is not acceptable? Have I unknowingly been commiting a culinary crime? Also, I have found bay leaf and rosemary to produce a very well flavored vinegar. ---------------------------------------------- From: HerbalMuse.aol.com Not at all...I use either apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar, depending on what kind of herb/flower is to be infused. ---------------------------------------------- From: christopher.gn.apc.org (christopher hedley) I use cider vinegar. How about Rosemary vinegar which can be used as a hair rinse as well as in cooking and Garlic vinegar which is a good general antiseptic as well as excellent salad dressing. Good looking labels are an important final touch. ---------------------------------------------- After asking about uses for a combination of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme I got the following reply: From: kate.netway.net (Kate Blacklock): It makes great flavored vinegar! ---------------------------------------------- From: mrooney.mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney) Basically, if you like it as an herb, put a good sized sprig of it in some white vinegar and wait a couple of months and try it. This works with sage (don't leave it too long), oregano, tarragon, thyme (may have to leave it longer) and chives that I can think of. Rose petal vinegar From: Baker.325.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker): 1 c rose petals 3 whole cloves 2 c white wine vinegar Trim away white part of rose petals. Wash and drain thoroughly. Slightly bruise petals and place with cloves in a wide mouth canning jar. Place vinegar in a medium saucepan bring to a boil. Pour vinegar over petals, cover at once with metal lids, and screw bands tight. Let stand at room temp for 1 week. Strain vinegar into decorative jars, discarding rose petals. Seal jars with a cork or other airtight lid. Makes 2 cups. ---------------------------------------------- From: Silkia.aol.com Herbed Vinegars Cayenne Vinegar Put from a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce of the best cayenne pepper into a bottle. Pour on it a pint of strong vinegar. Cork it closely, and shake it well every 23 days. It may remain any length of time but will be ready in about 2 weeks. Celery Vinegar Add to a pint of boiling vinegar a few grains of cayenne pepper, or 1/2 oz peppercorns, a teaspoon of salt and 2 C white portion of the roots and stems of fresh celery, sliced thin. Let boil 2-3 mins, turn into a stone jar and close tightly as soon as cold. It may be strained off and bottled in 3-4 weeks with out injury. Chili or Capsicum Vinegar Put an oz of chilies or capsicums into a pint of vinegar, cover closely and let stand 2 weeks. After straining the vinegar will then be ready to use. Cucumber Vinegar First wipe then without paring, slice young cucumbers into a stone jar. Pour on sufficient boiling vinegar to cover. Add a t of salt and 2/3 the quantity of peppercorns to 1 1/2 pints of vinegar. The mixture may remain thus for a month, or even two months if well protected from the air. It should then be strained, allowed to settle, and poured quite clear into small dry bottles, which should be tightly corked. A mild onion may be mixed with the cucumbers, if it is desired. Horseradish Vinegar On 4 oz of young and freshly scraped horseradish pour a quart of boiling vinegar, and cover closely. The vinegar should be ready in 3-4 days. But the mixture may remain for weeks or months before straining. An oz of shallot, minced may be substituted for one oz of horseradish if the flavor is preferred. Mint Vinegar Slightly chop or bruise the young leaves of freshly gathered mint pack in bottles, filing nearly to the neck, pour in vinegar to; cover the mint. In 50 days strain off and bottle for use. Nasturtium Vinegar Loosely fill a quart jar with clean nasturtium flowers. Add a finely chopped shallot, a very small piece of garlic, and a piece of red pepper. Fill the jar with cold vinegar, and let stand 2 months. Add 1 t of salt, strain through several thicknesses of cheesecloth and store in sterilized jars closely sealed. Raspberry Vinegar Crush 4 qts raspberries and cover with 4 qts mild vinegar. After 2 days strain through doubled cheesecloth and pour the same vinegar over a further 4 qts of berries. Let stand again for 2 days. Strain, measure. Add 2 # sugar for each quart of liquid, bringing slowly to boiling point. Boil 10 minutes then skim, turn into sterilized jars and seal. (Use 2-3 T in a glass of icewater for a pleasant summer drink) Raspberry strawberry Vinegar Use the same recipe as for Raspberry Vinegar only half the quantity for each fruit. Shallot Vinegar Over 46 oz shallots peeled and bruised, pour a quart of good vinegar. Cover closely and in 23 weeks vinegar may be used after straining. A few drops is sufficient flavor for sauces and dressings. Onion Vinegar Same as for shallot. Garlic Vinegar Make the same as for shallot using only 1/2 the quantity of garlic. Tarragon Vinegar Strip the tarragon from the large stalks. Put into small stone jar or wide necked jar, and in doing this, twist some of the branches so as to bruise the leaves and tear them apart. Pour in enough very pale vinegar so as to cover the top. Allow to infuse for about 2 months or more. Strain into small bottles and cork. ---------------------------------------------- 4.2 Herb oil ---------------------------------------------- From: edbw.unixg.ubc.ca (Edgar Wickberg) All homemade herb or vegetable flavoured oils have doubtful safety if they are not refrigerated immediately and kept in the refrigerator. The reason for concern is botulism. Clostridium botulinum, the organism that makes the deadly poison that results in botulism, grows in airfree environments. It is only when it grows that it produces the toxin. Putting anything up in oil produces a really great airfree (oxygen-free) environment and therefore the risk of toxin production. Clostridium botulinum is a very common organism in all of our environments, but the organism itself isn't dangerous to us. It requires, besides the airfree environment, a low acid one and temperatures above fridge temps. This is probably more than you ever wanted to hear about why not to make garlic flavoured oil. Why not dry most of your garlic so it will last and make just a little oil and keep it in the fridge. To make the kind that you store in the fridge, just heat a small quantity of oil (of your choice), put a few peeled cloves of garlic in a small bottle, pour the hot oil over, cool for half an hour, cover and refrigerate. ---------------------------------------------- From: baker.325.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (gwen baker) Take the cleaned herbs and place into a jar (a mason jar will do). Heat the oil to just warm (too hot and you will cook the herbs instead of extracting the taste), pour the warm oil over the herbs and let set. Check every 3 days to once a week, straining and adding additional herbs until the desired flavor is reached. Henriette's comment: keep in refrigerator until desired flavor is reached, and thereafter. ---------------------------------------------- Best of the herbal forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi...asil-pres.html ---------------------------------------------- 4.3 Drying your herbs ---------------------------------------------- From: aks3.cornell.edu (Amy Smith): You don't need anything terribly high tech to dry herbs... For leaves you can use old window screens in a DRY DARK place (like the attic). If you are growing seedlings, place the screens on the top of the fluorescent lights. For roots you might want to use the oven on low. Chopping the roots first helps. Food hydrators are better for roots. Flowers are like leaves but you MUST be careful about keeping it dark. (the sun leeches the nutrients out of herbs and they disintegrate too.) You can also hang bunches of leaves on string in a dark place outside (if you are in a fairly low humid climate) Or put flowers or leaves in paper sacks and hang them to dry (shake them or stir them periodically so they don't stick together inside the sack.) ---------------------------------------------- From: ?: Never store herbs in completely airtight containers unless you have access to a desiccant (like you get in pill bottles) to store with them since you will never perfectly dry them and therefore they need to breathe. ---------------------------------------------- From: jrogow.ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow), in response to above: An old remedy - tie a few grains of rice in a bit of cheese cloth and add it to the bottle if you must keep it tightly closed. ---------------------------------------------- From Henriette: Never use a microwave to dry herbs. First, timing is different for different microwave ovens, second, the taste isn't that good, and third, you can end up with a fire in your kitchen. If you use a dehydrator never go above 40 deg. Celcius. Most herbs are tasty because of volatile oils and in high temperatures these volatile oils get volatile and your herbs get tasteless. And, if you use the bunched-herbs -method outlined above, strip the leaves off the stalks after your herbs are dry. Stalks aren't that tasty in soups, and can be tossed on barbecue coals to give some taste there. ---------------------------------------------- 4.4 Freezing your herbs ---------------------------------------------- From: mrooney.mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney) The best way to do it is to cut the leaves off and then put them into a tight container and freeze them. If you are in a hurry you can put in the stems too and cut the leaves off later. From HeK: I've found the best way to freeze parsley is to cut it fine before freezing. Then you can scrap some directly from the jar into your soup/sauce/whatever without having to cut it while it's frozen / going mushy on you. I've done this for the others I've frozen as well - dill at least is way too stringy to be easily cut when frozen. From: baker.325.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (gwen baker) Chop the herbs into the desired size and place into a ice cube tray. You can fit a premeasured amount in so you know how much in each segment (I use a tblsp). Then add just enough water to cover the chopped leaf and freeze. You can pop out the cubes and store in bags and have the flavor of fresh herbs year round. ---------------------------------------------- From: mrooney.mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney) Another great way is to make them into pesto. Try different herbs with pignoli nuts, pecans (dill and pecan is one of my favorites), walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc. until you find the combinations you like. We freeze the pestos by putting saran wrap over a pint ice cream top (yes, the plastic one from a Dutch sounding one made really in NJ :-)), forcing in as much pesto as we can, and putting the saran wrap over the top. Then we wrap it in aluminium foil and label it and put it in the freezer. The best part is we have it all winter long and it tastes great on many things, especially pasta, chicken, pork, shrimp, fish, etc. (also see Pesto, 4.9.2 below). ---------------------------------------------- 4.5 Herb butter ---------------------------------------------- Herb Butter From Henriette: 1 part butter (room temperature) 1 part oil (room temperature) 2-5 parts water (room temperature) (optional) either finely chopped fresh herbs, or crushed dry herbs, to taste salt? Blend butter and oil together, add finely chopped herbs to taste, add water in drops (like you add oil when you make mayonnaise). Can't say if you need to add some salt to this recipe, but I'm used to it, as Finnish butter always contains salt. My favorite herbs to add to this: parsley, or lovage, or celeriac leaves, or fresh black currant leaves (Ribes nigrum) - Yum! Don't restrict yourself to garden-grown herbs, there's lots of good stuff growing in the woods and fields. And let your taste buds decide. I make a larger batch and freeze what I won't use right away - if you add water this will only keep for about a week or so in the fridge. ---------------------------------------------- Basil herb butter From "Susan K. Wehe" swehe.ix.netcom.com On using basil: mix with chives, parsley and butter to form an herb butter. Different basils create different tastes. 1/2 lb margarine 1 TLB chives 1 TLB parsley 1 TLB basil ---------------------------------------------- Best of the herbal forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi...rb-butter.html Best of the herbal forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi...-butter-1.html ---------------------------------------------- 4.6 Jelly, syrup and other sweets ---------------------------------------------- From es051447.orion.yorku.ca (Joseph St.Lawrence): An excellent book with info on edible flowers is *The Harrowsmith Salad Garden* by Turid Forsyth and Merilyn Simonds Mohr. Another good one is *Flowers in the Kitchen* by Susan Belsinger. ---------------------------------------------- 4.6.1 Flower / herb jelly ---------------------------------------------- also see 2.9.3 for mint jelly, 2.17.3 for garlic jelly and 2.20.3 for horseradish jelly. ---------------------------------------------- PS... Anyone like basil jelly? B-) From: Sallie Montuori foxdale.widomaker.com Haven't tried that yet, but I really like herb jellies. After trying rosemary jelly, I will never put mint sauce on lamb again!!! And I found that thyme jelly makes a terrific sauce for chicken. But what does one do with basil jelly? None of my knee-jerk reactions for basil includes "sweet." ---------------------------------------------- From: Judy Martin-Spiker judyms.lsid.hp.com My fiancee puts it in peanut butter and basil jelly sandwiches! He loves them! Personally, I think its a little revolting, but Basil jelly would go nice with pastas or italian cuisine, maybe even on garlic bread. Maybe an addition to pesto? The recipe is as follows: Basil jelly 1 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves - the fresher the better! 1 cup white vinegar 1 Tbsp lemon juice 2 cups water 6 1/2 cups sugar Two 3 oz. pouches Certo liquid pectin Green food coloring (just enough to give it a nice emerald green color, about 7 drops or up to 1 teaspoon full) Place the basil leaves, lemon juice and vinegar in an 8 to 10 quart sauce pot. The larger size is necessary since this recipe boils up a LOT. Let the basil, lemon juice and vinegar stand while you are measuring the two cups water. Add the water and food coloring. Heat almost to boil, stirring to blend, then add all the sugar at once. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to hard boil, add two 3-ounce pouches of Certo liquid pectin, 6 ounces total. (Make sure to get as much of the 6 ounces as you can into the kettle, and not all over your hands and stove, like I normally do! The jelly will not set without all the pectin.) Bring back to boil, boil hard for 1 minute or until jelly point is reached. Remove from heat. Remove basil leaves with slotted spoon. Pour immediately into hot, sterilized 1/2 pint jars, seal and process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Makes 6 to 7 half pints. This recipe produces a nicely set jelly that is sweet, but with a real kick to it! Personally, I like to use 4 different types of basil leaves in the recipe to add up to one cup, but you may use what you like. This receipe can also be used for other herbs, like oregano, rosemary, mint, parsley, thyme, etc. Hope you enjoy it. I am proud enough of it to enter it in the county fair this year. ---------------------------------------------- Basic flower jelly recipe - can also be used for other herbs From: bhaile.leo.vsla.edu (Bess Haile): 2 cups flower infusion: steep 2+ cups moderately packed flowers in 2 cups boiling water at least 30 minutes 1/4 cup lemon juice (E. Toley says not to use bottled, but I do) 4 cups sugar 3 oz of liquid pectin (this will be 1/2 box of liquid Certo) Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil you can't stir down. Add pectin and boil 2 minutes. Ladle into hot sterile jars. Seal in preferred manner. Note (Bess Haile): I prefer the liquid certo to the powdered. It seems to jell better with flowers. Also, I find the extra minute of boiling helps to create a stiffer jelly, though 1 minute will create a clear jam-like texture. I always use the 4 oz canning jars because I can give away some of the jellies without running out of all my stock. Not everyone likes jelly from flowers. My own family HATES rose jelly which is one of my favorites. Also, note, rose petals have a bitter white bit where the petals join the flower. Cut these off. I do this by holding the flower, step up, and cutting around the flower, leaving all the bitter bits on the flower. I've used Rose, Honeysuckle, Lavender, and many herbs too. Rosemary makes a good jelly for a glaze on roast pork (and probably lamb). Lemon verbena and spearmint are great too! Rose petal jelly From: Baker.325.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker) 1 1/2 c rose petals 1 1/2 c white grape juice 1/2 water 3 1/2 c sugar 1 pkg liquid fruit pectin Trim away white part of rose petals, wash petals thoroughly, and drain. Combine rose petals and grape juice in a sauce pan. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly; cook 1 min, stirring frequently. Add fruit pectin; cook stirring constantly, until mixture returns to a rolling boil. Continue boiling 1 min, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and skim off foam with a metal spoon. Quickly pour jelly into hot sterilized jar leaving 1/4 in headspace; cover with metal lids and screw tight. Process in boiling water bath for 5 min. Makes 3 pints. For fun leave the rose petals in and you can tell folks you are eating roses - they end up with the funniest looks on their faces. Rose petal jelly II From: Baker.325.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker) 2 quarts fresh rose petals, loosely packed (about 3 dozen roses) 1 quart boiling water 4 cups sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice Place petals in a large bowl. Add boiling water. Cover and steep for 20 minutes, or until all color is out of the petals. Strain liquid into a shallow pan. Add sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved, and mixture comes to a rolling boil. Maintain boil until mixture gives a jelly test (2 drops form on side of spoon, then flow together). Skim. Pour into hot sterile jars. Cover with melted paraffin (or use your preferred sealing method). Makes 8 x 6-ounce jars. Note (Gwen Baker): The rose petal jelly I have had used added pectin. This recipe thinks rose petals have enough of their own. Violet flower jelly From: Baker.325.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker) Violet infusion: 2 cups violet blossoms (don't have to pack tightly, just nicely full cups will do) 2 cups boiling water Pour boiling water on blossoms and cover 12-24 hours (If you can't get to the cooking within 24 hours, store in the refrigerator). Jelly recipe: 2 cups infusion 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 pkg. powdered pectin 4 cups sugar Bring first 3 ingredients to a rolling boil (one you can't stir down). Add sugar all at once and bring back to rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let boiling die down. Skim off foam with large spoon. Pour immediately into hot sterilized jars and seal. Makes 4-5 cups of jelly. I use the half cup jars so I can give away samples without giving away everything. Note (Gwen Baker): I've made two batches of this jelly and it is delicious! The lemon juice turns the blue infusion the most glorious amethyst color. No fruit jelly I've ever made has this color. It is tart and lemony, but does not taste exactly like lemon. My violets are not parma violets, just plain old Virginia weeds. ---------------------------------------------- Apple jelly with herbal variations From: gcaselton.easynet.co.uk (Graeme Caselton), taken from "Preserves & Pickles", by Heather Lambert, publisher: Octopus Books Ltd. Apple jelly is quite pleasant plain, especially with hot, buttered scones. Add herbs and it becomes a delicious jelly to serve with hot and cold fish, meat and poultry dishes. 1.75 kg (4 lb) cooking apples 1.75 litres (3 pints) cold water 750g (1 1/2 lb) sugar (approximately) Cut up the apples, discarding any bruised parts. Put in a pan with the water and bring to the boil, then simmer until very soft. Mash with a wooden spoon and strain through a jelly bag. Test the juice for pectin; it should form a firm clot. Put in a pan and add the sugar. Heat gently, stirring, until dissolved, then boil rapidly until setting point is reached, stirring occasionally. Remove any scum, pour into small, hot sterilized jars and cover. Makes about 1.5 kg (3 1/2 lb) Variations Some of these jellies, particularly the rosemary and mint ones, can be melted and poured over ice cream or added to fruit salads. * Sage jelly: Add 4 tablespoons chopped sage after removing from the heat. * Rosemary jelly: Add 8 large rosemary sprigs with the water. Set a further sprig in each pot. * Dill jelly: Add 4 tablespoons chopped dill or 2 tablespoons dried dill weed after removing from heat. * Thyme jelly: Add 8 large thyme sprigs with the water. Set a further sprig in each jar. * Mint jelly: Add a small bunch of mint with the water. Add 6-8 tablespoons chopped mint after removing from heat. * Bouquet Garni jelly: Tie 1 parsley sprig, 2 bay leaves and 1 small thyme sprig with a length of sterilized kitchen string. Put one in each jar of jelly. ---------------------------------------------- 4.6.2 Flower / herb syrup ---------------------------------------------- From: Baker.325.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker): Rose petal syrup 1 c rose petals 1 c water 1 1/2 c sugar 3 whole cloves Trim away white part of rose petals was and drain thoroughly. Combine rose petals and water in a sauce pan bring to boil. Then simmer for 5 min. Add sugar and cloves. Simmer until sugar dissolved (do not reboil) strain petals, refrigerate. Makes 1 2/3 cup. Use this for Rose cooler 1/2 c rose syrup 2 c club soda fresh rose petals. Combine soda and syrup garnish with rose petals. Makes 2 1/2 cups. ---------------------------------------------- Violet Syrup From: TOIVO.aol.com You need to collect as many violet flowers as you can find. This is the hardest part--I can almost never find enough. (recipe based on a quart of violets, increase or decrease according to what you could find. You could increase the proportion of violets to syrup, making a stronger syrup, but I wouldn't recommend making it much weaker than this) You may wish to wash the flowers, depending on where you found them. The only important piece of information: go through and remove all the green parts from each flower. Cooked, the green parts taste strong and spinachy. Just a little green stuff can ruin your whole batch. We learned this the hard way... In a double boiler dissolve and heat 2 cups sugar and 3 cups water. If you like thick syrup, add more sugar, or less if you like thin. Make sure it's all the way dissolved and very hot. Fold in the flowers. Put on the lid. Turn down heat so that bottom pan is just boiling - you don't want any steam to escape from the top pan at this point (if you can help it). Let it cook for another ten minutes. Take off heat. Let cool. Put it in a jar. Ta-dah. You're done. You could strain out the flowers if you wanted. I recommend keeping the syrup in the fridge. I bet you could use any edible flower instead of/in addition to violets, but I haven't tried it. ---------------------------------------------- Gulkhan - rose petal syrup From: raghu.hocpb.ho.att.com (-K.RAGHUNANDAN) A delicious, medicinally effective recipe using rose petals, is simple to prepare. Called "Gulkhan" in India, this is used as a flavoring in sweet dishes and is also eaten as such or with butter. Among its virtues are a nice flavor, mild sweet taste, good for reducing boils, keep skin and blood circulation clean. Procedu Peel fresh petals of 1 Rose flower, spread them in a container. Sprinkle a spoon of sugar. Repeat this process each day until, the quantity is about 250 grams (or to fill a 10 oz jar). Choose only pink/red variety of rose which has a fine flavor. Over a period of 10-20 days the petals dry out and the sugar layer melts to form a syrup. At this stage, take out the entire contents and make a paste (use mortar pestle). Put this mixture in a jar with a lid. The GULKHAN is now ready to use. ---------------------------------------------- Mint syrup From Trey Jackson, trey.cs.berkeley.edu: Here's an Iranian mint syrup; it doesn't use a huge amount of mint --so dry some to make tea with too. I don't know about canning it, but it lasts well in the fridge for up to a year. Actually we use those German ale bottles with the ceramic "corks". 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 lemon juiced 6 large sprigs of mint (4-5" in length) Stir sugar and water over medium heat to boil until sugar dissolves. Add vinegar and lemon juice and return to steady boil. Boil over medium heat 15-18 minutes (skimming as required). Wash and drain the sprigs of mint and add to the boiling syrup. boil one minutes. Take off heat and let cool to room temperature. Store in closed container in refrigerator. One traditional way to use this is to dip leaves of lettuce in it and eat. It is also good to drink: use a little bit in a glass of cold soda water. ---------------------------------------------- 4.6.3 Miscellaneous sweets ---------------------------------------------- From bobas.freenet.vancouver.bc.ca (Waldek Trafidlo) When I was a kid in Poland years ago my neighbor would prepare a rose petal spread by simply grinding rose petals with sugar, adjusting the proportions to taste as she went. I believe it required some days for the taste to settle but even during preparation it had a wonderful, "elegant" taste. She would often use in baking, also to sweeten and flavour tea. ---------------------------------------------- 4.6.4 Edible flowers Best of the herbal forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi...6/pansies.html ---------------------------------------------- 4.7 Potpourris and other non-culinary uses for herbs / flowers Meaning non-culinary uses, in this culinary herbfaq. ---------------------------------------------- 4.7.1 Stovetop potpourri ---------------------------------------------- From: clayton2.ix.netcom.com (Jeffrey Clayton): My favorite potpourri recipe is: dried orange peel, dried pine needles, dried mint, cinnamon sticks (broken into pieces), cloves This is a stove top potpourri -- the kind you put in water and simmer. Aromatherapy says this combination of scents is supposed to keep colds away. ---------------------------------------------- 4.7.2 Dry potpourri ---------------------------------------------- From: hag.aisb.ed.ac.uk (Mandy Haggith): I've been making pot-pourri since I was about 7 and still use the same method I used then - shoe boxes under the bed. I find that the number one ingredient is rose petals, best of all from wild dog roses, but any smelly rose will do. You'll need MASSES of rose petals. Lavender is also wonderful. Pick the flowers (and herb leaves) when they're warm and dry and smelly, stick them loosely in the shoe boxes (either mixed up or not, depending on what you want to do with them) and stir them with a warm dry hand a couple of times a day (or more). The petals will gradually dry out and you can use them in pot-pourri recipes after a few weeks. Under the bed is a good place because it is usually pretty dry, it's dark (so the petals keep some of their colour) and the smell of the drying petals gives you sweet dreams! I find the airing cupboard is too hot and dries the leaves out too fast leaving them shrivelled and not so sweet smelling. From: christopher.gn.apc.org (christopher hedley) Ideas for Christmas: Potpourris made by mixing 20 drops of essential oils into 2 teaspoons of Orris root powder added to a couple of handfuls of dried flowers - remember you can use aromatic woods as well. ---------------------------------------------- 4.7.3 Drying flowers whole for potpourri ---------------------------------------------- From: diana.politika.tenforward.com (Diana Politika): If you want to dry the peony intact, either bury it in silica gel or use a 50/50 mixture of borax and cornmeal. Leave it buried for about 2 weeks and then tilt the container to get the mix to shift off the flower. Silica works best, but the other is a lot cheaper. If using the borax mix, use a small soft paintbrush to get all the dust off. I've used many of these in arrangements and everyone goes nuts over them. From: baker.325.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (gwen baker): When drying flowers using silica be careful. It can speed the drying process, but it can also cause discoloration and leave a residue behind. In about the same amount of time the flowers can be dried naturally. Silica does allow you to keep a flower whole or to preserve a shape. There is also a liquid ( I think it is a glycerine) that will preserve greenery and keep it soft and flexible. ---------------------------------------------- 4.7.4 Bath salts ---------------------------------------------- From: christopher.gn.apc.org (christopher hedley) Bath salts made by mixing 10-15 drops of essential oils 'personally selected' in 2 teaspoons of baking soda, mixed well with 3 handfuls of sea salt. ---------------------------------------------- From: Ken Fitch docfitch.telis.org Here is my recipe for bath salts. It is simple and great: Mix 2 cups Borax, 1/8 cup Sea Salt, and 1/8 cup White Clay together. Use a fork or fingers to thoroughly mix. Shake in about an ounce of essential oil. Cover with a cloth for at least an hour. Mix the bath salts again to distribute the oil. Store in glass. I hope you enjoy. You can experiment with various essential oils, or pick up a book on aromatherapy for some recipes. ---------------------------------------------- From: Henchpa.aol.com (donna): To one box of epson salt mix 1/2 cup baking soda, 12 drops of lavender essential oil, 3 drops each of red and blue food coloring. Add a scoop to the bath water after the tub is filled, not during filling. ---------------------------------------------- From: JoAnne Hildebrand hildebra.europa.umuc.edu While running warm water in the tub, add 1/2 cup baking soda. After filling the tub, add a few drops of essential oil to the water, allowing it to float on top where you can most enjoy the fragrance. This is a most soothing bath. Easy too! ---------------------------------------------- From: SuseB.aol.com These are recipes I have for bath salts and herb crystals, respectively, although I have not tried making them myself as of yet: Basic Bath Salts: Put 1 cup rock salt in a container with a lid. Drop essential oil or fragrance oil (about 20 drops) onto salt and stir or shake well. Next add food coloring, if desired (approx. 15 drops per cup). Herb Crystals: 1/2 c. sea salt 1/2 c. Epson salts 1/2 c. fresh herbs or flowers 1/4 c. baking soda Blend the above in food processor. Add a few drops of food coloring. Spread mixture onto cookie sheet to dry. Add essential oil and stir well. Try several drops of spruce, lemon, patchouli, rosemary, ylang ylang and eucalyptus. Good luck, and let me know how they come out! ---------------------------------------------- 4.7.5 Rose beads ---------------------------------------------- The rose beads have moved to the Best of the Herbal Forums: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/archi...ose-beads.html ---------------------------------------------- End of part 6 of 7 ---------------------------------------------- -- Henriette Kress, AHG Helsinki, Finland Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed |
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