My Herb Garden

One of the things that I enjoy most about spring, is growing fresh herbs in my garden. Besides the natural beauty and romance they add to ones garden, there are very practical reasons to add culinary herbs to your garden, especially if you love to cook. As many homecooks know, nothing beats the flavor of fresh herbs in your recipes savory or sweet. Can you imagine salsa without cilantro, a mojito without fresh mint or pesto without sweet basil? Even more, I can't imagine making roast chicken without rosemary and thyme. More importantly, it is more economical to grow your own since they can cost a pretty penny at the supermarket. Furthermore, certain herbs, such as rosemary, lavender, peppermint, catnip and lemon balm are natural bug repellents. And if you have little doggies running around your garden, word is, rosemary and catnip repel fleas. So it is probably a good idea to plant a few of these plants in different areas of your garden.

The first thing to consider is their location. For a culinary herb garden, it should be close to your kitchen where you can quickly grab a sprig of your needed herbs when you are cooking. The second thing to consider is a spot that gives your herbs at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. While herbs like parsley, mint and chives may do fine with partial sun, they will be happier and perform much better with a few hours of sun. In the hot summer months, you may want to relocate your herbs where it gets morning sun, so the intense heat of the afternoon doesn't kill your herbs. I for one, prefer to plant my herbs in containers to make it easier to move them around when I need to. I also like to keep a small containers with herbs in my kitchen for those days that I am in a rush. Lastly, remember to plant your herbs in good soil. Culinary herbs need a well drained, fertile soil to grow their best. And remember to trim them often. Trimming off the flower heads will help the plants perform better.

If you decide to grow your own herb garden, grow the herbs that you like to use most. For me, Rosemary & Thyme are in abundance in my garden since they are my favorite culinary herbs and the inspiration for my blog's name. If you like to cook Italian dishes, then plant plenty of sweet basil, oregano, Italian parsley and rosemary. if you prefer French recipes, you can plant herbs such as thyme, tarragon, chives, rosemary, marjoram and lavender to name a few. And if you like Mexican food, cilantro is a must. Now what about you, do you plant any herbs?

Here are a few photos of the herbs I planted this weekend for my own garden. And above all, remember to have fun, start small and keep it simple. I can assure you that you will be pleasantly surprised by the fantastic flavors that your fresh herbs will add to you recipes.

Thank you for stopping by today. May you all have a great week ahead and happy planting sweet friends.

Hugs,

Janet

Here is a quick reference guide of some of the most common culinary herbs guide and their uses: (Source: cookinglight.com)

Basil

Basil is one of the most important culinary herbs. Sweet basil, the most common type, is redolent of licorice and cloves. Basil is used in the south of France to make pistou; its Italian cousin, pesto, is made just over the border. Used in sauces, sandwiches, soups, and salads, basil is in top form when married to tomatoes, as in the famous salad from the island of Capri—Insalata Caprese, made with tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil, and fruity olive oil.
Mint
Mint isn't just a little sprig that garnishes your dessert plate. It is extremely versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. In the Mediterranean, mint is treasured as a companion to lamb, and is often used in fruit and vegetable salads. Though there are many varieties, spearmint is preferred for cooking. You can add it to a bevy of dishes and drinks—lamb, peas, carrots, ice cream, tea, mint juleps, and mojitos. Spearmint's bright green leaves are fuzzy, very different from the darker stemmed, rounded leaves of peppermint.
Rosemary
In Latin, rosemary means "dew of the sea"—appropriate since it is indigenous to the Mediterranean. Rosemary is one of the most aromatic and pungent of all the herbs. Its needlelike leaves have pronounced lemon-pine flavor that pairs well with roasted lamb, garlic, and olive oil. Rosemary is also a nice addition to focaccia, tomato sauce, pizza, and pork, but because its flavor is strong, use a light hand.
Oregano and Thyme
Oregano
Oregano grows wild in the mountains of Italy and Greece; its Greek name means "joy of the mountain." The Greeks love oregano sprinkled on salads, while the Italians shower it on pizza and slip it into tomato sauces. Add chopped oregano to vinaigrette, or use it in poultry, game, or seafood dishes when you want to take them in a Greek or Italian direction. Oregano and marjoram are so similar in looks and flavor that they are often confused. Oregano, however, has a more potent taste and aroma; marjoram is sweeter and more delicate. T

Thyme
Thyme comes in dozens of varieties; however, most cooks use French thyme. Undoubtedly thyme is one of the most important herbs of the European kitchen. What would a bouquet garni be without it? This congenial herb pairs well with many other herbs—especially rosemary, parsley, sage, savory, and oregano. Its earthiness is welcome with pork, lamb, duck, or goose, and it's much beloved in Cajun and Creole cooking. It's also the primary component of Caribbean jerk seasonings. Because the leaves are so small, they often don't require chopping.
Cilantro
Some call it cilantro; others call it coriander, or even Chinese parsley. Whatever you call it, chances are you either love it or hate it. This native of southern Europe and the Middle East has a pungent flavor, with a faint undertone of anise. The leaves are often mistaken for flat-leaf parsley, so read the tag. One of the most versatile herbs, cilantro adds distinctive flavor to salsas, soups, stews, curries, salads, vegetables, fish, and chicken dishes.
Parsley
No refrigerator should be without parsley. It's the workhorse of the herb world and can go in just about every dish you cook. Parsley's mild, grassy flavor allows the flavors of other ingredients to come through. Curly parsley is less assertive than its brother, flat-leaf parsley (often called Italian parsley). Flat-leaf parsley is preferred for cooking, as it stands up better to heat and has more flavor, while the more decorative curly parsley is used mostly for garnishing. Reach for either when a dish needs a little burst of color. Sprinkle a little persillade, a mixture of chopped parsley and garlic, on roasted lamb, grilled steaks, fish, chicken, and vegetables as they do in France. Add lemon or orange zest and you get gremolata, a blend used in Milanese cooking, especially as a final garnish on osso buco.
Chives
Toss chives into a dish at the last minute, because heat destroys their delicate onion flavor. Thinly slice them to maximize their taste, or use finely snipped chives as a garnish. Chives are great in dips and quesadillas, and on baked potatoes.
Dill
Since ancient Roman times, dill has been a symbol of vitality. In the Middle Ages, it was thought to provide protection against witches and was used as an ingredient in many magic potions. In the kitchen, its feathery leaves lend a fresh, sharp flavor to all kinds of foods: gravlax, cottage cheese, cream cheese, goat cheese, omelets, seafood (especially salmon), cold yogurt soups, potato salads, and all kinds of cucumber dishes (including, of course, pickles).
Sage
Sage is native to the northern Mediterranean coast, where it's used frequently in cooking. Sage's long, narrow leaves have a distinctively fuzzy texture and musty flavor redolent of eucalyptus, cedar, lemon, and mint. Italians love it with veal, while the French add it to stuffings, cured meats, sausages, and pork dishes. Americans, of course, associate it with turkey and dressing. Use it with discretion; it can overwhelm a dish.
Tarragon
Though this herb is native to Siberia and western Asia, tarragon is primarily used in France. It's often added to white wine vinegar, lending sweet, delicate licorice-like perfume and flavor. It pairs well with fish, omelets, and chicken cooked with mustard, and it's a crucial component of béarnaise sauce. Fresh tarragon isn't always easy to find, but when you get it, you'll love the bittersweet, peppery taste it imparts. Heat diminishes its flavor, so add tarragon toward the end of cooking, or use it as a garnish. A little goes a long way.