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What's the real deal with herbs?

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I have written herb snippets in the past. I guess this would be good as any time to r evisi t these perfumed culinary creations of God. It used to be that herbs were part and parcel of Italian and French cooking. Not anymore. Because today, the world over, herbs have found its niche in haute cuisine as well as ordinary, everyday cooking. Wasn't it said in Genesis 1 , "let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fru it tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so." Herbs especially fresh provide the aroma from coriander, lemon grass, basil, mint, oregano, rosemary which chefs from different continents can't cook without. The zest and the allure of herbs have been there since time immemorial. Italian monks have been known to grow herbs centuries ago. Asian cuis ines would never be the same without lime, curry, sweet basil, or turmeric? And what about Scarborough Fair's parsley, sage, rosemary

Food garden anyone?

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I am far from a professional cook nor am I a true blue gardener. So what is the point you ask ? Here it is -- Cooking may well include the pleasure of gardening. So what if you're red thumb-ed and not green? And, so what if you don't have a big yard nor a large garden? What you need are clay pots in different sizes to house your pla nts. Planting vegetables, herbs, fruit trees as well as flowers is not only enjoyable but a wellness activity too. There's a certain delectation in picking, cooking and partaking that which your own hands helped grow. A co uple of years ago, I had plenty of herbs in our backyard. Mint, basil, thyme, rosemary, dill, marjoram and oregano. What I could not use fresh, I dried. Just pick them in the mornings (best time to pick herbs) and dried them using small mesh bags. When dried, I stored them in clean, recycled bottles, sealed tight not waiting for any excuse as to be incorporated in every imaginable dish I prepared. I also have differen

Herb-ful cooking anyone?

I have been cooking since 2003. Yes, mostly, by my lonesome. Extra help may come but they are few and far between. But I must not complain because I looove cooking. If only there was less heat. Anyway, my cooking is really herb-ful. I don't need any reason to lace my dishes with herbs. The 'cheapest' recipes bloom with elegance once paired with herbs. And I have 10 favorite herbs that I can't do without: 1. Basil is an annual and used for the clove scent from leaves; works well with tomato dishes, specially pizza and spaghetti sauces. 2. Dill is an annual with its seeds serve as flavor for dill pickles. 3. Fennel is a perennial which adds zest to fish and vegetable dishes; seed also said to work as appetite suppressant. 4. Horseradish is a perennial and acts as a strong flavoring for meats and oysters. Root is harvested for use as a vegetable. 5. Mints are perennials. Both spearmint and peppermint are used to enhance teas, garnish lamb dishes and general flavor enhance

"Pick and Pay Herb and Vegetable Store"

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I read this front page news article from Inquirer, a local broadsheet which features a pick and pay herb vegetable store. "The article says that it's the first of its kind in the Philippines, where the store customers can do their own harvesting of herbs and vegetables they want" from a greenhouse structure with "movable tables displaying different kinds of herbs". The selling pitch is 'freshness'. "Top sellers so far are gotukola (memory enhancer), stevia (natural sweetener for diabetes) and chocolate mint (for tea) and rosemary (for fish, chicken and meat). The store is owned by an enterprising lady Adela T. Ang. It is located at the Manila Seedling Bank Environmental Center in Quezon City. The store looks like this except for the absence of the movable tables where the herbs can be picked. I have been to Manila Seedling Bank. It's a good source of plants to nurture. In fact that's where I got my baby plant herbs like basil, rosemary,

thyme(fly) me to the moon

I found out that thyme goes well with: 1. clam and vegetable soups 2. fish inihaws 3. meat loaf 4. meat stuffings 5. onions, carrots 6. herb sauces Cheers!

In fragrante oregano

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One of the most prolific herbs I can't do without. Oregano whether dried or fresh beats the hell out of me. I find it fragrantly seductive. Good for cough and colds too. I have several oregano plants at my backyard. And Great with: Bean and vegetable soups Fish Stuffing and Meat Stuffings Boiled eggs and omellettes Marinades White Potatoes, Cabbage, Onions, Spinach, Baguio Beans Fish salads Spaghetti and Tomato sauces Cheers!