Growing Culinary Herbs

by Lee Dobbins

Herbs used as cooking ingredients have been a practice for over a long time. Growing culinary herbs in your garden at home allows you to have a fresh supply of herbs for your own cooking. There are various kinds of herbs according to its taste, they may be spicy, salty and tangy.

Parsley is a herb best applied to a fish dinner but this popular herb can be bestowed upon a variety of meals with appetizing results. Do not downgrade your parsley to a simple decorative role with your meal, enjoy it in your chosen recipe for the day.

One of the most commonly called-for ingredients in recipes is thyme. Made from the leaves of a small woody-stemmed plant, thyme can add the perfect hint of flavor to just about anything. Great in a tuna casserole, a sophisticated stew, or a sauce to be spread over beef, even grilled chicken and cheese dishes can benefit from the addition of a bit of thyme.

When you’re eating Italian food chances are you are enjoying basil. It is added to many dishes for improved flavor.

Looking for something with just a little more zest? Aniseed may be the perfect solution. The oil of anise is actually used in the making of artificial licorice because of it’s licorice-like flavor, and will add a whole new dimension to the most basic dish. The slender leaves of the tarragon plant are great herbs to add to fish or mayonnaise-based dishes because of their spicy flavor.

Growing culinary herbs is not a very difficult task at all. Soil, water and sunshine are really all they need, the same as any other type of herb. As a matter of fact, they are actually quite hardy and disease-resistant. Yes, growing your own herbs for cooking is really rather simple!

Another popular favorite is coriander seeds, which are derived from the cilantro plant. Porks and curries taste fantastic with a little zing from the citrusy coriander seed. Their mild and sweet zest creates delicious chutney, as well. Another herb with a bit of kick is dill. It lends itself perfectly to dressing up a plain old salad or for use in pickling. Added to chutney in combination with olive oil, it can’t be beat.

The most popular herbs for cooking come from the mint family. These include sage, rosemary, peppermint, and others. These herbs offer a unique flavor to meats, potatoes, soups and jellies.

Saffron, a rarer herb, is used a lot in chicken and in fish dishes. It is also used in traditional Turkish rice pudding recipes. It is an adventurous spice with a beautiful color and a honey-like flavor with a kick.

No matter what your tastes are, chances are you will love adding herbs to your recipes. Which is why growing culinary herbs is a wonderful way to get the best of gardening and cooking. Try them once and you will use them again and again to transform every day dishes into culinary art.

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