Over the garden fence: What to know about growing and cooking with herbs from the home garden
Recently I have been experimenting using more commercial dried herb mixtures when cooking meat or fish, and I’m enjoying the results. Of course, if you go to the grocery stores you will see a large display of dried herbs produced by large commercial companies such as McCormick and others. Even in the fresh veggie section, depending on which store you frequent, you can find fresh herb plants that can be used.
Many folks have developed their own secret recipes, some that have been passed down from generation to generation. This time of year, we are in full swing of available fresh local produce, and I continue to see a rise in interest in local food production and eating fresh locally produced foods, so it isn’t any wonder that many gardeners are interested in producing their own herbs. Growing herbs in the home garden can ensure that the herbs are fresh, available when you need them, and the entire experience can be fun, especially if you use them in your cooking. Cooking with fresh herbs can certainly spice up a meal.
Herbs are classified according to their use — culinary, aromatic, ornamental or medicinal — and some herbs may fit into one or more groups.
Culinary herbs are probably the most useful and most widely grown, since they are used in cooking. An important point on culinary herbs — because of their strong flavors, culinary herbs are generally used in small quantities to add flavor to food or drinks. For drinks, just think of the movie “Gone with the Wind” and the famous mint julep. It contains sprigs of fresh mint. Mint is also considered a symbol of hospitality and I fondly remember my mother putting a sprig of fresh spearmint in the iced tea she made in the summer.
But anyone who has grown any of the mints is their garden can tell you that they can get out the hand and take over easily. So, keep them contained. Commercially parsley is the herb produced in the largest amount (a lot produced in New Jersey) and is used as a garnish and is also a great breath freshener. Next time you go to the Waffle Shop on North Atherton Street, see what the owner John, a master chef himself, puts on each plate.
Next in popularity is sage, an important flavoring in pork sausage. Other herbs commonly grown in home gardens are chives, thyme, savory, marjoram, spearmint, peppermint, rosemary, oregano and basil.
Aromatic herbs are another class. The oils from herbs in this group can be used to produce perfumes and various scents. For home use, the plant parts are used intact, often to scent linens or clothing. When dried, many aromatic herbs will retain their aroma for a considerable period. Think of bowls of potpourri.
Ornamental herbs have brightly colored flowers and foliage. Many have whitish or light-colored flowers. Valerian has crimson blossoms; borage and chicory are blue flowered forms. Such herbs as variegated thyme, mint, lavender and chives produce variegated foliage.
Medicinal herbs are still another classification. It is recognized that some plants do indeed have medicinal value. However, the healing properties ascribed to some herbal preparations may indeed be highly overrated. Medicinal herbs should be used carefully. It would be wise to do some reading and investigation into the use of medicinal herbs and check with your doctor before going full bore into these. This is an expanding area in the medical field and there is a tremendous volume of literature developing on medicinal properties of herbs.
As you can see, herbs are a great addition to one’s garden and many gardeners have a separate herb garden as did many of the famous gardens throughout history. A final comment — I use Yardley’s English lavender soap because lavender, especially the essential oil, has been reported to have some repelling effect on ticks although others say that it doesn’t really work. I guess it can’t hurt to use it and I like the smell.
Bill Lamont is a professor emeritus in the plant science department at Penn State and can be reached by e-mail: wlamont@psu.edu.
