Culinary Herbs
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Due to the existing and growing interest in eating healthy foods produced from natural ingredients and the current interest in ethnic cuisine, culinary herbs are becoming more and more in demand each year. Although culinary herbs are widely available in stores, there are advantages to growing your own culinary herbs. Home grown culinary herbs offer freshness, quality, purity, variety and economy over store bought alternatives.
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Guidelines
| Know your culinary herbs. Do not confuse them with an inedible look-a-like. Start adding new culinary herbs into the family menu gradually, since some can cause allergic reactions. Also, tastes vary among family members, which is another reason for the gradual introduction of the various flavors of the culinary herbs into the normal family cooking. Since flavor is the primary objective in using culinary herbs, plant components should be reduced to the smallest bits or particles possible before use. |
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Preserving Culinary Herbs
Many culinary herbs can be stored fresh for a week or more by placing their stems in a vase of room temperature water. Culinary herbs can also be preserved by the following methods: air drying, oven drying, microwave drying, dehydrator drying, freezing and preserving in oil or vinegar. Dried culinary herbs can have a stronger flavor than fresh culinary herbs, so adjust amounts accordingly.
Air drying is the oldest and still the most popular way of drying culinary herbs. They can be placed on trays of hardware cloth or hung in small bundles in a dry area. When drying large quantities, a circulating fan is helpful. An electric food dehydrator is a great way to dry culinary herbs. It is fast and the plants retain their color. Most units come with complete drying instructions, which eliminate most guesswork. It is important to be sure that the plants are completely dry before placing them in a container. If there is a little moisture left, a mold can develop on them due to the moist conditions. Containers should be placed in a cabinet to diminish their exposure to light, or you can place them in dark containers that keep out the light.
Culinary herbs preserved in oil and vinegar can be used in a variety of ways. They are often used in salad dressings and as marinades.
Teas
Culinary herbs make delicious teas. Pour boiling water over the leaves and steep for five to ten minutes. Some favorite flavors are Bee Balm, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Spearmint, Peppermint and Pineapple Sage. Herbal teas are a great way to unwind and relax, and they do not contain caffeine. Herbal teas can be used to invigorate or relax you. Some herbal teas react with certain medications, so check with your physician to be sure.
Cuisine
Cooking with culinary herbs can produce delicious results with little effort. It also can be an interesting and enjoyable hobby. There are many cook books available which are devoted exclusively to cooking with culinary herbs. Check with recipes to determine the appropriate plants to use, but do not forget to also experiment at times for a different flavor. Remember that when using culinary herbs, you want to flavor a dish, not overpower it.
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