Sage: Herb of the Month

Sage Advice for the Garden

This month's herb of honor is sage, or salvia officinalis. As with many herbs, sage is easy to grow: just give it a spot in the garden with at least partial sun, and water sparingly in order to concentrate the herb's essential oils. For best flavor and continued production, pinch off any flowers that develop.

To me, sage suggests fall flavor: roasted herbal chicken and turkey, pork loin, dressing, and hearty soups, such as this recipe for Butternut Squash Soup.  Sage suggests Halloween and Thanksgiving, with its special dishes. Sage suggests family gatherings and time well spent with loved ones. Bon appetit!

Forest & Kim Starr [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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Chives: Herb of the Month

Chives: Mild and Versatile

Chives, or Allium schoenoprasum, are September's herb of the month. Chives are a perennial herb that is completely edible--even the blossoms.

Chives, as with many of the herbs I discuss and use myself, are easy to grow; however, they do need for the weather to cool off a bit (where the highs are not in the 90s). Chives can be grown from seed, but you may find it worthwhile to transplant already established chive plants instead: I know I do.

This herb revels in full sunlight. Water sparingly in order to concentrate the flavors. Divide the clumps every two to three years or so.

In the kitchen, chives are delightfully versatile. Try fresh chives snipped over a hearty potato soup, mixed with cream cheese to top a bagel, added to many vegetables--not just potatoes, and many more uses. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Bon appetit!

By Jerzy Opioła (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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Herb of the Month: Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm: A Blissful Herb for August

Each month we are focusing on a particular herb, looking at its growing and cooking potential. This month, the honor belongs to lemon balm, also known as melissa officinalis. This member of the mint family is great for inducing and inspiring calm and tranquility.The balm in the herb's name also hints at the health benefits that this plant offers. Lemon balm, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center,  helps to alleviate stress, insomnia, anxiety, and indigestion.

Nicholas Culpeper, the Early Modern author of Complete Herbal and English Physitian (1652), has further suggestions in how to use this herb: he says that it is good for women recovering from childbirth and may be used to disinfect certain skin irritations, among other maladies; not only can lemon balm be steeped as a tea but can also be steeped in wine.

How to Grow Lemon Balm

Pick a nice sunny spot: a large pot or planter box works fine. Either sow the lemon balm from seed or transplant the plants. Water well, as for mint. Once lemon balm is established--give it a couple of weeks--make sure that the herb is watered regularly. Like other members of the mint family, lemon balm will spread if not contained; also, like other members of the mint family, lemon balm is (happily) difficult to kill.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Lemon_balm_2.JPG

How to Use Lemon Balm in Cooking

If you want an uplifting herbal tea, look no further than lemon balm. This light, citrusy flavored herb tastes great infused in a tea; sweeteners are optional. As an alternative, you can add the bruised leaves to a pitcher of ice tea and let it set for several hours before drinking for a refreshing beverage. As the Herb Society of America points out, the leaves are better used fresh than dried.

Lemon balm can also be used to flavor poultry and fish, and it can also be added to salad greens. The possibilities are nearly limitless.

Have you yet tried lemon balm? If not, I highly encourage you to try this herb. Bon appetit!