Herbs in your garden
I don't know if you're like me, but I go though fazes. Suddenly I get interested in things and they become a passion. Years ago it was reptiles. I"d visit every pet store I came across and was fascinated with iguanas. That is until my pet 5' godzilla bit me and I needed 10 stitches, but that's another story. Its been cigars. I read about them, got a subscription to Cigar Aficionado Magazine, knew all the shops and the difference between Cuban seed and real Cubans, Nicaraguan and Dominican, Maduro and plain wrap. Its been books, its been musical instruments. I wish it had been money but there you go. For a while now, its been herbs. Dumb I know. But maybe not.
Herbs are fascinating little plants. They almost have a personality. Each one infuses a difference fragrance, each one lends its special magic to meats and vegetables that can transform a standard bland dish into a work of art They are the little darts that explode your taste buds and make you go 'wow, what's in that??"
When you plant them in your garden, like in a classic herb box, they make that garden special. I know that vegetables have been immortalized in song- you say potato, I say potato....but everyone's been hooked by the haunting line, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. And of course, those 4 herbs are essential in good cooking. Now in my video I didn't mention sage because I live near the Whittier Hills above Los Angeles, and I pick sage that grows wild there. And as a little reminder, sage is NOT sage brush which my son used when cooking me a steak one night-he thought it was the same thing- trust me, it isn't! Sagebrush in cooking tastes more like poison than parsley!
Now you can dry the herbs and bottle them, and dried have their own uses. But I prefer them fresh which when chopped or bruised (bending them with your fingers) add their special freshness and brighten up so many dishes. And some sauces are actually built upon the herb like classic Béarnaise sauce.
One thing about herbs is that when you add them to your flower garden, they add a classic European ambience. An herb box is a very simple thing to make. Any box will do, but if you can find an old crate with some aging, the better. Make sure that there is proper drainage in the bottom and put about 2" loose gravel or sand in first. Then fill the rest with high grade potting soil than you can buy at any nursery, or at a Home Depot. Do not crowd them, plant them about 5" apart, taller ones such as Rosemary or Parsely on the side or back, Thyme, Tarragon, Marjoram and Oregano in the middle. Parsely will grow like a weed, so you must cut it regularly. Also, remember, that when they flower, their season is over, so you should pinch off any flowers. Basil is another herb that is wonderful in Italian food. However, it is a bit more 'high strung' shall we say, so I plant mine in a separate pot. Herbs don't need too much water, so be sparingly however, do not let them wilt. Basil needs more water than the rest and will let you know by wilting leaves when its time to give them a drink. Also, herbs don't need or like too much hot summer sun, so a bit of shade is acceptable.
One last benifit about planting fresh herbs. If you live the Urban life in a big city apartment, you can plant them indoors. Just put them near a window where they can get some sun. I add herbs to many recipes. Cooking with fresh herbs brightens up a dish, but remember that unlike dried herbs, the fresh variety wilts quickly in a hot pan and so should be added last. You can add herbs to olive oil to infuse it with a special fragrance and you can dry them as well.
I think this passion will last a long time. One thing I have found, though herbs can be bought at Home Depot, Lowes, etc, the best ones I've found are at little private nurserys, plus I like giving them my business. So enjoy! Use fresh herbs, they give back much more than they take! I mentioned a video in this article and you can watch a video of me in my herb garden, and get an idea of what an herb box is. Just click on this link and it will take you there to my site, Urban Life. Once there, you can navigate around and see and view many other articles about cooking, recipies, food, art, and music. Leave a comment if you want! Enjoy. http://johnriveraurbanmusic.squarespace.com/urban-food/?currentPage=2
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