My Favorite Herbs and How I Use Them
Herbs... I LOVE them! I love that they're beautiful. I love that they're useful. I love their heavenly aromas. Everything about them fascinates me. Today I am sharing my some of my favorite herbs and how I use them in our home.
1. Thyme -
One of my favorite activities in the garden, is to rub leaves from various herbs between my fingers releasing their fragrant oils. Each plant has a distinct and interesting smell. Thyme may just be my favorite. I would describe its scent as earthy and spicy. It's notable, but not overpowering. Just the right balance.
We love to add thyme to our omelets. Something about the combination of fluffy eggs with creamy cheese, and the fresh thyme, works perfectly together. For a sweeter option, I sometimes make lemon zucchini pound cake with fresh time added to the batter. It sounds weird, but it was a lovely flavor combination.
I dry a lot of thyme and hang it throughout the house. It makes a lovely decoration and is also great for culinary purposes. I recently learned that thyme is actually an evergreen; which makes it a great option if you're looking for an herb to harvest both early and late in the season.
I currently am growing two varieties of thyme: Lemon Thyme and English Thyme. Thyme is easy to grow! If you're a beginner, I would recommend starting with a small plant from a greenhouse or friend. If you're more advanced and looking to try something new, you could start thyme from seed or try rooting a plant from a cutting. Plant your thyme in a sunny well-draining area and you should have a thriving plant in no time!
2. Garlic -
I know what you're thinking: "Garlic isn't an herb, it's a vegetable." I thought that too! Until I learned that garlic is actually in the same genus as chives.
Garlic is a fun one to grow! You can grow soft neck or hard neck garlic. Soft neck garlic tends to grow better in milder temperatures and is easier to braid. I personally have only ever grown hard neck garlic because it does better with harsh winters. I typically plant my garlic bulbs in the fall (October/November). After tucking the bulbs in the ground, I then cover the area with 2-3 inches of straw. Next comes the easy part - wait until early spring when their little shoots pop out of the ground. Garlic will produce a scape (the flowering part of the plant) which should be trimmed off before it blooms. This way the plant will put more energy into developing the bulb. In my experience garlic takes about 8 months until it is mature enough to harvest. After harvest, garlic must be cured and stored for use throughout the year.
I like to slice a bulb of garlic horizontally and add it to the cavity of a whole chicken before roasting. The remaining cloves I stick under the skin of the bird to help the flavor evenly spread throughout. Garlic scapes are bonus treat. Instead of throwing out the scape after trimming, add it to sautéed potatoes. Trust me, you'll be glad you did!
This coming year I would like to use garlic to make Fire Cider. I would also like to freeze and preserve garlic in olive oil. Lastly, I plan to save some of the cloves and plant them for next year's crop.
3. Mint -
I know mint isn't a rare or exciting herb, but it's the one we use most in our home. For one thing there are so many varieties of mint. This year I have Apple Mint, Cat Mint, Mountain Mint, and Peppermint growing. Each mint has its own unique and slightly different flavor.
Make sure to choose the location for your mint wisely. Mint is very easy to grow and can actually take over a garden bed. But don't let that scare you away from growing this delightful herb. Mint tolerates a moderate amount of shade and doesn't mind wet soil. If you're looking to use your mint as soon as possible, I would recommend getting a transplant from a friend or a plant from a greenhouse. I have grown mint from seed, but it takes longer for it to become established.
Peppermint is our go to for upset stomachs and headaches. It really does help! For a refreshing drink we love making meadow tea. You can find the recipe here if you're interested. Mint can be frozen in ice cubes and added to freshen just about any drink. Mint is also easy to dry and can be stored and added to tea blends throughout the winter.
Mint is versatile in the kitchen as well. Chocolate dipped mint leaves, mint flavored ice creams, salads, cakes, and frostings. Let your imagination be your guide when it comes to mint recipes. My personal favorite is tzatziki sauce with fresh mint. Serve it with warm pita bread and you'll be hooked!
So, there you have it! Three wonderful and easy-to-grow herbs. If you aren't growing any herbs, I would highly encourage you to add some to your garden. This year I am experimenting with growing Horseradish, Feverfew, and Bay. I am excited to see how they grow and how I can incorporate them into our home!
Leave me a comment and let me know what herbs you are growing or would like to grow and how you plan to use them!
Thanks for reading,
Abby
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