Herb Uses, Recipes, and Questions

[Claire]

My herb garden is half exploded (perrenials) and half waiting to come up. Anyone with good recipes, suggestions, hints, uses, preserving hints -- share!

 

[Andy M.]

Which herbs are you growing?

 

[Claire]

Right now, in abundance, I have sage, lemon balm, tarragon, mint (2 kinds)(well, I know lemon balm is a mint). Just starting to be usable are thyme, basil, and dill. Seedlings are more parsley, cilantro, fennel. This is just off the top of my head, there's probably more. I'm just looking for different ideas in general, for all of us. Come time for the first frost, I find myself in a mini-panic, knowing they'll all be gone and I haven't taken full advantage! Oh, I think i have savory, too. It popped up this year and I'm trying to remember what I planted there! Does savory sort of look like a tender creeping rosemary (but very mild flavor, tastes nothing like rosemary, just sort of has that similar look).

 

[Claire]

Oh, a cute one for pet lovers. I'd just planted some chamomile, it was just starting to take off when I had to put down my old dog. Her daughter -- no spring chicken herself -- I found a couple of days later, lying in the herb garden, sniffing the chamomile and nibbling on it a bit.

She hasn't done it since, but I found it interesting that my little dog (a Jack Russell) instinctively seemed to know about the calming, comforting effects of chamomile!

 

[kadesma]

Oh, a cute one for pet lovers. I'd just planted some chamomile, it was just starting to take off when I had to put down my old dog. Her daughter -- no spring chicken herself -- I found a couple of days later, lying in the herb garden, sniffing the chamomile and nibbling on it a bit.

She hasn't done it since, but I found it interesting that my little dog (a Jack Russell) instinctively seemed to know about the calming, comforting effects of chamomile!

I was right, pets are smarter than many people I know..Poor little pooch..Give her a pat for me.

kadesma, who has on very old,very fragile doxie that is on the verge of leaving us.

 

[ella/TO]

I bought some fresh dill today at the supermarket. Question: how do you keep it?...stem down in water in the fridge? In a plastic bag in damp paper towelling? Would like to hear what you do with it, and thanks in advance!

 

[BreezyCooking]

I try to use supermarket fresh dill asap, so just keep it in an opened plastic bag in the fridge. I'd nix the damp paper towelling because it encourages rot, which is far more likely to happen than drying out.

I've never done the "stem down in water" thing, so can't advise on that.

 

[jpinmaryland]

you may have trouble with that lemon balm. It tends to spread out and take over the whole garden. Just like the other types of mint only worse..