By now, I think of the late nutritionist Gayelord Hauser as my friend (although he’s been gone for a long time, his cookbooks and health food products live on). I consult his books frequently, as I’ve recently pledged to adopt a healthier lifestyle. As I do, I’ve started growing more garden-fresh herbs - and enjoying the “fruits” of my labor in the delicious healthy dishes we cook around here.
“Fine Herbs make Fine Cooks”
In the peak Hauser era of the 1940s, Americans were becoming more interested in using herbs to flavor their food. This was something rather new for U.S. cooks: we lagged far behind such countries as England and Switzerland when it came to cultivating and admiring herbs. The English were long known for their lovely herb gardens and herb shops. The Swiss devoted entire valleys to growing herbs, even high up on mountains, where they felt the soil was richer in minerals and vitamins. Declaring “fine herbs make fine cooks” Hauser’s healthy recipes for Americans often included many different herb varieties. Fast forward 40+ years. In the past two decades, cooks concerned with healthy food, including Linda McCartney, advocated using herbs to enhance flavoring in healthy cooking. Today, there’s another renewed emphasis on the benefits of healthy eating. Growing your own herb garden (in containers or in the ground) is both cost-saving and productive. Below you will find a list of the 16 best herbs to grow or to purchase - spicing up your meals and your healthy life. These herbs are among those recommended by nutritionists and cooks like Hauser, McCartney and others.
Spicing Up Your Cooking and Your Life:
Here are 16 of the best basic herbs to have on hand in your kitchen (in alphabetical order) You may wish to cultivate them or purchase them from your favorite health food grocer, fresh fruit and vegetable stand or nursery.
Anise: This is an ancient herb; the feathery plant is referred to more than 4000 years ago in Egypt . Anise was often used to treat health problems, including indigestion. It is a bit exotic and distinctive in taste. You can add its green leaves to salads; use the seeds for baking. This herb tastes a bit like licorice. The plant is an annual; sow in the late Spring in a sunny place.It requires no more than good average, garden soil to blossom and produce.
Basil: Often used in Italian food, its leaves are also used in soups, stews and sauces, particularly pesto. Most people are familiar with the taste and scent of basil, but the herb has some other unusual uses. Hauser suggested using it to to flavor a fruit drink. Cooks like McCarthy point out this is strongly flavored, so you only need to use a little bit. Like Anise, this is an annual, and does best with frequent cutting. Plant it in a sunny place in your average garden soil, but make sure the spot drains easily. Fresh basil is far superior to dried.
Caraway: Caraway seeds find their way into pastries, but you can use them in a variety of other dishes, including spreads. Used sparingly, because this herb can be both bitter and spicey, the tips of the herb’s leaves make an interesting addition to your salads. Hauser seemed to favor this more than contemporary cooks; perhaps it was more to Mid-Century taste. This plant is a biennial. It is best planted in the middle of Spring in a dry, sunny place.
Chives: Easy to purchase and also to grow. These will grow easily in a pot (and I have done so successfully). You can cut them frequently and they will “magically”; grow back. They are most often used in place of onions (their relatives). Chives are great in salads, omelets, sauces, cheese and, of course with baked potatoes. Fresh chives are delightful; an easy way to enhance a healthy dish. Without a doubt, fresh chives are the way to go.
Dill: This is a familiar flavor to most of us - especially when it comes to pickles. But dill also is widely used in Italian food (the tender, young leaves, especially). You can add this herb (seed and weed)Â to eggs, fish, potatoes, and sauce. This plant is an annual, growing well in a sunny place. Plant in late Spring in a well-tended garden.
Fennel: You can use both the tender leaves (in salads and fish dishes) and the seeds, in soups, breads, and as a drink flavor. Some people actually eat Fennel as a main course. The bulb, stems and fronds are all edible (although there is some argument about how much to eat in one sitting). It is regarded as a good aid to digestion, which may be of interest to those with intolerance. This is a European perennial, best treated as an annual. Sow in spring in your garden; you may also sow a second time, if you like, midsummer. One fennel variety, known as Florence fennel, is much like celery and can be eaten the same way.
Garlic: You either love it or hate it, but fresh garlic, if used sparingly, adds flavor not duplicated by any other herb or spice. it also has an ancient reputation as a health aid, validated by modern research. Garlic is versatile and can be used to flavor sauces, casseroles, egg dishes, stews and any other dish that calls for some attention. You can purchase in powdered form, paste or by the bulb (which you then pull apart, and dice and chop) per recipe. Fresh garlic is always preferred, both in cooking and for its health and nutrition properties. Garlic is easy to grow! You simply plant a clove, pointed side up, in the garden, preferably in a dry, sunny spot. Plant each clove about 3″ deep and 6″ away from other planted cloves. When bottom brown leaves appear on your garlic plant, it’s time to harvest. This is a self-sustaining, hearty plant, so easy to grow, even I can do it.
Marjoram (Sweet): You can use the fresh green leaves in salad, or the herbs in many different dishes, including eggs,sauces, soups, vegetables and fish. This herb has a strong biting flavor, and is often used in combo with thyme. This is a perennial, but it needs to be treated as an annual in colder climates. Plant the seedlings in late spring, 5-6 inches apart, in a sunny place. When the plant flowers, cut off the entire plant, then dry the leaves,and use the tips for flavoring. Many cooks prefer using the freshly dried form.
Oregano: Linda McCartney called this her “pizza herb” and used it in her Italian dishes, especially pizza. A light sprinkling of oregano also enhances the flavor of eggs, beans and sauces. McCartney viewed Oregano as an herb; Hauser saw it as a spice, substituting for red peppers, chili and other flavorings. Most often found in the dried variety at your grocer’s, opt for the freshest packaging. A little oregano goes a long way, so you might have it for a while. Keep it fresh. You can also grow oregano from seeds or plants you purchase from the nursery. This herb grows well in dry soil and sunny conditions. You will want to cut back the plant, to use the fresh leaves in your cooking. Just like chives, the plant will grow back quickly.
Parsley: So well-known, it hardly requires a description here. Hauser calls it “the crown of cookery” since it is often used to garnish a dish and never eaten. But eat you should, since it is high in vitamin C and can help cleanse your palate for the next dish. You can add it to any dish you are cooking (stews, soups, vegetables), sometimes during the last few minutes, and you will be surprised by its subtly enhanced taste. If you are using the dried variety, select only those sprigs with a strong green color. Fresh parsley, of course, is preferred. Parsley is a biennial. Sow it in the spring, in your ordinary garden soil. Be patient, because parsley takes quite a while to germinate.
Rosemary: I planted this sweet, fragrant (similar to eucalyptus) herb as a memorial to my dearest Aunt. It grows quite easy in my patio planter box and I pluck the sprigs to flavor omelets, chicken, other fish and meat dishes. This is a perennial, that may be grown from seeds (I grew mine from a small plant). It grow well in sun, so long as it is well-drained and sheltered from inclement weather.
Sage: Dried sage is drought-hardy. It is best-known as a seasoning for poultry (Thanksgiving turkey comes to mind), but you can use fresh sage sparingly in stews, beans, or other poultry dishes. Hauser suggested combining savory, thyme and sweet basis as a sage substitute. Sage is a perennial, grown from seeds or cutting. Sow in dry, regular soil, and watch it sprout. If using the dried variety, avoid any dried sage that smells musty or has lost its color.
Spearmint: I love the fresh taste of fresh mint - especially in my lemonade or tea. But you can also use it in salads, soups and with potatoes, as well as a pan full of vegetables (two or three leaves will do). There are several other varieties ot mint to try, including peppermint and apple-mint. Spearmint is a perennial (if I can grow it, it must grow easily). Plant its root cuttings in rich, most soil. It must be watched so it doesn’t overtake your garden - unless you are planning on making many gallons of mint tea.
Summer Savory; Less well-known here than the U.K. and Germany, this herb is standard spicing for poultry in stuffing. You can also add it to salads, rich, fresh vegetables, using both the leaves and flowers. Summer savory is another annual. It quires sunny place, with 5-6″ of space between sprouted seedlings. After the plant flowers, cut off the entire plant and dry the leaves and tips to use in the dishes name above - or whatever strikes your fancy,
Tarragon: I love this herb and have used it sparingly and lovingly in my French chicken and omelet recipes. You can also use the leaves in salads, soups, sauces and stews. I have always purchased mine from the spice rack, but that’s about to change. I am going to grow it from cuttings in a pot on my patio. It requires protection from bad weather, but not usually a problem in California.
Thyme: Another ancient plant, like Anise, there are many varieties of thyme - orange, lemon, caraway. But the most common is the simple “Common Thyme.” The dried leaves are great in cheese and egg dishes, soups, sauces, stuffing. You can cook the leaves with poultry, fish and other meats. The leaves are a lovely flavor for salads, cheese and dressing. However, this herb should be lightly used, as too much can overwhelm a dish. This is a perennial, with grows either from seed r rooting. It requires a sunny,well-drained spot in your garden.
Grow Your Own
You can grow herbs in a window box or a special dirt plot set aside as an herb garden. For cooking, fresh herbs are always preferable to dried herbs. If you have no room or inclination to grow your own, you can purchase most varieties of herbs at health-food stores. Many such markets sell little bundles of fresh herbs year round. You should buy the freshest - in the whole leaf, if possible. You can crumble in your hands, or if you need to make them finer, using a mortal & pestle. The least desirable herbs are those already ground up and housed in spice jars and bottles at the grocer’s. When using dried herbs, remember that 1 tablespoon of chopped dried herbs will taste a strong as 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs. Never buy musty-smelling or pale herbs. Store dried herbs in a dark cupboard or corner of your workspace, preferably in an airtight dark glass or earthenware container.
With so many stores selling good, healthy food these days,whole leaf and fresh herbs are easy to find. I have a large Rosemary bush growing in a planter on my patio (we live among the rabbits, so a garden is out), but I have also grown potted mint and basil easily. Quite obviously,(if you consider my success) growing herbs from small plants doesn’t require a green thumb; just a strong desire to eat right and save some money doing so. For those who are not quite as contrary as I am, growing herbs from seeds is the best and most cost-effective gardening method.
Note: with thanks to Gayelord Hauser’s Cookbook (1946), Linda McCartney’s Home Cooking (1990), Miriam Poulinin’s Healing Foods (1999) and more references found on the internet.  If you like to sing while you garden or cook, download or visit the net’s Pandora to listen to Simon & Garfunkel’s classic, Scarborough Fair.
05.20.09
