Herbs​—a “Rediscovered” Delight

By “Awake!” correspondent in New Zealand.

THE hostess walked from her tiny kitchen over to her windowsill. As the guests watched, she pinched several leaves off a plant growing there. These, she explained, would go into the spaghetti sauce that they would have later that evening. Soon the guests were taking a closer look at her “house plant.” It was an herb​—basil.

While not always growing their own, in many countries people are taking a new interest in herbs. But why the “rediscovery”? Have not herbs been used for centuries?

True, the Chinese and other peoples have never stopped using herbs. However, two recent trends are believed to have increased the demand for their cultivation.

First, gourmet cooking is becoming increasingly popular and herbs are usually among the ingredients of tastier dishes. Secondly, an interest has been rekindled in “folk,” or “home,” cures. Often these cures use herbs as medicine. Some argue that the slower-to-act herbs are more “natural” than the powerful drugs of modern medicine and that thus they are safer.

Actually, while such “medical recipes” go back centuries in time and are often surrounded by superstition, many plants do contain powerful chemicals. Willow bark contains the same acid as aspirin, and foxglove yields digitalis. Still, the health claims made for many herbal teas and poultices are widely debated, meeting skepticism in medical circles.

On the other hand, there is almost universal accord when it comes to using herbs in cooking. They bring a delightful new zest to many recipes. Now, there are two ways of getting herbs​—either growing and storing your own or buying them. Let’s consider the do-it-yourself approach.

Growing Herbs

It would be dangerous to start wandering in the fields and gathering what you thought might be helpful herbs. As one Bible account accurately notes, some plants are dangerous to eat, even after they have been cooked. (2 Ki. 4:38-41) Thus it is better to inquire of a government agricultural center or a plant shop as to what well-known herbs can be grown locally. The soil type and amount of sunshine will determine what you can do. If your climate is moderate, likely you will find that the herbs in the accompanying chart will grow well.

Most herbal plants love sunny places. In many climates they must be started indoors in the autumn and then put outside in the warmer spring.

Any discarded containers of the plastic variety make useful “starter boxes.” Punch a few small holes in the bottom, fill the box with a good, light soil and sprinkle a little garden lime on it. Dampen the soil and then sow the seed thinly on top. Cover the seed with a little dry soil and gently press it down. A clear piece of plastic or glass should be placed over the container and left until the seedlings come through the soil.

Do not be too impatient for results. Parsley, for instance, may take six or eight weeks to show any signs of life. When there are about four leaves on each tiny seedling, put the containers outdoors for two weeks to let the plants get used to the new conditions. Then they can be transferred to the open ground.

If you cannot get seeds, perhaps you can get cuttings from a friend’s plant or buy established plants. These can often save you much time and effort. Furthermore, if you do not have any land for a garden, do not give up. Herbs can be grown in tubs on a balcony, in window boxes or even indoors.

“Harvest” and Storage

The best time to “harvest” most herbs is when the flowers are just beginning to bud. Carefully pick the leaves and stems. Try not to bruise them, as this releases the precious aroma.

While fresh herbs are the best, you may want to store some for out-of-season use. They can be frozen, stored whole in airtight containers or dried.

Drying herbs is the most common way of preserving them. When drying them, do not expose them to sunlight. Rather, hang them upside down (“head” down) in a warming cupboard or on a shelf where no steam or dampness can reach them. Or try this method, as described by one authority: “I put each variety of herbs into a separate brown paper bag (sage leaves in one bag, mint in another, rosemary in a third), gather the bag up loosely, and tie with a string, providing a loop for hanging. With a sharp knife or scissors I slit two or three places in each bag for ventilation and hang them up in a warm room . . . Every day or so I shake the bag to turn [the] herbs over so they’ll dry evenly.”

Once the herbs are “crisp,” you can put them into jars and seal these tightly. If any sign of water appears, take the herbs out of the jar and dry them some more. Also, if you have only clear glass jars, paint them to keep light out. Dried herbs keep best in a dark cupboard.

But now that you have the herbs, how are they best used in cooking?

Creating That “Mysterious Aroma”

For the sake of your prospective dinner guests, we start with a warning. Herb flavor and aroma can be very strong. If you are too “liberal” in using herbs, the results can be disastrous to your meal. Start by seasoning sparingly. “A pinch here and there” is a good rule.

There are many ways to enhance your food with herbs. They can be used as garnishes or can be incorporated into various dishes​—pickles, sauces, soups, coffee, cocktails, punches and wines. You can make herb-flavored teas, oils, sugar, butter, mustard and vinegar.

For example, making herb butter is merely a matter of creaming and softening about a hundred grams (3¹⁄₂ ounces) of butter and then blending in, say, one tablespoon of chopped chives and one of lemon juice. Or use more than one herb in combination. This butter adds tang when spread on fish, chops, steaks or bread rolls.

Of course, a very popular use of herbs is the making of teas with them. Besides giving one a great variety of possible beverages, many of these teas are said to be beneficial to one’s health. Chamomile tea is supposed to induce restful sleep. Herbalists claim that sage tea helps the brain.

Such teas are made the same way as ordinary tea. Pour boiling water over the leaves and let the mixture stand a few minutes before drinking it. Many persons add either lemon juice or honey.

Perhaps not as well known are herb oils. These are made by filling a jar two thirds full of good-quality bland oil, such as safflower or almond (not peanut or olive) oil. A good handful of your favorite herbs is thoroughly “bruised” while adding a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. This mixture is added to the oil.

Seal the jar tightly and shake it well. It should be left to stand on a sunny or warm shelf for about a month. Make it a handy shelf, so that you can pick the jar up and shake it periodically. This oil is delicious in salad dressings or for frying.

Herb sugar and salt are usually made by sealing granulated sugar or table salt in tightly sealed jars with a few sprigs of your chosen herb. The longer you store them, the stronger the flavor will be. The sugar can be used in cake recipes or on pancakes or fruit, and the salt is used in cooking or as a table condiment.

There are many good cookbooks containing recipes in which you can use herbs. When a recipe calls for bouquet garni, the bouquet referred to is usually a bunch of parsley, thyme, bay, tarragon and, sometimes, marjoram. Tied together, they are added during cooking but removed before serving. If the recipe requires fines herbes, finely chop and mix in chervil, chives, parsley and tarragon. Always remember: If you use dried herbs in a fresh-herb recipe, cut the quantity down by one third or a half. Dried herbs are stronger.

Of course, you may wish eventually to experiment with less-known herbs. Since there are some 2,500 species world wide, you can see that there is much to learn. (What is called an “herb” varies from place to place. Generally it is defined as a plant that “dies down” each year, and usually it does not have a woody stem.) After careful study, you may be amazed at the things that end up on your table​—clover, dandelion, rose petals, and so forth. You might also enjoy other uses of herbs, such as soothing herbal baths.

Most persons who have learned more about plants come to view “weeds” by the roadside in a different way. Many have reflected anew on the ancient promise of God to give man “vegetation bearing seed which is on the surface of the whole earth” for his delight. (Gen. 1:29) As poet Ralph Waldo Emerson put it: “A weed is a plant whose virtues we have not yet discovered.”

[Chart on page 11]

HERBS YOU CAN USE IN THE KITCHEN

NAME SOME USES

PARSLEY Garnish, soups, sauces, egg dishes

THYME Meat loaf, stuffings, sauces, pickles, stews

CHERVIL Delicate garnish, soups

CHIVES Soft cheese, salads, butter

TARRAGON Egg and mushroom dishes, sauces, mustards

BAY Mutton, pork, and fish dishes, custards

MARJORAM Meat, fish, egg dishes, soups, cocktails, vinegar

ROSEMARY Seasonings, sugar, oil

LAVENDER Wines, teas, vinegar, sugar

SAGE Stuffings, sauces, oil

BASIL Soups, ragouts, sauces

MINT Vinegar, sugar, sauces, jellies, teas, punches