The Herb Garden: How To Grow Herbs

You probably know why Basil is often called the King of herbs. One reason is because Basil is the one of most sought herbs in cooking. If you want a dash of kitchen magic, then the aroma and taste of Basil can instantly add that extra flavor to your dish.

Borage has fragrance and taste that resemble a cucumber. Most people only know this herb as a nice ingredient for salad, while others compare the Borage leaves to spinach. But Borage offers a lot more.

Evidently, Chamomile is one famous herb and flower plant. It is traditionally known as a tasty and relaxing tea. In fact, no traditional tea set is complete without Chamomile. Chamomile has also been used for medicinal purposes.

In French cuisine, Chervil is one of the Fines herbs, which is typically in line with chives, tarragon, parsley, and majojoram. It is a wonderful ingredient to some of the finest recipes around, from a superb garnish to vinaigrette to adding flavor to the main dish.

Chop up your Chive and it will spice up your sauces, creams and other dishes. It can be an alternative to onion, but it has a league of its own. Chives have plenty of uses from medicinal to culinary. You can consume it from the bulb to the flower. Chives has that distinct aromatic scent that can add that something extra to any dish.

Cilantro, often called Chinese Parsley, was originated in the Mediterranean. It is common in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian dishes. In fact, no salsa is complete without Cilantro. Well, Cilantro has quite a distinctive taste, some say it’s soapy, while others say it is kind of “buggy”.

Coriander pertains to the seeds and the Cilantro or Chinese Parsley pertains to the leaves. It’s just that some call them both names or they interchange them. This confusion is due to several dishes that contain both ingredients.

Dill is one of the easiest herbs to grow and it is fairly maintenance free. Even beginners can handle Dill. Use it for almost anything you can think of in the kitchen. It can be fresh, dried and even frozen.

Fennel was originated in the Mediterranean some centuries ago. Due to its features, some confuse it for licorice or anise. Fennel can be used in a plethora of ways in the kitchen—whether grill, sauteé, roast, or even in garnishing dishes, a part of Fennel can be used.

Lemon Balm is common in the United States but it came from the Old World. What’s interesting about Lemon Balm is that it is a part of the mint family but is gifted with refreshing lemon-flavored leaves.

Marjoram has two major kinds, the sweet and the wild. So what is difference? Wild Marjoram is distinguished by its thyme – like scent, while the Sweet Marjoram has distinctive oregano-like aroma.

Mint is one of the most popular herbs around. Its rich, minty aroma can be hypnotizing, plus it can be very versatile when it comes to the kitchen. You see, when talking about Mint, gum, candy canes and liqueurs come into mind.

Oregano is a Mediterranean herb that is a staple to Italian kitchen. It’s safe to say that Oregano is one of the most versatile herbs, since it has a plethora of uses in and outside of the kitchen. It is commonly used to add rich flavor to pastas, sauces and pizzas.

Parsley is one of the most common herbs in the kitchen, whether as flavoring, garnish or spice, you can expect a savory treat with the freshness of Parsley. The list on ways to use Parsley in cooking is endless!

Rosemary has been around for centuries and has been one of the most valuable herbs around. It is famous for turning ordinary dishes into a gastronomic delight. Rosemary is widely used in Mediterranean cuisine.

With almost 750 to 800 varieties, the flavors Sage can lend to your favorite dishes are countless! It is a gray-green culinary herb that has rich, earthy aroma resembling a subtle floral scent with slightly bitter taste.

If you have sweet tooth but abhor the many disadvantages of too much sugar in the body, then this herb is perfect for you. Stevia is sweeter than sucrose by 300 times and sweeter than sugar by 150 times.

Thyme was originated from the Mediterranean but is now recognized as one of the most aromatic herbs in the world. It is commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine, which adds flavors to meats, vegetables and breads.