☽ Foodboheme ☾: Pantry Add Herbs

Adding Herbs to the Pantry;

'Sage' the meat preserver

'Thyme' the bravery herb

'Mint' from the Greek Gods,

'Parsley' to garnish traced back in history to the civilisation of ancient Rome,

'Rosemary' the memory herb

'Sweet Basil' the royal herb

I find Culinary Myth and history absolutely fascinating, and have decided to share some little tid bits to get your imaginations going. Be enticed to explore more flavour as-well as your health, enjoy :D

... The gathering of a Pantry stock up for today

... Egyptian Sage, dried. Used in cooking navy beans with olive oil, sage and garlic served on bruschetta, as seasoning for tomato sauce, omelets and frittatas, on top of your next pizza, Combine with, bell peppers, cucumbers and sweet onions with plain yogurt for an easy salad, baking with chicken or fish in parchment paper. Soft, yet sweet savoury flavour, prized for its health-promoting qualities. Its reputation as a panacea. Sage (Salvia officinalis - derived from the Latin word, salvere, "to be saved") leaves are grayish green in colour with a silvery bloom covering, lance-shaped,with prominent veins running throughout. Sage is available fresh or dried in either whole, rubbed (lightly ground) or powder form.

... Like soft silver. Sage is native to countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and has been consumed in these regions for thousands of years. In medicinal lore, sage has one of the longest histories of use of any medicinal herb. The Greeks and Romans were said to have highly prized the many healing properties of sage. The Romans treated it as sacred and created a special ceremony for gathering sage. Both civilisations used it as a preservative for meat, a tradition that continued until the beginning of refrigeration. What these cultures knew from experience, that sage could help to reduce spoilage, now being confirmed by science, which has isolated the herb's numerous terpene antioxidants. Arab physicians in the 10th century believed that it promoted immortality, while 14th century Europeans used it to protect themselves from witchcraft. Sage was in so much demand in China during the 17th century, for the tea beverage that it makes, that the Chinese are said to have traded three cases of tea leaves (camellia sinensis) to the Dutch for one case of sage leaves.

... Stirring through

... Thyme, more flavoursome than then powdered Thyme.
Strong and sharp character best used considerably in stuffing's,
game, beef, Veggies & Breads/Bakes. A delicate looking herb
with a penetrating fragrance, thyme is an herb to investigate
and enjoy with over 60 different varieties including French
(Thymus vulgaris - common) lemon thyme, orange thyme and
silver thyme. Thyme has been used since ancient times for
its culinary, aromatic and medicinal properties. The ancient
Egyptians used it as an embalming agent to preserve the deceased
pharaohs. In ancient Greece, thyme was widely used
for its aromatic qualities, being burned as incense in sacred temples.
Thyme was also a symbol of courage and admiration
with the phrase "the smell of thyme" being a saying that reflected
praise unto its subject. Thyme's association with bravery
continued throughout medieval times when it was a ritual
for women to give their knights a scarf that had a sprig of
thyme placed over an embroidered bee. Since the 16th century,
thyme oil has been used for its antiseptic properties, both as
mouthwash and a topical application. Thyme is native to
areas such as Asia, southern Europe and the Mediterranean
region and is also cultivated in North America."

Pantry Additions;

Sage

Thyme

Mint

Parsley

Rosemary

Sweet Basil

Basil

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... Mint leaves dried (Spearmint) Fresh and cool, Used
to add to soups, stews, mint sauces, roasts, bean
and lentil dishes. Mint is the glorious plant that gives
the candy of the same name its cool burst of flavour.
While there are about 25 different species of mints,
peppermint is actually a natural hybrid cross between
Mentha aquatica (water mint) and Mentha spicata (spearmint).
The taste of both peppermint and spearmint bear
a flavor that can be described as a cross between
pepper and chlorophyll, with peppermint being a bit
stronger and spearmint being a little more cool and subtle.
In addition to peppermint and spearmint, other plants
in the Mentha genus include apple mint, orange
mint, water mint, curly mint and Corsican mint.
Mint is an ancient herb used since antiquity for its culinary,
medicinal and aromatic properties. The origins of mint are
honoured in a Greek myth that tells the tale that the plant was
originally a nymph (Minthe), who was transformed
into a plant by Persephone, who was jealous of the
affections that her husband Pluto was showing to Minthe.
While Pluto could not reverse the spell that his
wife cast, he did impart Minthe with a sweet
smell, so when she was walked upon in the garden,
her aroma would be delightful to the senses.
Mint's characteristic smell has made it one of the more popular
perfuming herbs throughout history. Around the globe, from
Europe to India to the Middle East, mint has been used a
strewing herb to clear the air in both temples and homes.
Mint has also come to symbolize hospitality in many cultures.
In ancient Greece, mint leaves were rubbed on dining tables to
welcome guests, while in the Middle East, the host still
traditionally offers mint tea to guests upon their arrival.
Mint has played an important role in the American tradition.
While the Native Americans were using mint even before the
arrival of the European settlers, the early colonists brought
this prized herb with them from the Old World since they
had long honoured it for its therapeutic properties, as
well as for the delicious hot or cold tea beverage made
from its leaves.

... Parsley leaves dried, pungent and aromatic. Used to sprinkle
over soups, baked potatoes, in egg dishes, dumplings, stews,
sauces, grills, savoury biscuits, soft cheese, salads/dressings,
hamburgers, casseroles, mince, hamburgers, meat loaf and
stuffing's. A Nutritious and healing vegetable. A storehouse
of nutrients and that it features a delicious green and vibrant taste.
The two most popular types of parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
are curly parsley and Italian flat leaf parsley. The Italian variety has
a more fragrant and less bitter taste than the curly variety.
There is also another type of parsley known as turnip-rooted
(or Hamburg) that is cultivated for its roots,
which resemble salsify and burdock. Parsley belongs to the
Umbelliferae family of plants, and its Latin name is.
Parsley is native to the Mediterranean region of
Southern Europe. While it has been cultivated for more than
2,000 years, parsley was used medicinally prior to being
consumed as a food. The ancient Greeks held parsley to
be sacred, using it to not only adorn victors of athletic
contests, but also for decorating the tombs of the deceased.
The practice of using parsley as a garnish actually
has a long history that can be traced back to the
civilization of the ancient Romans. While it is uncertain when
parsley began to be consumed as a seasoning, it seems
to be sometime in the Middle Ages in Europe.
Some historians credit Charlemagne with its
popularization since he had it grown on his estates.
In some countries, the curly leaf variety is more popular.
This may have its roots in the ancient preference for this
type since people were often times reticent to consume
the flat leaf variety because it resembled fool's parsley,
a poisonous weed. Turnip-rooted (or Hamburg)
parsley, a relatively new species, having only been
developed within the past two hundred years,
has only recently begun gaining popularity.

... Basil Sweet leaves dried, pungent and aromatic. Used to
garnish pasta, tomato soup, sorbets, chopped with tomato,
squash, in salads, herb vinegars/dressings and herb butters.
Highly fragrant whose leaves are used as a seasoning
herb for many different types of foods. Basil (Ocimum basilicumhas)
become one of the most recognizable herbs ever since pesto,
the mixture of basil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese.
Some varieties feature hints of red or purple.
Basil looks a little like peppermint, also belonging
to the same plant family. There are over 60 varieties of basil,
all of which differ somewhat in appearance and taste.
While the taste of sweet basil is bright and pungent,
other varieties also offer unique tastes:
lemon basil, anise basil and cinnamon basil
all have flavours that subtly reflect their name.
Basil now grows in many regions throughout the world,
but it was first native to India, Asia and Africa.
It is prominently featured in varied cuisines
throughout the world including Italian, Thai, Vietnamese
and Laotian. The name "basil" is derived from the old Greek
word basilikohn, which means "royal," reflecting that
ancient culture's attitudes towards an herb that they
held to be very noble and sacred. The tradition of
reverence of basil has continued in other cultures.
In India, basil was cherished as an icon of hospitality,
while in Italy, it was a symbol of love.

... Basil leaves dried, pungent and aromatic.
Used to garnish pasta, tomato soup, sorbets,
chopped with tomato, squash, in salads,
herb vinegars/dressings and herb butters.

... Rosemary leaves dried, pungent and aromatic. Used to
sprinkle over soups, baked potatoes, in egg dishes,
dumplings, stews, sauces, grills, savoury biscuits,
soft cheese, salads/dressings, hamburgers,
casseroles, mince, hamburgers, meat loaf and stuffing's.
Historically used for strengthening the memory,
is unforgettable. Rosemary has a unique pine-like fragrant
flavor that is balanced by a rich pungency,
a combination that evokes both the forest and the sea.
Its memorable flavor and unique health benefits makes
it an indispensable herb for every kitchen.
Rosemary grows on a small evergreen shrub belonging
to the Labiatae family that is related to mint.
Its leaves look like flat pine-tree needles, deep green in
color on top while silver-white on their underside.
Although rosemary is native to the Mediterranean,
it now grows throughout much of the temperate
regions in Europe and America. Rosemary
has been a prized seasoning and natural
medicine for millennia. Part of rosemary's
popularity came from the widespread belief that
rosemary stimulated and strengthened the memory,
a quality for which it is still traditionally used.
In ancient Greece, students would place rosemary
sprigs in their hair when studying for exams,
and mourners would also throw the fragrant herb
into the grave of the deceased as a symbol
of remembrance. In olde England, rosemary's
ability to fortify the memory transformed it into
a symbol of fidelity, and it played an important
role in the costumes, decorations and gifts
used at weddings. Rosemary oil was first
extracted in the 14th century, after which it
was used to make Queen of Hungary water, a
very popular cosmetic used at that time. In the
16th and 17th centuries, rosemary became
popular as a digestive aid in apothecaries.
Recently, as modern research focuses on the
beneficial active components in rosemary,
our appreciation for this herb's therapeutic
as well as culinary value has been renewed.