Culinary Herbs for Warm Weather, Part Two

Perennial herbs flourish during Summer in Florida.  Last week’s article ended with quick-growing, flavorful Mints and this week we will begin with the Mediterranean must-have, Oregano.

Oregano.  A recognizable flavor when used in any dish. Italian is the traditional oregano and ‘Hot and Spicy’ has a little get-up-and-go flavor. The Variegated Cuban or Tropical Oregano looks completely different with large leaves that can be easily added to salads for a little change of pace.  Once established, Oregano is easy to grow.

Marjoram.  Same family as oregano, but with a sweeter flavor.  We add marjoram to our morning eggs on the first flip.  Also tastes great on meats.

Parsley.  A root herb that just keeps on growing.  Be careful growing parsley in the Summer, as the Swallowtail caterpillars will find them and finish them.  This makes a great addition to butterfly gardens.  Curly and Italian (flat) are the two flavors, with Italian being the most flavorful.  The stems actually have the more flavor than the leaves.  Parsley is easy to grow and is versatile.  Parsley freshens the breath and is a good herb to sprinkle on your dog’s food.

Rosemary.  Speaking of versatile!!  Rosemary is an herb, hedge and can be a little xmas tree.  Many different types, but all with similar flavor. Blue is the most common with an upright habit and blue flowers.  Barbeque has long sturdy stems used to skewer meats on the barbie. Prostrata is a rosemary that grows lower to the ground with a creeping look. Arp has a conical dark green look.  Rosemary likes to be in a well-ventilated growing space but once established is easy.

Sage.  I am always asked the question, “what do you do with sage?”  Sage makes a great tea, either hot or cold. Tabuleh Cafe has hot sage and mint tea just waiting for you.  You can flavor any meat or vegetable plate with this aromatic herb. Sage takes you out of the ordinary with its slightly wood flavor.  Many tastes and colored leaves: Berggarten, Grey, Tricolor, Golden and pineapple.

Mexican Tarragon. It’s a marigold. French tarragon will not survive in Florida, but the one from Mexico works really well and will produce a lot of flowers in Spring, these are edible.  Use in soups or salads.  Extremely easy to grow.

Thyme. We all need more thyme.  English or lemon thyme are the most common.  Thyme will creep along the ground to form an attractive clump. Easy to grow and to work with.  Thyme blends well with other herbs and is a great addition to soups, poultry, lamb and vegetable dishes, especially those with tomatoes.

The culinary herbs should be grown in full sun (minimum 6 hours) or a little shade during the Summer. All herbs can be grown in pots or planted in the ground. Insects typically stay away, but infestations can be controlled with organic products. Fertilize regularly to have a continuous supply of fresh herbs to flavor your cooking, add to your teas, or scent your home.

For best flavor, add your herbs during the last part of the cooking process.  You can store cut herbs in the refrigerator for up to one week or hang herbs upside down to dry for later use. Dried herbs last about six months if stored in an airtight container.  If you know you will use the herbs relatively soon, try freezing them in oil in ice cube trays and popping them into the hot pan when you cook.

Our next workshop on Herbs will be May 31^st where we will teach you how to plant a great-looking and very useful herb garden in a container.  Join us for ideas on how to Season Your Summer.