Herbs.

I always try to have fresh herbs around, either indoors in the kicthen, or in the garden. Fresh herbs simply can’t be beat by any of their dried counterparts in my opinion.

A herb patch in the garden or a herb corner in your kitchen isn’t all that difficult. You don’t need huge amounts of gardening expertise,
with just a few pointers, you’re on your way already.

I’ll try to share a few of my own ‘tricks’:

• Grow what you eat.

  I see alot of people starting with a wide array of different herbs, but when you ask them what they will be using them for, they have no idea.
  If you don’t use it already today (dried or fresh), then why should you grow it? Make a list of the most used herbs and spices in your kitchen and start from there.

• G(r)o(w) with the flow.

  Sometimes you need alot of something. At other times, you need just a pinch. Your herbs keep growing though, at more or less the same pace, the year long. Don’t harvest too much at the same time: it will limit the survival chances of your plants. On the other hand, harvest and prune even if you don’t need it right away. Don’t let your plants grow wild just because you just arn’t making that dish right now.

• Dry fresh, freshly dried.
  

  Herbs & oil make handy herb cubes for future cooking.

  Continuing on that same sentiment, there’s no need to let good herbs go to waste. If you have an abundance, why not dry them yourself for later use? Freshly, home-dried herbs still taste so much better than the ones that sit on the standard herb&spice rack.

  Not all herbs can be dried, but there are other solutions. Chop them up and take out an icecube tray. Fill the different ‘cubes’ with chopped up herbs and pour over olive oil. You can even experiment with mixing several herbs together this way. Once ready, they go into the freezer. Now you’ll always have herb cubes at the ready when you’re cooking.

• Be creative.

  Herbs are for cooking, but that doesn’t mean they always need to go into the pot or pan. Lemon grass and basil for example, can be used to flavour olive oils: wash them until clean, stick them into a glass bottle and fill with the olive oil. Let it rest and you’ll have a deliciously flavoured cooking oil in a week or so.

  Rosemary is a well known herb, but has other uses as well in and around the kitchen: dry the sprigs and throw them into the BBQ fire. It gives a deliciously scented smoke, which adds to the flavour. Is your rosemary starting to grow woody like a bush ? These twigs make great skewers for meat and vegetables, adding their flavour as you roast them.

Herbs is all about experimenting and having fun. They can turn a simple tomato sauce into a feast for all senses with just the sprinkle of your fingers. If you don’t have some around already, I’d say: look into them. They are definately worth it!