"People... The "H" Is Silent"

This...

IS NOT MY GARDEN.

The owner of this garden is highly pretentious. She is married to a man she only sees on the weekends. She spends her time with fabulous gay men that I wish I could spend my time with. They party every weekend while crostini toasts on the grill as they sip potent whiskey sours, and fabulous martini's and play card games. The garden belongs to Ina Garten. You may know her cackling, wheezing ass, as the Barefoot Contessa and I am disgustingly jealous of her. I do not live in the Hamptons, and my husband is not the Dean of a College, so, therefore we took our garden down a few thousand notches and did it Cedartucky style. THIS folks, is the garden I aspire to have one day. Protected from nibbling rabbits and other pesky creatures... Everything grows gorgeously and that heffa is in WALKING DISTANCE from the finest selection of fruits (yes, she has her own orchard on her property - EYE ROLL) vegetables and herbs whenever she wants it. I hate her. And yet... I love her. But this post isnt about Ina and her "fabulousness". Its about Sandra and her lack....of.

I love, love, LOVE the fragrance and texture of........herbs! Grow your own if you can in a window box or basket garden, or pots on the window sill. You are even luckier if you have the ability to grow them in your very own garden. And in Sandra's neck of the woods, she does just that. I'm a herb pusher! For other uses, not just in foods. I really dislike the use of over the counter medicines for alot of ailments, and turn to natural remedies first. This year I discovered ORANGE MINT.. Yes people ORANGE MINT - I had never heard of such a thing, but I bought it, planted it and you know what? Its FABULOUS. I am going to try and coat some of the leaves in chocolate as a snack and see if my kids will eat them. Im also looking forward to making an orange steeped tea and using them in there as well. I will see how it goes..

All herbs impart an additional vibrance to the food you cook. With practice, you'll start using your favorites in everything and will instinctively know which herb goes into the cooking  pot!

**As always, check for interactions with medications and side effects for people with medical conditions.**

Basil, sweet- Use with mushrooms, in eggs,cheese and fish dishes.
Basil, perennial- For flavoring eggs, fish,game meats, pork,beef, chicken, shell fish and salads
Catnip ( catmint)- Leaves used in preparing herbal tea. Cat drug (!)
Chervil- Use young leaves, fresh or dried, in tomato sauce, light cream sauce
Chives- Use where mild onion flavor is desired. Good in eggs, sauces, salads and cheese spread/sauce.
Coriander- Ground seeds used in breads, cookies, cheese sauce and  vegetable soup like squash or pumpkin.
Dill- Use in soups, salads, cream cheese,eggs and fish.
Garlic- Used for bread, combined in butter for spread,salads, sauces,soups, in meats, poultry, fish. Roast whole  in 'paper' and peel off clove, squeeze out garlic paste on cracker or bread.
Hyssop- tender young leaves used in flavoring fruits,pies,salads, soups, stews, drinks.
Lavender- Flavoring for beverages and jellies; flowers used for perfume.
Sweet Marjoram- Flavoring of salads,meats, stuffing,fish and poultry.
Orange Bergamont Mint-use in meats,mint jelly and iced drinks.
Oregano- tomato sauce, Mexican dishes,Italian dishes, shellfish,salad and meats.
Parsley- Use as garnish in salads and soups, in cooked meats.
Pennyroyal- Makes a bland salad taste slightly bitter.Use sparingly.
Peppermint- Use sparingly as garnish on fruit cocktails, cold beverages,salads. Makes good herbal tea.
Pineapple Mint- Used in meats. Refreshing slightly fruity taste.
Sage- Use to season meats, sausage,stuffing.
Summer Savory- Use in beans,egg dishes,cream sauce,all poultry.
Sorrel- Use sparingly in green salads.
Tansy- Use in baked fish, meat pies,or egg dishes.
Tarragon- For salads and in dressings, fish, poultry,delicious in sauces.
Thyme- Use in meats,wild game, fish, as herbal tea ( sedative effect)


So there you have it. Plant some herbs....dont smoke 'em. PEACE!