Now is the perfect time to cut and save the season’s herb crop for cooler months ahead. Whether it’s tea blends, tinctures, soaps, culinary garnishes or flavored honey, there are endless uses for all the fresh plants ripe and ready in the Culinary Herb Garden. Sara gives us the rundown on four more offerings:
Sage – The first row of sage is now open. Look for the longest stems and cut 1/3 of the way down with scissors only. Sage helps relieve coughs, sore throats and digestive issues. It also makes a calming tonic to relieve muscle tension. You can even add sage leaves in a hot bath to feel its soothing and relaxing effects.
Chives and Garlic Chives – Use them as an alternative to onions or scallions in any way that your creativity offers. They make a nice vinegar, especially when the flowers emerge in the coming weeks, for us and the bees! Please do not cut them all the way to the bottom! The garlic chives look a bit compromised this year, so our patience and good energy go out to them.
Tarragon – This plant is very popular in French cuisine. It can be added fresh or dried to season vegetables, chicken, fish and vinegar. Tarragon is high in vitamins, potassium, antioxidants and other nutrients. It can also be used as an appetite stimulant and digestive aid, and has been applied traditionally to provide relief from toothaches.
Lemon Verbena – A culinary favorite and the aroma is divine. It is also a plant with impressive potential health benefits. Some research suggests that it may help reduce oxidative stress, protect against muscle damage, improve sleep quality and have anti-obesity effects. In addition to using verbena for tea, try it with other beverages or make a simple syrup and mix it with different kinds of fruits and desserts. Experiment by adding it to a variety of foods, such as chicken, meat and fish, as well as mixing it into a pesto, adding it to marinades or making an herbal vinegar. Use it as you would any culinary herb. Try is as a scent for DIY cleaners as well!
