Grow Your Own Herbs

Every RV has a sunny windowsill if it is parked in the right direction. And on a sunny windowsill, you can grow your own little herb garden.

Grow herbs while traveling? Why not!

An herb is a plant with leaves that can be used to flavor food. Spices come from the bark, fruit, root, seeds and stems of woody plants—the hard part of the plant. But herbs come from the non-woody flowering plants—the soft part of the plant, the leaves and flowers. It is the aromatic herb leaves that permeate cooked dishes and add flavor and dimension. A sprig of this, a snip of that, a few leaves and a pinch of blooms add zing to many dishes.

The best herbs for indoor growing are marjoram, oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, chives and tarragon. When you buy an herb plant in a small container, you should repot it into a larger container, say 5 to 6 inches across the top, and preferably a clay pot. Fill the pot halfway with potting soil, open up the roots before setting in the pot, pack in the soil, give it a drink of water with a fish emulsion every week, and watch your little herb garden grow.

Marjoram is the symbol of happiness and honor, and grows wild in Greece, where it is called the “joy of the mountains.” Marjoram tea was drunk to treat head colds, coughing and lung problems, and to relieve torments of the belly. Add a half-teaspoon to your next tuna salad, along with one cup of chopped celery, two tablespoons of minced onion, a half-cup of mayonnaise, one-fourth teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and two seven-ounce cans of tuna, drained and flaked.

Oregano is a cousin to marjoram, and is used a lot in Italian, Spanish and Mexican cooking. They say that smelling oregano will keep one in good health. Here’s a salad dressing with oregano: Place in a covered jar one cup of olive oil, a half-cup of lemon juice, one teaspoon each of oregano and salt, one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, and one clove of garlic, minced. Shake to blend, and keep refrigerated.

Basil is everyone’s favorite, with its clove-like spicy tang. The Romans believed that a man who accepted basil from a woman would love her forever. It is so fresh, so alive, so abundant, and so beautiful. Surprise your friends with some basil cookies: Blend one egg yolk with one-fourth cup of butter and eight ounces of cream cheese; fold into a lemon cake mix, one-third at a time (last one-third by hand). Add two tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar, two teaspoons of grated lemon rind, one-fourth cup each of coconut and chopped nuts, one cup of raisins, and four tablespoons of fresh basil, minced. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonful on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12 minutes. Watch carefully while they bake.

Thyme is a symbol of strength and courage. It is so strong an herb that it should be used sparingly for best flavor. Remember—“a pinch of thyme” will do it. Its pungent taste reminds one of a combination of clove, mint and lemon peel—to some it is peppery. Legend says that to drink it is to cure shyness. Always add it to your pot of clam chowder.

Parsley has no fragrance, only flavor and bright color. Chives are the slimmest, most elegant of onions with a light and delicate onion flavor. Combine them with some leftover mashed potatoes to make potato cakes. To two cups of potatoes add two slightly beaten eggs, one teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon each of chopped parsley and chives. Fry in hot butter until brown on both sides.

Tarragon has an unusual flavor—some say haunting—that adds to the excitement of using it. It does not conceal, but helps to bring out the flavor of the dish to which it is added. You can make your own tarragon vinegar by bringing some white vinegar to a boil, adding several sprigs of tarragon, simmering for 20 minutes and then straining it.

Always finely dice, chop or shred herbs to release the aromatic odors. Fresh herbs don’t stand up too long in cooking, so add 30 minutes before the dish is done.

Herbs are as old as man. Their flavor and fragrance, their gifts of good health and well-being have intrigued men since the beginnings of the Garden of Eden. We do not completely understand them, but they interest and delight us. They perk up our daily fare—they make the preparation of meals more exciting, and to grow them rejuvenates our spirits.

HINT OF THE MONTH:
Dry herbs are stronger than the fresh, so use one teaspoon of dried for one tablespoon of fresh.

Marian Platt’s regional narrative cookbook of Washington’s Sequim Valley, From My Kitchen Window, can be ordered by sending cash, check or money order for $25 (includes tax and handling/mailing costs) to Marian Platt, 434 Chicken Coop Rd., Sequim, WA 98382. Phone (360) 683-4691.