Menu:
Culinary Herbs
Hey won’t it be grand to feast on a plate of sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and chopped basil with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice? Just go yummy with the taste and stay disease-free on the healthy veggie bite. And if the basils are from your very own kitchen garden, you really carry the glow from within. The freshness of the herb reflects on your face.
Herbs can also add spice to your life. Well it is the culinary herbs that hold the flavor of exotic cuisines and give a taste of difference. Culinary herbs are mainly used in dried form in different preparation of food items. Leaves of these plants are dried and then packaged and sold over the grocery stores. Some of you might not be aware that culinary herbs find a superior use in their fresh state also. Fresh basils are better than their dried forms.
Classic herbs for culinary purpose
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Chervil
- Chives
- Chicory
These and many more are in the list of the widely used culinary herbs. You can grow all these in your kitchen garden and serve as varied spices. Here there is a slight confusion. Are culinary herbs only spices?
Let’s look at it from the reverse side. Are spices just culinary herbs? The answer is no. Plant parts mostly used as spices are seeds, barks, roots, flowers and fruits. Leaves both as fresh and in dried forms are also spices but they are actually culinary herbs. Thus you can conclude that culinary herbs can be spices but all spices are not culinary herbs.
Ideal condition for culinary herbs’ growth
You will prefer to have the kitchen garden next to your kitchen or the dining area. You will have to find out whether your preference is at par the suitable condition of soil and sunlight availability. Next of course matters the drainage system.
The ideal location of the culinary herb garden is a space where sunlight is constantly available at least for a quarter of the day. Six hours of sunlight- it is the optimum radiation required for the healthy growth of the culinary herbs. Soil should be porous to take in water but not remain wet always. Passage of water has to be free. Manure is necessary but organic compost is best suited.
Common usage
Just stating that culinary herbs are rich spices keeps them bereft of the real flavor. The mouthwatering feel will remain unsatisfied and incomplete. Just take a glance to get an idea.
- Basil is a common herb needed to prepare fish, egg, chicken and also goes well with tomatoes and pasta.
- Chervil is quite similar. But chervil is widely used in the preparation of green salads. In vegetarian dishes chervil can be used to add flavor to string beans, peas and tomatoes. In non-vegetarian cuisines, it goes well with fish and eggs.
- Chives are used in soups and baked items especially jellyfish and potatoes. Even for the preparation of sauces, chives are widely required.