Basil Italian
Basil Italian
Italian Herb Garden - The Perfect Herb Garden for Beginners
Why is an Italian Herb Garden perfect - because it contains the four main classes of herbs: Aromatic, Culinary, Medicinal, and Ornamental herbs. Plus it has annual herbs, perennial herbs, shrub herbs, and evergreen herbs.
Here are the most common herbs found in an Italian herb garden: basil, bay, fennel, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic. They are used in a variety of Italian recipes as well as other cuisines. These herbs are easy to grow, which makes it the herb garden for beginners and will give you a great sense of fulfillment when you use your herbs.
Basil: refers to sweet Basil and all of the different varieties of Basil, and is used frequently because of its strong flavor. Its fragrance is a main stay of any Italian herb Garden. Basil is also a good companion plant and insect repellent. This herb can be over powering, start off by adding a little at a time to your dishes. This is an annual herb, which will need to be planted every year. In warm climates it will self-seed.
Bay Leaves: Bay is easy to grow in an Italian herb garden; however there are many poisonous plants that look like Bay. You'll want to check with your local county extension office or the nursery expert to find out what the correct specie is for your area. The essential oils are in the leaves and the flavor is best after the leaves have been dried. When used in cooking the leaves are put in whole and then removed when the dish is finished.
Fennel: No Italian herb garden should be without this herb, and it can be used in so many different ways. Almost every part of the plant can be used; the bulbs, seeds, and the leaves are used in a variety of different dishes. Fennel seeds are a common ingredient in Italian sausage. Sweet Fennel is often used for its seeds and fronds, the Florence variety for the stalks and bulbs. It has a licorice flavor, and can be eaten raw, with some olive oil, lemon wedges and a little salt, as well as put into antipastos. While it is a perennial evergreen plant, it does need some protection in the winter, and it should be replanted ever few years, because it will start to lose its flavor. If you have some dill planted, it should be well away from Sweet Fennel, because it will cross-pollinate.
Oregano: This is another common and popular herb that is included in every Italian herb garden. Oregano is used mainly in culinary dishes, but is also used for decoration, as well as medicinal purposes. There are two different kinds of Oregano: Mexican, and Greek. Oregano and Basil often are combined in many different sauces including pizza sauce, and marinades. It adds a special flavor to Italian cooking.
Parsley: there are many different varieties of parsley; you'll want Italian Parsley for your herb garden. It differs from the garnish variety due to its broad leaf. It is quite easy to grow in your Italian herb garden, and will re-seed itself it you let it go to seed. Parsley is another herb that can be added to just about every dish. Unfortunately slugs also love Parsley so take precautions against them.
Rosemary: Make room for Rosemary in your Italian herb garden. It can be used in just about any dish, and has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years as well as ornamental. Rosemary can be used fresh or dried; it has a very distinctive flavor. It is an evergreen shrub, is quite aromatic, and will attract bees to your garden. It is a perennial evergreen and can be harmed by frost; caution should be taken to protect it when the weather is extremely cold. Cut it back every spring to promote new growth.
Sage: This is an evergreen bush that grows wild in many areas, and can be grown in your garden easily. In order to prevent Sage from getting unruly, you should keep it pruned back. It provides Italian food with a distinct flavor, including pork, and antipastos, as well as poultry. Sage wasn't as popular for a while, however it is still an important part of Italian cooking and with the new varieties its regaining its popularity in the kitchen.
Thyme: This herb has been used for centuries, not only as an additive in culinary dishes, but also in the bath water, and other medicinal purposes. Thyme is the herb to use in a dish when you are uncertain of what to use. If you are growing this versatile herb to cook with, make sure you are using Thymus Vulgaris, or common Thyme. It is quite easy to grow in your Italian herb garden, but this perennial tends to get quite woody after a few years and should be replaced about every two or three years.
Garlic: last, but certainly not least, herb gardening for beginners should always include Garlic, especially if you don't want to get smacked by your Italian relatives. Even though it may be called the 'stinking rose' by some, it is a very important herb, not only in cooking, but for its medicinal qualities. Eating a lot of garlic will keep you system detoxified. If you want your relatives to love you forever, use garlic in your dishes. It really doesn't matter what variety of garlic you grow, and it is easy to add to your garden.
If you have limited space, all of these herbs will do well as container plants, including the garlic. Planting an Italian Herb Garden in the actual soil or in containers is easy and you'll be off to a great start with herbs for all uses, making herb gardening for beginners enjoyable and a success! There are different varieties of each herb. Check with your local county extension office or nursery to see which variety does best in your area.
For more in-depth information of each of these herbs along with my families "Italian Pizza Sauce" recipe and a free mini herb course, please see Herb Gardening for Beginners and the Italian Herb Garden.
Remember don't be afraid to try new things. Happy Herb Gardening!
Jaylyn Huson is an herb garden enthusiast and enjoys helping others learn about growing and using herbs. Her latest book is "Home Herb Garden Answers - The Answers You Need for Planting, Growing, Harvesting, Storing, and Using Your Herbs" found at http://www.homeherbgardenanswers.com/
About the Author
What is a simple beef stew recipe, not using too many ingredients?
I will be using store bought stew meat, white onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. I have a seasoning packet for stew (I moved ((without moving my stuff)) recently and most of my spices are in another state), plus s&p, garlic powder, cayenne, poultry seasoning, and rosemary. And tabasco. I have flour. And beef broth. I can get red wine and already have beer.
I have a 1.5 quart casserole dish (this does not have to be a huge stew) and a fry pan and medium sized pot.
What would you do with these limited resources? I am craving stew but do not have a dutch oven....I will buy any extra ingredients (esp Leeks, red wine, bay leaves, basil/italian seasoning, guinness) if neccessary and should be getting a better pot for cooking from a friend tommorow.
I have never made stew before.
Whoa...I can't believe how many people didn't read my actual post. I specifically listed all the things I HAVE. i DON't have a dutch oven or crockpot.
YOu got stew as is. Stew is just a bunch of stuff you got on stock and shove in a pot. I would add chicken broth, garlic and pepper to the meat, onions, carrot, potato and celery. Beer or red wine can replace or in addition to the chicken broth. My favorite spice is thyme. The stew packet would be fine. I like my stew thick, so I add corn starch at the end.
edit. Boil it for several hours and when you add corn starch mix it with water first and slowly added to the stew so it wont make lumps. Stir it while you add the corn starch.
Basil Italian
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Italian Herb Garden – Growing Herbs for Delicious Cooking
Linguine, pesto, lasagna - your mouth is watering, right? Italian food is one of the favorite cuisines. From the humble pizza to Tuscan feasts, Italian food is the perfect choice for any meal or occasion. To make the best Italian food, you need the best Italian ingredients which means durum wheat pasta, gnocchi, fresh tomatoes, a variety of hard and soft cheeses, and aromatic Italian herbs. While the other ingredients are the base, it is the right blend of Italian herbs that makes your meal memorable, but these herbs can be expensive and hard to find fresh in the winter months. So how about growing your own Italian herb garden to get fresh herbs?
In order to grow your Italian herb garden you first need to know what herbs and spices are quintessential for Italian cooking. Favored ingredients vary from region to region, but this list is a good place from which to start: thyme, garlic, basil, parsley, rosemary, sage, oregano, chives, and fennel. All of these herbs are considered to be hearty and they also grow well all year round in pots. They all can be grown outdoors in the summer, but they should be moved indoors during the winter months unless your climate is as mild as that of southern Italy.
One of the most convenient places to establish your Italian herb garden is in your kitchen. This keeps all your plants close at hand for plucking the bit you need for each evening meal and harvesting your herbs could not be easier - simply take a pair of kitchen scissors and snip off the parts that you want to use. The leaves of most herbs can be plucked fully off, whereas shoots can be cut back about 4 to 6 inches at a time. Harvesting also promotes new growth and keeps your Italian herb garden looking abundant and healthy. As you snip off most herbs, they release a pungent scent that will fill your kitchen with the smells of delicious Italian cooking. Chives are especially fragrant immediately after harvesting, as are garlic and basil. In fact, the smell of garlic and basil not only tickles your taste buds, but it also has the added bonus of repelling flies and other kitchen pests.
Another great thing about growing an Italian herb garden is that you can use your herbs both for cooking and for decoration. If you grow your herbs outdoors, you will need to harvest and dry them for use in the winter. Frankly, some recipes work better with dried herbs. When this is the case, you can gather large bunches of herbs and hang them upside down from your ceiling, walls, or doorways. Add some flare to the kitchen by tying up the bundles from your Italian herb garden with a strip of red and white checked cloth, just like what you would find on the table at an Italian restaurant. If your ceiling is not conducive to hanging herbs, a great idea for decorating with drying herbs is to mount an old rake to your kitchen wall and hang the herbs off the tines. Done right, you can transform your kitchen into a little piece of rural Italy. It might even make your food taste better!
When you begin to use Italian herbs in your cooking, you can either go by the amounts recommended in the recipe book or you can let your nose be your guide. There are a few simple guidelines for consistently finding the best combination of Italian herbs.
Garlic should always be used. “It is not Italian without garlic”. Sage is a very strong herb and can overpower other flavors. Use sage early in the cooking process to mellow its taste. Basil and rosemary have lighter, crisper flavors. Basil is also the key ingredient in good ‘pesto genovese’. Parsley and fennel can be used as an after dinner digestive aid. Fennel should also be liberally sprinkled throughout Italian sausages.
As you begin growing an Italian herb garden you will find your favorite flavor combination for each dish, but rest assured they will all be delicious!
About the Author
Lisa Summerfield is an herb garden lover and author of "Secrets To A Successful Home Herb Garden" - compulsory reading for anyone considering to grow a fantastic Italian herb garden. Her website contains valuable information on using and growing herbs... Even if you have never grown a garden before!
For a FREE 10 part mini-course on "The Secrets To Growing Delicious Herbs at Home!" go to http://herbgardensolutions.com
Basil Italian