25 Days of Herbs and Celebrations - December 23

Dear Folks,

Celebrating the Multicultural festivities of December, I thought I would pick an herb or spice which is referenced in the Bible (land of three of the Major Religions of the world) and used in many cuisines around the entire world, as a way of gathering together all the wealth of diversity around us - in true celebration.

Day 23

Herb:  Mustard, Brassica nigra,  Matthew 13:31 “He presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; 32 and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES."

Festivus  a Secular celebration Originally a family tradition of scriptwriter Dan O'Keefe, who worked on the American sitcom Seinfeld, Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focus of the 1997 episode The Strike.  Theme:  Festivus for the Rest of Us, guides the "parody holiday festival" and as a form of playful consumer resistance.

Read up on Festivus and ways to celebrate it at:  -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus

Planting:

Plant Mustard seed in the fall and expect 80+ days to mature seed harvest.  You can pick some of the green leaves during the growing period, but don’t harvest too much – you want the plant to have plenty of energy to flower and produce seed.

As with all these edibles you need well draining soil and a sunny spot for maximum healthy plants.

Harvest when the seeds are dry and store for cooking use and to replant out next fall.

Recipes:

My Almost Empty Mustard Jar Recipes
...ah, the possibilities...frugal cooks once routinely saw the almost empty mustard jar as an opportunity for a salad dressing or sauce. Even 1 tablespoon left over could be turned into a tangy dinner enhancement, and it comes in its own shaker jar!

Salad Dressing:
1 almost empty mustard jar
2 tablespoons citrus juice (orange or tangerine are lovely)
4 tablespoons oil
Dash of salt and pepper
1 tablespoons fresh herb of choice, finely chopped (rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram or combination)
Place all ingredients in the jar, cap and shake well, dress the salad.

Options: If you enjoy chunky salads aka chopped salad (where the ingredients are left larger sized) create your own ‘green goddess' dressing — in a blender place this salad dressing and add 1-2 cups of finely chopped salad greens (lettuces, kale, escarole, etc.), blend to combine and pour over coarsely chopped vegetables.

Marinade / Sauce:
1 almost empty mustard jar
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons vinegar, citrus juice or other fruit juice (pineapple, apple, etc.)
4 tablespoons finely chopped thyme, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano, or 1 tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix well and pour over boneless chicken or sturdy fish (tuna, shark, halibut, swordfish). Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Grill until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes per side depending on thickness and heat of grill, basting with marinade periodically during grilling.

Music:

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Jimmy Boyd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI8spatbGEo

 

O come, O come, Emmanuel

The Piano Guys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO7ySn-Swwc

 

 

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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25 Days of Herbs and Celebrations - December 22

Dear Folks,

Celebrating the Multicultural festivities of December, I thought I would pick an herb or spice which is referenced in the Bible (land of three of the Major Religions of the world) and used in many cuisines around the entire world, as a way of gathering together all the wealth of diversity around us - in true celebration.

Day 22

Herb:  Onion, Allium cepa, Numbers 11:5  "We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, 6 but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna."

I know many of us would also miss onions from our kitchen.  I just have to put some chopped in a hot pan with a bit of oil or butter and the house already smells like something good is cooking.

Onions along with garlic and leeks are considered both an herb (because the inside of the bulb is made up of leaves) and a vegetable. 

All herbs are "spices"  but not all spices are herbs.  Herbs are the green, leafy part of the plant, whereas a spice is generally referred to as the dried seed, stem or root.

There is a lot of information on this common vegetable at Wikipedia, including some of the nutrient information.

Considerable differences exist between onion varieties in polyphenl content, with shallots having the highest level, six times the amount found in Vidalia onions, the variety with the smallest amount. 36 37 Yellow onions have the highest total flavonoid content, an amount 11 times higher than in white onions.Red onions have considerable content of anthocyanin pigments, with at least 25 different compounds identified representing 10% of total flavonoid content. 37 --   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion

It is not surprising that this much-loved food not only adds great flavor to our dishes, but also healthy components.

Planting:

Onions are planted by either seed or “sets” which are tiny baby onion bulbs.   The typical varieties of “bulb” onions – the kind we like to keep on hand with a papery skin, can be grown here in the desert garden.

My practice is to purchase a package of sets in the fall – preferably before October 31^st and start planting them out in successive planting every 2-4 weeks, about 4 inches apart.  I do this so I can pull them as young scallion-type (there is a specific variety that is grown only as scallions – but I like the dual purpose of the bulb type) whenever I need some during the cool months and into spring.  To achieve bulb size the plants need to be in the ground about 7-10 months.

When I harvest for scallions, I pull every 2^nd or 3^rd one, which eventually leaves more room for the bulb to form on the remaining ones.

Once the remaining onions begin to send up a flower head, they can be harvested at any time.  Like Garlic, they need to be hung to dry in the shade until the outer surface gets papery, then you know they will keep for storage.

[In the picture I show the onions in January and then the rest harvested in August.  I chose to chop and dry these in the sun so I now had a jar of chopped dried onions to use as needed all year.]

Onions, yellow, red, white etc. are also divided into “day length” sensitive growing preferences.

From the Oregon Extension Service – this explains what day length means:

The varieties of onions that require a shorter period (11 to 13 hours) of daylight to bulb are termed "short day" onions. Those that require the longest period of daylight (14 hours per day or more) to form bulbs are known as "long day" onions. Those with intermediate requirements (from 13 to 14 hours of light per day to bulb) are called, logically, "intermediate" onions.

Short-day onions include: Yellow Bermuda, White Creole and Eclipse onions (12 hours daylight to begin bulb formation). California Early Red, Ebenezer, Early Strasburg (13 hours).

Long day onions include: Yellow Globe Danvers (14 1/4 hours) Sweet Spanish, Yellow Flat Grant (14.9 hours) and Yellow Rynsburg, Zittan Yellow (16 hours).

Intermediate-day onions include: Early Yellow Globe, Australian Brown, White Portugal and Southport Yellow Globe (13.5 hours) Red Wethersfield, Southport Red Globe, Italian Red and Flat Madiera (14 hours).  -- http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/onion-bulb-formation-strongly-linked-day-length

Here in the desert garden where onions won’t happily grow in our 100 degree summer heat, you want to stay with short-day varieties and you can try intermediate types to see if they work for you.

Short-day anything applies to growing in the cool months in the desert garden because that is what we have – short days.  [Corn is another vegetable that is also classified as short or long day which is why we can plant corn twice – once in the winter and a second crop in the summer.]

Recipes:

There is no dearth of ways to use onions.  Sliced and grilled along side burgers and other meats on the grill is one of my favorite ones.  Like many vegetables, grilling or roasting onions caramelizes the sugars making them taste even better.

One of my other favorite ways to use onions is a dill and onion dip with yogurt (instead of sour cream) with my own dried dill and onions, add a bit of salt and you are ready.  Good tasting and healthier too if you go with a variety of dippers, like vegetables, instead of just chips.  This dip makes a good topping on baked potatoes and if you add a bit of horseradish, good on a steak, roast beef or burger.

Did you know there is a National Onion Association?  Every vegetable has to have a group-support network :-)   They have some good sounding recipes with onions.  https://www.onions-usa.org/recipes

Music:

Suzy Snowflake

Rosemary Clooney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7zOeiPXb58

Mary’s Boy Child

Boney M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7zOeiPXb58

 

 
-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

My books and month-by-month gardening calendar

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25 Days of Herbs and Celebrations - December 21

Dear Folks,


Celebrating the Multicultural festivities of December, I thought I would pick an herb or spice which is referenced in the Bible (land of three of the Major Religions of the world) and used in many cuisines around the entire world, as a way of gathering together all the wealth of diversity around us - in true celebration.

Me with my bay in front of orange tree

Day 21

Herb:  Laurel (Bay Leaf),  Psalm 37:35 “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.”  Isaiah 44:14  “He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.” There are several different translations of these passages some referring to Laurel, Bay,  or luxuriant tree, Cedar, Fir, or even Ash.

Since Bay is native to the Biblical lands, I will focus on Bay for this post.

Celebrations:

Light The Yule Log!

Winter Solstice - The Shortest Day of the Year

Yule - Lighting of The Yule Long to welcome back the sun as the days grow longer.

Pancha Ganapati is a modern five-day Hindu festival celebrated from December 21 through 25 in honor of Lord Ganesha, Patron of Arts and Guardian of Culture.

Dongzhì Festival or Winter Solstice Festival is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the Dongzhi solar term (winter solstice) on or around December 22 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest. The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos.

About The Herb:
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) sometimes called sweet bay or Grecian Laurel, native to the Mediterranean area, is a shrubby tree. Used by the Greeks to honor their Olympic winners in a wreath, the herb is also associated with Apollo and the nymph Daphne.

Planting:

Transplant Bay into a sunny, well draining spot in your garden.  It grows slowly the first couple of years and then really starts to take off.  As a shrub, Bay can be harvested at will once your plant has good size growth on it.  Leaves can be picked as needed or whole branches can be harvested and dried.  Don’t toss the stems, they can also be used to flavor food or used as kabob skewers.

I did grow one of my plants from seed and I do not recommend it.  I planted 13 seeds and one!! came up 8 months later!!  Go with a transplant for happier success.

Recipes:

If Bay reminds you of some of your other favorite herbs such as Basil, Oregano and Marjoram it is because it shares some similar essential oils, cineol and eugenol.

Like many of the highly aromatic herbs, bay has long been used as a digestive aid and to help eliminate gas —bay leaf teas have also been used to treat colic (ask your pediatrician first!!).

CAUTION NOTE: Some recipes call for crumbling the bay leaf —do NOT do this. The leaf is so tough it does not break down in cooking and there have been a few cases where the leaf actual cut the throat or esophagus of the diner. To release flavor, crack the leaf in half or quarters, but leave together if possible. Always remove bay leaves before serving the dish.

There are few long-simmering soups, sauces or stews that will not be enhanced by a couple of Bay Leaves added during the simmering time.

Try substituting Bay for oregano or marjoram.

Store some leaves with your rice or beans in glass jars and pre-flavor them slightly.
Bay leaves discourage pantry pests, leave several exposed on shelves-makes the pantry smell great too!

Make an infusion to use in place of the whole leaf by steeping 4 leaves in cup of just boiled water. The finished color should be deep green.

Music:

Wizards In Winter

Trans Siberian Orchestra

(This musical piece is now a favorite audio for Christmas House Light Displays.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkAhmH40kiM

The Holly & The Ivy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FvE-z8xV1g

 



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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25 Days of Herbs and Celebrations - December 20

Dear Folks,

Celebrating the Multicultural festivities of December, I thought I would pick an herb or spice which is referenced in the Bible (land of three of the Major Religions of the world) and used in many cuisines around the entire world, as a way of gathering together all the wealth of diversity around us - in true celebration.
 

Day 20

Herb:  Nigella, Nigella sp.   Isaiah 28:26, different translations of the Bible refer to Cumin, Black Cumin, or Black Caraway, which of God’s instructions for sowing and reaping.  25. Does he not level its surface And sow dill and scatter cummin And plant wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its area? 26  For his God instructs and teaches him properly. 27 For dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is the cartwheel driven over cummin; But dill is beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a club.

Two plants share the name Black Cumin, Bunium bulbocastanum and Nigella sativa.  For the purposes of this post we will discuss Nigella, aka Love-In-A-Mist.

Nigella --Love-In-A-Mist (also called Black Onion Seed) is an unusual and striking flower, also called Black Onion Seed, and Black Cumin and used in East Indian foods.  The seeds smell like strawberries and taste like pepper, a most interesting spice.

Nigella grows well in our desert gardens, preferring the cooler months, seed in a sunny spot with good drainage.  Let the flower go to full maturity to harvest the seeds for culinary use and later re-sowing.

I have really enjoyed growing this flower, with all of the textural contrasts it is very pretty in the garden.

Prepare Yule Log ready to light tomorrow or Christmas Eve.  To turn night into day in the home/Emblem of the return of the Sun, and the lengthening of the Days.

Recipes:

They're [Nigella seed] also part of the spice mixture called panch phoran, along with fenugreek, mustard, fennel and cumin seeds, common in Bengali dishes. Bread seems to be a cross-cultural use for nigella seeds—aside from naan, it's also used to top flatbreads in Turkey and elsewhere in the Middle East, and in Eastern Europe is sprinkled on Jewish rye bread in place of caraway seeds.  – Smithsonian Mag

Epicurious suggests substituting Nigella for Sesame in baked breads, etc.

Here are a couple of recipes from Epicurious for using Nigella Seeds

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/beets-with-goat-cheese-nigella-seeds-and-pistachios-51260310

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/assorted-cheddar-crisps-236390

Music:

Happy Holiday (From the movie “Holiday Inn” )

Bing Crosby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jzhd0SU8k4

Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time

Paul McCartney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMhMekfIyos

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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25 Days of Herbs and Celebrations - December 19

Dear Folks,

Celebrating the Multicultural festivities of December, I thought I would pick an herb or spice which is referenced in the Bible (land of three of the Major Religions of the world) and used in many cuisines around the entire world, as a way of gathering together all the wealth of diversity around us - in true celebration. 

Day 19

Herb:  Sage - (Salvia sp.) Jeremiah 18:18 – “Then they said, "Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the sage, nor the divine word to the prophet! Come on and let us strike at him with our tongue, and let us give no heed to any of his words."

The word Sage has long been used to denote a wise person.

My Common Garden Sage

2016 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of the Pulses, to celebrate all the great benefits of eating legumes.  See the references for beans in recipes below.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=52505#.VnA0ym7cYr0

The Bible describes the belief, even then, of the health value of eating pulses.

Daniel 1:12 -- "Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink.  13 "Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king's choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see."

During captivity, Daniel shows the benefits of eating only pulses (vegetables etc.) and water, so effective "And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm." -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Fast

Sage, Salvia officinalis, is a member of the prodigious mint family (Lamiaceae formally Labiatae).

[My "Azurea" Blue Sage (above) is not as tasty as the primary culinary sages, but the flower is stunning.]

Sage is one of the herb/spice components of Poultry Seasoning and so identified with Thanksgiving turkey stuffing with onion and celery, in my family it would not be a good tasking stuffing or turkey with out it.

While researching my cookbook some years ago I traced back the use of "sage and onion" to make stuffing in England.  The real origin is not exactly known, but what was discovered was that the cooks found that their Masters and Mistresses digested their fatty meals better when sage was used.  Modern science has shown that as with many herbs which are digestive aids, sage in particularly helps the body digest fatty meats.

From my book "101+ Recipes From The Herb Lady":

Herb Facts:
There are some 900 identified members of the sage (Salvia) family (including the stuffing sage we are all so familiar with) which originated in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor areas of the world, and has been known since the ancient Greek and Roman times. Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) is another member of the immense mint (Lamiaceae) family.
          Sage's antiseptic qualities (Salvia comes from Latin meaning "save") are generally used for mouth and throat ulcers and menopausal sweats (as a tea or gargle). Externally it can be used in an ointment for insect bites.
          The rubbed dried sage you purchase in the spice section is usually a combination of Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis l.) and Greek Sage (Salvia triloba [now known as Salvia fruticosa]).
          The use of sage in our traditional stuffing mixes most likely came from the “sage and onion” stuffing beginning in Elizabethan times.  The cooks discovered their master, mistress & guests digested their food better when the stuffing was used. While all strongly aromatic herbs are digestive aids (at least) sage in particular helps digest fatty meats better.
          One old piece of wisdom notes the mastery of the household by the woman, where sage flourishes.
          Several varieties of the garden sage are not only tasty but also stunning landscaping plants: Purple Sage (Salvia officinalis 'Purpurea'); Tricolor Sage (Salvia officinalis 'Tricolor'); Golden Sage (Salvia Officinalis 'Golden'); and a variety, Berggarten Sage (Salvia officinalis 'Berggarten') which puts more energy into its tasty leaves than the flowers. Try a little wisdom in your garden!

Sage is a perennial in the gardens and is best planted during the cool time of the year in a sunny, well draining spot.  The first year or two it can be slow growing, but can eventually be a huge shrub.  Do not overwater sage.

Recipes:

With 2016 designated the International Year of Pulses, this is an opportunity to match Sage with various beans.

TheKitchn is a great site for recipes and food discussions and this link has suggested herbs for use with various beans.  I would bookmark the link.

Sage is suggested with Cannelli, Fava, Kidney, Lima and Pinto – but really try sage with any bean together with other herbs like thyme and rosemary.

http://www.thekitchn.com/flavor-combinations-beans-herb-75364

Baked Potatoes, Sage And Eggs

From “101+ Recipes From The Herb Lady”

Here is a great recipe to have on hand if you have left over mashed potatoes.

            Incorporate the sage in the potatoes or sprinkle on top of the eggs before baking.

3          cups of mashed potatoes

4          eggs

1          teaspoon dried sage, or 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh sage

1/2       cup spinach, kale or arugula, finely shredded

Salt & pepper to taste

            Preheat oven to 350. Have casserole or other pan ready, spray lightly with Pam if desired. If using leftover mashed potatoes fluff up so they will spread easily. Fold sage into potatoes and spread the potatoes thickly in the center of the oven dish—to about 1 inch thick. Using a small juice glass make 4 depressions in the potatoes. Evenly distribute the shredded greens in the depressions, crack and place an egg on top of each "well." Salt and pepper to taste. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are just set (poached) but not hard. Serve as a breakfast entree or a side dish. Enjoy.

Music:

Do You Hear What I Hear

Bing Crosby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxO3MvfkKp4

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

Frank Sinatra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miHljn_saPY

 



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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25 Days of Herbs and Celebrations - December 18

Dear Folks,

Celebrating the Multicultural festivities of December, I thought I would pick an herb or spice which is referenced in the Bible (land of three of the Major Religions of the world) and used in many cuisines around the entire world, as a way of gathering together all the wealth of diversity around us - in true celebration. 

Day 18

My harvested leeks.

Herb:  Leek, Allium porrum, Number 11:5  "We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic.”

The biblical reference aside, leeks have been recorded as early as 2000 BC.

The leek is one of the national emblems of Wales, worn along with the daffodil (in Welsh, the daffodil is known as "Peter's leek," Cenhinen Bedr) on St. David’s Day. The Welsh leek appeared on the coronation gown of Elizabeth II.  It was designed by Norman Hartnell; when Hartnell asked if he could exchange the leek for the more aesthetically pleasing Welsh daffodil, he was told no.  -- wikipedia

Think of the leek as a scallion on steroids – bigger with strappy leaves.  The leek’s mild onion flavor lends itself well to many dishes where the onion flavor is desired but not as pronounced.

Easily grown from seed, it does take about 100 days from sowing to harvest time, so it is best to seed in every 2-3 weeks through end of February in the desert garden for a supply going into late spring.

My first sowing are usually right at peek (BIG – but can be harvested sooner) just in time for St. Patrick’s day feasting and making colcannon, a mixture of leeks, cabbage and potatoes that is just plain comfort food.

Recipes:

A leaf of the leek, because of its size, is frequently used to contain herb bundles, then tied with string to form a Bouquet Garni for use in soups, stews and sauces.

Colcannon

There are many recipes for this dish, but you can’t make any mistakes really.  Leeks, Potatoes, Cabbage or Kale, salt, pepper, butter and maybe some bacon.

Here is a recipe from Allrecipes

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/15644/colcannon/

My Note:  I frequently shred the cabbage and slice the leek ahead of time and when the potatoes are about half-way cooked I throw the cabbage and leeks in to finish cooking with the potatoes – 1 pot = all cooked and ready to mash or fold together with the butter and seasonings.

1 pound cabbage

1 pound potatoes

2 leeks

1 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 pinch ground mace

1/2 cup butter

Directions

In a large saucepan, boil cabbage until tender; remove and chop or blend well. Set aside and keep warm. Boil potatoes until tender. Remove from heat and drain.

Chop leeks, green parts as well as white, and simmer them in just enough milk to cover, until they are soft.

Season and mash potatoes well. Stir in cooked leeks and milk. Blend in the kale or cabbage and heat until the whole is a pale green fluff. Make a well in the center and pour in the melted butter. Mix well.

Slow Foods Challenge Pizza

I used a Leek in a “Slow Foods Challenge”  4 years ago where the goal was to make a homemade version of a happy meal type food.  I chose to do a toaster-oven high protein/high fiber pizza with tortillas.  Check it out!

http://edibleherbsandflowers.blogspot.com/2011/09/slow-food-challenge-meal-version-2.html

Music:

Up on the House Top

Gene Autry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm7t6jl7qY0

 

Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)

Luciano Pavarotti

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbV3CrQ6Sa0

Here is Bing Crosby singing in English and Latin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xDm643Yjrw

Note:  I grew up singing in Latin and the Christmas hymns sung in Latin remind me so much of those beautiful songs, although I don’t remember all the Latin lyrics.

 



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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25 Days of Herbs and Celebrations - December 17

Dear Folks,


Celebrating the Multicultural festivities of December, I thought I would pick an herb or spice which is referenced in the Bible (land of three of the Major Religions of the world) and used in many cuisines around the entire world, as a way of gathering together all the wealth of diversity around us - in true celebration.

Day 17

Herb:  Garlic (Allium sativum) Numbers 11:5 “"We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic,”

Garlic, elephant garlic bulbettes and elephant garlic

Both regular garlic (Allium sativum) and elephant garlic (Allium empeloprasum) are members of the onion family.  Elephant garlic is not actually a "garlic" but rather a Leek on Steroids, and has a milder (some think too mild) garlic flavor.  You can't see the leaves in the picture, but they are 'strappy' like leek and could be used to flavor foods.  In fact, even the stalk and leaves of either plant, which are generally disposed of after harvest, can be used to flavor soup, stews, and broths.

Other “named” garlics are Garlic Chives, aka Asian or Chinese Chives, Allium tuberosum, and Society Garlic, Tulbaghia violacea.  Garlic Chives like onion chives are grown for their leaves and flowers to be used in cooking and has a milder garlic flavor.  Society Garlic is a totally different plant family and is grown for its beautiful orchid like flowers and leaves in cooking.  Society Garlic is said to have the Anti-Garlic affect on your breath.

End of my harvest after "curing."

Garlic is best known for its edible cloves contained in a ‘head’ which have from 6/8 and up to 14 cloves depending on the variety grown.

Garlic has long been known for its health benefits dating back to 2000 BC and Galen eulogized it as the "rustic's theriac" (cure-all) – wikipedia

Garlic has antimicrobial properties and has been suggested for use, and researched in issues like cholesterol, cardiac, cancer and the common cold.

And it makes many foods taste wonderful, which is why the ancient Jews lamented the lack of them in their food!

Planting:

We plant garlic October 1-31^st in the desert garden do ensure enough winter chill to form the heads in April.

But a lesser known type of growth is ‘green garlic’ where the young plant is pulled, similar to an onion scallion and the whole bulb and green tops are used to provide a mild garlic flavor in cooking.

In the desert garden you can plant the cloves now through mid-February, every 2-3 weeks, to provide a continuous crop of Green Garlic to your kitchen.

Recipes:

Herbed Butter

     Herbed butters, so called "compound butters" because they mix herbs and spices with butter and occasionally oil, are an excellent way to add flavor to your holiday cooking.
     All fresh herb butters should be refrigerated and used within 5-7 days.  Can be frozen as a log and sliced and used when needed.

1 stick of softened butter
1 teaspoon of chopped Garlic
1 teaspoon of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of chopped celery leaves
     Blend well. Spread mixture in a long "tube" on wax paper, roll and store in the refrigerator.  Cut slices for use.
     Uses: use in mashed potatoes or on top of baked potatoes, top steamed vegetables, herb toasted bread, slide chilled slices under the skin of poultry, place a small pat on just grilled steak, or place a small slice in center of crescent roll dough before rolling up and baking.
     A Better Butter can be made my blending (your blender will work better with this than a food processor) equal parts of olive or avocado oil and softened butter, to which the herbs can be added.  This creates a sweeter, spreadable butter mixture.

Roasting Whole Garlic Heads

Most Preferred: Slice off the tippy top of the garlic head to expose just a small part of each clove. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the cut top.
1) Roast on the grill on indirect heat for approximately 40-45 minutes - squeeze to test (don't burn yourself!) - it should feel softened.
2) Oven: at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Second Most Preferred: Separate the clove from the head and do NOT not peel. Toss in along side of any roast you are cooking, or place in a single layer in a pan and oven back at 400 degrees for approximately 25 minutes - squeeze to see if they have softened.

Roasting garlic mellows the flavor, bringing an incredible nutty taste to it. Squeezing the pulp from the skins is the easiest way to express the roasted garlic out. Add to mashed potatoes, spread on toasted bread with or without added tomatoes, basil and cheese, add to salad dressing and sauces.

Freeze in air tight container for long term storage. Refrigerate and use within a week for short term keeping.

 

Music:

Mistletoe and Holly

Frank Sinatra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WFsr4gRlow

 

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Bruce Springsteen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYIVYxZOWwo

 




-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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25 Days of Herbs and Celebrations - December 16

Dear Folks,


Celebrating the Multicultural festivities of December, I thought I would pick an herb or spice which is referenced in the Bible (land of three of the Major Religions of the world) and used in many cuisines around the entire world, as a way of gathering together all the wealth of diversity around us - in true celebration.

My Syrian Oregano in July - with Bee!

Day 16

Herb:  Hyssop – of the Bible is generally recognized as Syrian Oregano Origanum syriacumaka Origanum maru, is native to the lands of the bible.  Leviticus 14:52 "He shall thus cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the running water, along with the live bird and with the cedar wood and with the hyssop and with the scarlet string. 53 "However, he shall let the live bird go free outside the city into the open field. So he shall make atonement for the house, and it will be clean."

Syrian Oregano is a superior culinary herb and can be used in place of Greek Oregano Origanum vulgare.  Where Greek Oregano has a distinctive “bite” the Syrian is slightly sweeter, still having all of the culinary and medicinal properties of oregano.

If you have enjoyed the authentic Middle Eastern spice blend Za’atar, then you have tasted Syrian Oregano, known as “Za’atar in that region.  The blend is a combination of ground sesame seeds, sumac berries (a specific plant -- Rhus coriaria -- known as the “lemonade tree” for the tangy flavor of the ripe berries – not to be confused with poison sumac) and Syrian Oregano, and is the “go-to” blend for seasoning many dishes.  Many Za’atar blends substitute some form of Thyme for the Syrian Oregano.

Planting:

Baker Creek sells the seeds and they germinate easily in our desert gardens. The herb can get really happy in the garden if planted in full sun, well draining soil, giving you years of harvest potential.  http://www.rareseeds.com/oregano-wild-zaatar/

Craft Project:

Yule Log!  The Yule Log is an old tradition used by both pagans and Christians for different celebrations.  It is a fun project for the family to create for use in your fireplace (do check on burn restrictions because of air quality), firepit or chiminea.

Gather ingredients for a Yule Log.  The Log can be lite on December 20th/ 21st (celebrating the Solstice) or December 24th (Celebrating Christmas Eve) or both.  It can be used as a centerpiece and/OR you can burn it - to burn it the herbs etc. must be perfectly dry or it will smoke.

My 'yule log' "recipe" - this is a fun project using all edible herbs and spices for decoration and aroma. You can make the log exactly as described or use your own special herbs, edible plants, fruits and flowers - just be sure if you are going to actually burn it (it makes a lovely centerpiece) that all components are perfectly dry before lighting or it will smoke.  Pictured are the ingredients I chose from my garden, some wrapping paper, paper ribbon, some of the last of my Roselles, lavender, myrtle, rosemary, orand and grapefruit peeo, and bay leaf, I also gathered some cloves to tuck in here and there and elmer's glue.  I am so not creative, but I think this turned out nice.  It will dry nicely and be ready to light in a week or so.

YULE LOG
--1 piece of log wood with bark, cut to fit your fireplace, chiminea or fire pit (the knurlier the better) - use hardwood for fireplace or concrete/metal fire pit; use softwood for chiminea (this is important hardwood will get so hot it can crack your terra cotta chiminea).
--Peel of 2 oranges, cut in strips, small pieces or spirals
--Elmer's (or other white) glue (not cement, hot glue or like – will create toxic fumes)
--Sprigs of rosemary, lavender, oregano, thyme, sage or any aromatic herb
--Any combination of whole spices:  allspice, star anise, cloves, cinnamon sticks
--1 Bow (or you can arrange orange peel in the form of a bow before drying) you can use strips of Christmas paper to make a bow or bows.  The paper ribbon which can be twisted using a sharp blade are pretty also.

     Glue herb sprigs decoratively all over top and sides of log.  Arrange and glue orange peel in amongst the herbs.  Fill in with whole spices.  Add bow.

       If the bow is not made of paper or orange peel, remove before lighting.

       Legend says the longer the log burns the longer your good luck for the new year. 

      For Christians, traditionally lite on Christmas Eve, this is so fragrant and pretty you may wish to make several and use during our winter months for special celebrations.

Music:

White Christmas

Bing Crosby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJSUT8Inl14

Oh Christmas Tree (from the Perspective of the Cat)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFFex_zAevM

. . .

Garden more successfully in the Desert with my month-by-month planting calendar.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady
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