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June 2008
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a lovely purple flowering plant in the mint family that grows abundantly around the Mediterranean - but the Provence is where lavender truly calls home.
The French chefs in Provence appreciate lavender's slightly sweet, lemony and delicate floral flavor and have been using it in their sophisticated cuisine for hundreds of years.
Lemongrass is a reedy, perennial grass that grows year-round in mild climates. It is frequently used in many Asian cuisines, most notably those of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
As the name implies, lemongrass has a mild and fragrant lemony flavor. This comes from a component called citral that makes up a good portion of the plant's oils.
Citral is also found in the oil of regular lemons, and lemon zest or juice can be used as substitute, but the unique aroma and subtle flavor that makes lemongrass so special will be lost.
Perhaps when you run across a recipe that calls for clarified butter you either choose to ignore the "clarified" part because you're pressed for time, or maybe you just pass the recipe by.
There's really no need to do either - clarifying butter is easy and can be done ahead of time and either frozen or refrigerated until you need it.
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a perennial plant native to Eastern Europe but now abundant in the U.S. Horseradish is one of the five bitter herbs of Passover, but it is mainly cultivated for its strong and spicy root. Horseradish is also a member of the family that includes cabbage, mustard and wasabi.
Fresh horseradish has practically no smell, but as soon as it is grated, it releases a pungent and spicy aroma. Grated horseradish is then added to vinegar to preserve its flavor.
Prepared horseradish is used in the U.S. in sauces to accompany meat, cocktail sauce and Bloody Mary drinks.
Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a Mediterranean-native evergreen shrub otherwise known as garden sage, Dalmatian sage or kitchen sage. Sage is also a member of the mint family.
Fresh sage leaves are slightly "fuzzy" with a smoky aroma. Sage leaves come whole, dried, ground or rubbed.
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a green biennial herb native to Iran and commonly used in Middle Eastern, European and American cuisines alike. In fact, parsley may very well be the most popular herb in cooks' pantries around the world.
Like cilantro, parsley is used for its mildly flavored leaves. The two culinary varieties of parsley are Italian (aka flat leaf parsley) and curly leaf parsley.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an evergreen-like perennial herb from the Mediterranean; it is also a member of the mint family. Rosemary is an incredibly fragrant herb used in traditional Mediterranean cuisine.
Rosemary is often paired with garlic and thyme for game dishes, vegetables, potatoes, marinades - virtually anything can be enhanced with the slightly piney flavor of rosemary.
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