-----
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,alt.folklore.herbs,rec.food.preserving
Subject: Culinary herb FAQ (v.1.00) Part 1/2
Organization: ...  ei meill' oo...
Followup-To: rec.gardens
Reply-To: HeK@hetta.pp.fi
Expires: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 00:00:00 GMT
Summary: What you have always wanted to know (and ask on a 
         newsgroup) about culinary herbs

Archive-name: culinary-herbs/part1
SunSITE-archive-name: culinary-herbs.faq.part1.v1.00
Posting-Frequency: has yet to be decided
Last-modified: 1995/07/28
Version: 1.00

A culinary herb FAQ / Resource list for the rec.gardens newsgroup. 
Should be available by ftp or www shortly.  ;)
I'll post the where-to-go-get-it -thingy later.

Keeper:
  Henriette Kress (HeK@hetta.pp.fi)
Very active contributors so far:
  How do you get listed here? Easy. Give me some good input on any 
     missing item ('wishlist'), or a valuable correction on any entry, 
     or a valuable addition on any entry.  ;)  All good stuff is 
     welcome.
  Gwen Baker <Baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
  Judith Rogow <jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us>
  Karen Fletcher <fletcher@firefly.prairienet.org>
  Michael Rooney <mrooney@mrooney.pn.com>
  Leslie Basel <lebasil@ag.arizona.edu>
Others:
  Amy Smith <aks3@cornell.edu>
  Amy Snell <asnell@interaccess.com>
  Bess Haile <bhaile@leo.vsla.edu>
  Carole Henson <carole@chenson.demon.co.uk>
  Dan Baldwin <baldwin@frodo.colorado.edu>
  David & Paula Oliver <doliver@minerva.polaristel.net>
  Diana Politika <diana.politika@tenforward.com>
  Donna Beach <phuyett@cctr.umkc.edu>
  DonW1948@aol.com
  Elizabeth Platt <eaplatt@worm.hooked.net>
  James Michael Kocher <jk1n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
  Jason Wade Rupe <jwr3150@tam2000.tamu.edu>
  Jeffrey Clayton <clayton2@ix.netcom.com> (Barb.)
  Jennifer Norris <norrisj@boalt.berkeley.edu>
  jnilsen@minerva.cis.yale.edu
  Joep@reol.com
  Josh Bogin <bogin@is2.nyu.edu>
  Kathy French <french@jeeves.ucsd.edu>
  Kaycee Curr <kcurr@cyberspace.com>
  Kenneth Nilsson <kenneth@dicom.se>
  kpmglib@netcom.com
  Leslie Paul Davies <lpdavies@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us>
  Libby Goldstein <libby@igc.apc.org>
  Mandy Haggith <hag@aisb.ed.ac.uk>
  Mark David Morrison <mmorriso@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>
  Mel Atchley <melatchley@aol.com>
  Michelle Marie Manke <mmm@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu>
  Mike Stallcup <michael.stallcup@mercury.msfc.nasa.gov>
  Nancy Moote <nancy_moote@sunshine.net>
  Peter Mortimer <ag500@ccn.cs.dal.ca>
  rgyure@aol.com
  Rick Giese <southsky@maui.net>
  Rita Melnick <melnick@stsci.edu>
  Robert G. Nold <rnold@sanewssa.mnet.uswest.com>
  Rudy Taraschi <rudy@cae.ca>
  Sarah G. <rscw081@uacsc1.albany.edu>
  Sheri McRae <sherae@zeta.org.au>
  skifast123@aol.com
  sonny hays-eberts <eberts@donald.uoregon.edu>
  Steve Cogorno <cogorno@netcom.com>
  Susan D. Hill <Anahita@aol.com>
  Susan Hattie Steinsapir <hattie@netcom.com>
  Susan Nielsen <snielsen@ednet1.osl.or.gov>/ 
        <gz885@cleveland.Freenet.Edu>
  Suzanne M. Engels <engels@wibla.mv.att.com>
  Tom Havey <thavey@boi.hp.com>
  vshafer216@aol.com
  wayne chase <chaseway@nbnet.nb.ca>
  Wendi L Gardner <wlgardne@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>

==========
CONTENTS
1  Introduction
  1.1  Wishlist
2  Herbs: gardening / harvesting / using them
  2.x  This is the structure of the herb entries:
    2.x.1  Growing ___
    2 x 2  Harvesting ___
    2.x.3  Using / preserving ___
    2.x.4  Which ___ do you have?
       And these are the herbs so far:
  2.1  Basil - including pesto recipes...
  2.2  Curry plant / Curry leaf
  2.3  Sage
  2.4  Chives
  2.5  Saffron
  2.6  Zucchini flowers
  2.7  Chamomile
  2.8  Coriander/Cilantro
  2.9  The mints
  2.10 Feverfew
  2.11 Tarragon
  2.12 Nasturtiums
  2.13 Dill
  2.14 Rosemary
  2.15 Lavender
  2.16 Lemon balm
  2.17 Garlic
  2.18 Thyme
3  Gardening
  3.1  Herbs for ground cover (Nothing yet)
  3.2  Herbs you can't get rid of (= easy gardening) (Nothing yet)
  3.3  Tall herbs (Nothing yet)
  3.4  Herbs for shade
4  Processing herbs
  4.1  Herb vinegars
  4.2  Herb oil
  4.3  Drying your herbs
  4.4  Freezing your herbs - including pesto...
  4.5  Fresh or dry? (Nothing yet)
  4.6  Jelly, syrup and other sweet stuff
    4.6.1  Flower / herb jelly
    4.6.2  Syrup
  4.7  Potpourris and other uses for dried herbs / flowers
    4.7.1  Stovetop potpourri
    4.7.2  Dry potpourri
    4.7.3  Drying flowers whole for potpourri
  4.8  Alcoholic beverages
    4.8.1  Wine
5  Sites to see
  5.1  FTP sites (Nothing yet)
  5.2  WWW pages (Nothing yet)

==========
1  Introduction
-----
Hi all,
here's the new culinary/gardening herbfaq, with nothing much taken from 
  the previous herbfaq (by Judith Ann Reed, latest update 10/14/93...) 
  except perhaps the herb gardening IDEAS...
Now, everybody, just swamp me with suggestions, please, I'd like some 
  feedback.  (you can post to the newsgroup just as well... I do try to 
  keep up on rec.gardens, too). HeK@hetta.pp.fi

==========
1.1  Wishlist
-----
Ever seen a FAQ without one? Here's what's missing:

Single herbs
2.1.4  Different kinds of basil
2.2.1  Growing curry plant / curry leaf
2.2.2  Harvesting curry plant / curry leaf
2.2.3  Using / preserving curry plant / curry leaf
2.3.1  Growing sage
2.3.2  Harvesting sage
2.3.4  Which sage do you have? Needing a neat writeup on these.
2.4.1  Growing chives
2.4.2  Harvesting chives
2.4.3  Using / preserving chives, additions, please.
2.5.3  Using / preserving saffron
2.6.1  Growing zucchini flowers ;)
2.6.2  Harvesting zucchini flowers
2.6.4  either Which zucchini do you have ;) or a post stating there is
       only one true zucchini, or a post stating you can also use 
       cucumber / melon / whatever flowers like you can zucchini.
2.7.1  Growing chamomile
2.7.2  Harvesting chamomile
2.7.3  More uses for chamomile needed
2.7.4  A full writeup on all the chamomiles there are, please
2.8.4  Which cilantro / coriander do you have? -just a post stating 
       they are the same, or if you know more about them, then more
2.9.1  More on growing mints.
2.9.4  A full writeup on the different kinds of mint, including monarda 
       / beebalm (or a hint to it) and others of like use. Of course 
       also mentioning that pennyroyal isn't good for your health...
2.10.2 Harvesting feverfew
2.10.3 Using / preserving feverfew
2.10.4 Which kinds of feverfew are there?
2.11.1 More on growing tarragon
2.11.2 Harvesting tarragon
2.11.3 More uses / preserving tricks for tarragon - vinegar, anyone?
2.11.4 More on different tarragon substitutes
2.12.1 Growing nasturtium
2.12.2 Harvesting the stuff
2.12.3  - taken, partly - More uses - caper recipe, anyone? flowers?
2.12.4 And a writeup on the nasturtiums.
2.13.3 More uses for dill, please.
2.13.4 Need someone to write on different kinds of dill.
2.15   All you have ever wanted to write about lavender.
2.16   Lemon balm, all except how to make the tea.
2.17   Garlic please?
2.18   And some thyme.
2.xx   Any other herb you wish to write extensively on
Gardening:
3.1  Herbs for ground cover
3.2  Herbs you can't get rid of
3.3  Tall herbs
3.x  anything else on herb gardening you might think of
Processing herbs
4.5  Fresh or dry?
4.x  Any other way to process herbs you might think of
5    - taken - And any good FTP or WWW sites

End of wishlist. If you decide to add something tell me - I'll keep 
  track of who promises to do what so we won't have doubles.

==========
2  Herbs: growing, harvesting, using/preserving, and checking which 
          you've really got
-----
This is the main spot for information. Check this before posting yet
another question on curry plant... on the other hand every time 
somebody asks for uses for mints some new ones pop up so keep asking 
for those.   ;)

==========
2.1  Basil
=====
2.1.1  Growing basil
-----
From: engels@wibla.mv.att.com (engels s.m.):
Basil loves the sun and hates the cold & wind.  If it drops below 50 
  degrees at night, the leaves will yellow.  When it warms up the new 
  growth will be green.  If it doesn't get enough sun and stays in 
  damp soil too long, it will eventually die.  The wind will bruise 
  the leaves.  So will rough handling.  Again, the new growth will be 
  fine.
Very important to harden basil plants. Transplant shock may kill them.  
  Set the pots outside for 3-5 days (watch the night temps) before 
  transplanting.
I use compost and occasionally organic fertilizer.  Never had any bug 
  problems.  A few catepillars and rabbits, but there was plenty for 
  everyone in my patch.

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney), in response to above:
I believe it is better to not transplant basil, i.e., it is better to 
  put seeds in the ground where you want it, when it is warm enough for 
  them to grow.  They will quickly outstrip the transplants however 
  carefully they have been grown and hardened.
Yes, they do tend not to attract many bugs which is a surprise given 
  their good taste.

From: Michael Rooney <mrooney@mrooney.pn.com>
>Basil eaten to skeleton; more eaten each morning, no bugs evident:
There is a caterpillar that seems often to like basil that lives under 
  the surface of the earth during the day.  Gently disturb the top 
  quarter or half inch of dirt in a circle around the plant going out 
  about four inches or so and look for a dark gray circle about half to 
  three quarters of an inch in diameter that usually stays that way and 
  sometimes opens up to get away (depending on how deep a sleep it is 
  in I guess :-)).  If you find it, squash it and hope.  The only other 
  predator I can see that would do what you have is a lot of slugs so 
  you would likely see them anyway.  They can be taken care of by all 
  the standard beer, diatomaceous earth, etc. methods in addition to 
  hand picking.
There are few joys as great as finding one of those blasted 
  caterpillars in the ground after they have been eating your food, let 
  me tell you.

From: bogin@is2.nyu.edu (Josh Bogin)
>Basil drooping in the evening sun:
Probably this is due to not enough water **and or possibly resulting 
  from** not enough room for the plants.  If the plants are root-bound 
  it really will hardly matter how much you are watering them, since 
  the pot would presumably be too small to hold much water, the plant 
  would keep drying out, and also the roots probably get no nutrients.  
  Give them some plant food, and think about finding them more room, 
  if this is the problem.

From: carole@chenson.demon.co.uk (Carole Henson)
I am addicted to basil, really love it, even the smell is wonderful. I 
  have 10 basil plants in my greenhouse at the moment, and two in the 
  kitchen for chucking into salad etc.  You only need a couple of 
  large handfuls of leaves for a jar of pesto, so a couple of plants 
  would do it.  If you sow a few seeds at 2 weekly intervals, you 
  should have a constant supply.

-----
From: southsky@maui.net (Rick Giese):
>I have been growing basil from seed effortlessly here in central 
  pennsylvania for years, but this year it simply didn't come up.  It 
  has been three weeks since I put the seed in, and the only factor I 
  can identify is that it has been an extremely WET three weeks. 

Basil seeds will not germinate when they are constantly wet.  I started 
  mine in flats protected from the winter rains here on Maui.  Once 
  transplanted to the field, they did fine.

=====
2.1.2  Harvesting basil

-----  on rec.gardens June 1995:
From: engels@wibla.mv.att.com (engels s.m.):
You can harvest basil leaves as soon as the plant has 3 sets of leaves.
  Keep the plants branches shorter than 4 sets of leaves and you will 
  increase leaf production. Once it flowers, production drops.  I've 
  found the taste stronger befor flowering.

From: Mark David Morrison <mmorriso@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>
Basil leaf harvesting: pick all that you think that you will need for 
  the recipe that you are preparing. If you have a lot of basil and are 
  freezing basil for winter then just pick the big leaves. I use a lot 
  of basil and pick leaves from the plant almost daily. If they are 
  small or big leaves does not matter... the plant is the hardiest 
  beast in my gardens. I think it may be of alien origin. 
Pinching back basil:  Always pinch off and use those tops. The leaves 
  will really bush out on your basil when you do.

=====
2.1.3  Using / preserving basil

----- pesto recipes
From: jnilsen@minerva.cis.yale.edu (jnilsen)
  1   cup fresh Basil leaves, tightly packed
  2-3 cloves garlic
  1/4 cup frshly grated Parmesan cheese
  1/4 cup pine nuts
  1/4 cup olive oil
Process (or finely chop and mix) all but oil.  Slowly add oil.  Use.

From: phuyett@cctr.umkc.edu (Donna Beach)
I never really follow a recipe when I make pesto. I usually put 4-6 
  cloves of garlic in the food processor with 1/4 cup of olive oil and 
  a couple of tablespoons of herb vinegar and then chop the garlic. 
  Then I add at least 3-4 cups packed fresh sweet basil leaves and 3-4 
  tablespoons of ground almonds. Some people use ground pine nuts. And 
  1/4 cup or more of grated parmesan cheese (I like it fresh best). All 
  this gets processed till the basil is chopped fine.
I have seen this basic pest recipe to include one-to-several peeled 
  tomatoes--which is a great way to use up an abundance of tomatoes 
  from your garden.
Later in the year when there's not as much sweet basil, you can put 
  parsely into the mix. I have even seen a winter "pesto" made with 
  fresh sage, but to me, it's not pesto without fresh sweet basil, with 
  or without the tomatoes.

-----
> I would like to hear from others about alternatives for using pesto 
  or fresh sweet basil.

From: wlgardne@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Wendi L Gardner)
I grow lots of basil and make tons of pesto.  what to do with all of 
  that pesto?  yes pasta, yes bread, but other fun things to do with 
  pesto...
(1) smash it into cream cheese (the ratio of pesto to cream cheese that 
  I prefer is 1:3, but you can go more or less, obviously.)  add 
  garlic, some plumped (blanched) sun dried tomatoes, whatever else you 
  fancy - yum!
(2) toss pesto with white beans and vidalia onions, serve this 
  concoction hot on a bed of fresh spinach.
(3) mix pesto with vegetable broth, toss in whatever veggies you have 
  in the fridge and some macaroni, (i like broccoli, carrots, 
  cauliflower, and rotini for this) and you have soup.
(4) find the juiciest beefsteak tomato you can...slice in half, slather 
  with pesto, broil till bubbly.  messy, but with a good quality 
  tomato--- more than worth the mess!
(5) fill mushroom caps with pesto plus a cheese (the pesto cream cheese 
  mixture in #1 is good for this) sprinkle with bread crumbs and broil.

From: jwr3150@tam2000.tamu.edu (Jason Wade Rupe)
I bake it right into bread sometimes.
I like a stir fry of basil and whatever with a basic simple sauce on 
  rice. 
Try using it fresh as a pizza topping.

From: mmm@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu (Michelle Marie Manke)
Make pizza with a layer of pesto on the crust, then mozarella cheese, 
  then dotted with feta. Try using reduced-fat mozarella, and 
  scattering black olives & fresh tomatoes on top!

From: rscw081@uacsc1.albany.edu (Sarah G.)
Pesto and potatoes: On baked potatoes, swirled into mashed potatoes, 
  mixed into homefried potatoes, used as a dipping sauce for french 
  fries
Make soup and swirl a spoonful into each bowl before serving.
Blend the pesto with vinegar and oil, or your favorite vinaigrette, and 
  use as salad dressing
Make into soup... sautee some veggies, add broth and pesto, and simmer 
  for pesto soup.
Thin it and use as a marinade for tofu, potatoes and veggies, then 
  grill.
Use it for garlic bread filling (or is that what you meant?)  Or you 
  could use it to smear over homemade bread before it comes out of the 
  oven as a glaze
Sliced ripe tomatoes layered on a plate with pesto, and fresh 
  waterpacked mozzerella.
It's easy to make a dairy free pesto.  Instead of using cheese, either 
  use a mild flavored miso paste or SoyMage pretend grated cheese, 
  which is completely vegan (no casein).  I usually just leave the 
  cheese out altogether, letting the flavor of the basil, garlic, olive 
  oil and nuts show through.

From: cogorno@netcom.com (Steve Cogorno)
Take GOOD quality tomatoes, preferably ones you've grown yourself :-) 
  and slice them.  Top with fresh mozzarella whole basil leaves.  A 
  little expensive because of the cheese, but it makes a very colorful 
  and tasty appetizer!

From: norrisj@boalt.berkeley.edu (Jennifer Norris)
I make a potato salad with it.  Instead of the usual mayonaisse, I add 
  pesto.  Besides potatoes, I add fresh snap peas, green onions, and if 
  I want to make it a really substantial meal, black beans.  Gets rave 
  revues....

----- 
From: Kathy French <french@jeeves.ucsd.edu>
If your basil plants aren't producing fast enough to give you a cup or 
  two of leaves at a time, you can pinch off stems and keep them with 
  the ends of the stems in clean water (change it every few days) at 
  room temperature for several days.  Freezing the leaves doesn't work 
  so well, because it will make them mushy when they thaw, and it 
  reduces their flavor as well.  
You can also preserve basil by washing it carefully, drying it 
  thoroughly, packing it in good olive oil, and keeping it in the 
  refrigerator.  Then you can use the leaves plus oil to make pesto 
  fresh when you want it by adding garlic, cheese, and pine nuts.  
  I've tried this method and it works well, although the basil turns 
  somewhat dark in the process.

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
You can also make basil pesto and freeze it in cubes or patties and 
  save it for the winter when you have nothing fresh to use.

==========
2.2  Curry plant (Helichrysum angustifolium) / Curry leaf (Murraya
     Koenigii)
=====
2.2.4  Which curry plant / curry leaf do you have?

----- on rec.gardens June 1995:
From: kpmglib@netcom.com (Information Services)
The "Curry Plant" is an herb, Helichrysum angustifolium, from the 
  family Compositae.  I believe it came from Africa or Australia, so 
  it's tropical, and probably perennial; although in North Texas you 
  may need to grow it as an annual or in a container (probably not 
  frost-hardy). The name "curry plant" originated from this herb's 
  pungent smell, which is reminiscent of some curries or curry 
  powders; however it is not used in curry.  I believe that it is 
  widely cultivated in the U.K., and is used there mostly in salads, 
  or mixed with cream-cheese.
There actually is a plant that produces what is known as the "curry 
  leaf", and which *is* used in the preparation of some curries (much 
  the same way as bay leaf is used).  The leaves of this plant, a 
  woody tree from the Asian sub-continent called Murraya Koenigii, 
  also have a strong curry-like smell, and can be purchased dried at 
  most asian markets.  The tree itself has only recently been 
  cultivated commercially in this country, and is carried by only a 
  very few nurseries.  It is still considered an exotic, and commands 
  a premium price.

==========
2.3  Sage
=====
2.3.3  Using / preserving sage
-----
> I have a very healthy sage plant in my garden but I don't know what 
  to use the herb for, except of course for stuffing a chicken.

From: engels@wibla.mv.att.com (engels s.m.):
Stuff a few leaves into the cavity of a trout. Tie with string, baste 
  with a little oil and grill.  Use only 1 or 2 leaves per fish 
  otherwise the sage will overpower the fish.
Chop fine, lightly saute in olive oil with minced garlic.  Add a little 
  chopped parsley & toss with spaghetti or other pasta.  Serve as a 
  side dish to grilled chicken, fish or meat.
Toss a few sage leaves with quartered onion and flattened garlics into 
  clay pot chicken.

From: Michael Rooney <mrooney@mrooney.pn.com>:
We use sage for stuffing turkeys in addition to chickens, if you have 
  turkeys in the UK.  We also use it in foccacio... ...Sage pesto is 
  another way to use large quantity of sage and it can be frozen to be 
  used in the winter.  You might use walnuts or pecans instead of the 
  traditional pignoli nuts in pesto as sage is stronger than basil.  
  It goes well with pork or chicken.  You can also roast eggplant and 
  sweet red pepper and food process them together with sage for a nice 
  dip to be used with homemade french bread.

From: ag500@ccn.cs.dal.ca (Peter Mortimer):
It also makes a great addition to just about any green salad, either 
  tossed in as whole leaves or cut up in small pieces.

From: rgyure@aol.com (RGyure):
I discovered last summer that garden sage makes a beautiful and 
  fragrant addition to fresh cut flower bouquets I bring in from the 
  garden. I grow more than I can use in cooking (who uses that much 
  sage?)-- and the pale green, white-frosted somewhat sparkly leaves 
  make delightful foliage for cutting-- and are long-lasting.

From: vshafer216@aol.com (VShafer216):
I recently tried a really good recipe that uses fried sage--it tastes 
  great.  Broil chicken thighs (marinate first).  When done, fry 
  several leaves of sage in butter; this takes less than a minute.  
  Grate cheese on top of the chicken thighs. Spoon some of the hot 
  butter over the chicken (this melts the cheese) and put one or two 
  sage leaves on top of each piece of chicken.  Fried sage tastes good 
  even without the chicken.

From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
Dried and added to a fire at Thanksgiving or Christmas, it adds a nice 
  Holiday scent to the house.

From: Leslie Basel <lebasil@ag.Arizona.EDU>
Sage jelly is just terrific with game, lamb, even a Christmas goose.  
  The recipe is just the same as any other herb jelly (and it requires 
  quite a bit of culinary sage). (jelly recipe 4.6.1 below).

From: melatchley@aol.com (MelAtchley)
Decorative:  Leaves in wreaths and nosegays.
Culinary:  Flower in salads or infuse for a light balsamic tea. Leaves 
  can be mixed with onion for poultry stuffing.  Cook with rich, fatty 
  meats such as pork, duck and sausage.  Combine with other strong 
  flavors:  wrap around tender liver and saute in butter; blend into 
  cheeses.  Make sage vinegar and sage butter. 
Household:  Dried leaves in linent to discourage insects.
Medicinal:  Leaves aids in digestion and is antiseptic, antifungal and 
  contains estrogen.  Helps to combat diarrhea.  An infusion of sage 
  leaves and a meal can help digestion.

From: baldwin@frodo.colorado.edu (Dan  Baldwin)
I had sage mashed potatoes as a side dish at a five star restaurant 
  last week--they were really good ! There were flecks of sage 
  scattered all through the potatoes--Cant wait to try it myself.

-----
From: engels@wibla.mv.att.com (engels s.m.):
Sage dries very nicely and looks pretty.  Bundle 8-10 sprigs, tie, hang
  to dry and put a red bow on it at Xmas.  Use as a decoration for 
  wrapped gifts or give as an small culinary gift.

=====
2.3.4  Which sage do you have?
-----
There are a few other plants that are called Sage and that taste very 
bitter. If your sage is called Artemisia in latin forget the cooking 
part. If it is Salvia try a leave or two and if the taste is OK just go 
on and use it.

==========
2.4  Chives
=====
2.4.3  Using / preserving chives
----- 
From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
Chive Vinegar
When your chives (esp. garlic chives, yummmmmy) are in bloom take four 
  or five of the prettiest stalks w/heads and put them in a clear jar, 
  cover w/white vinegar, cover, and stand in a dark cupboard for about 
  a week. You will have pinkish vinegar w/a heavenly flavour. 
DO, however, watch out that the stalks do not have ants!

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
It is also possible to make chive pesto.

From: DonW1948@aol.com
Pesto (Sorrel-Chive Herb Paste)
  1 c  Sorrel
  4 tb Shallots; finely minced
  4 tb Pine nuts; ground
  3 tb Parsley; chopped
  3 tb Chives; chopped
       Grated peel of 4 oranges
1/4    Onions, red; chopped
  1 tb Mustard, dry
  1 ts Salt
  1 ts Pepper, black
  1 pn Pepper, cayenne
3/4 c  Oil. olive
Wash the sorrel and dry it well, by hand or in a salad spinner. Chop 
  the sorrel coarsely, and again squeeze away any liquid.  Blend the 
  sorrel, shallots, pine nuts, parsley, chives, orange peel and onion 
  in a food processor or blender.  (If using a blender, make sure these  
  ingredients are already finely chopped.)  Add dry mustard, salt, 
  pepper and cayenne, and mix again. SLOWLY drizzle in the oil while 
  the blade is moving. Transfer to tempered glass jars and store in 
  refrigerator (for up to 8 to 10 weeks) or in the freezer for up to a 
  year.
NOTES:  Sorrel's peak season is summer, although you can find hothouse 
  sorrel year round in some stores.  You may reduce the amount of 
  orange peel by 1/4 or 1/2 if you'd like to emphasize the sorrel or 
  other flavors. Walnuts or almonds may be substituted for the pine 
  nuts.

==========
2.5  Saffron
=====
2.5.1  Growing saffron
-----
From: rnold@sanewssa.mnet.uswest.com (Robert G. Nold)
Crocus sativus comes up and blooms without autmun rain in Denver, and 
grows throughout the winter here, too. Like all fall-blooming crocus 
(of which there are many species), they go dormant in summer.

=====
2.5.2  Harvesting saffron
-----
From: kcurr@cyberspace.com (Kaycee Curr):
...it is the threads that you would collect and dry. There are three of 
  them (the stigmas) per crocus flower. (Over a million crocus flowers 
  produce a pound of saffron- phew!)

From: lpdavies@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us (Leslie Paul Davies):
In planning your planting, estimate 6 mature plants will provide the 
  stigmas for one small recipe.

=====
2.5.4  Which saffron do you have?
-----
From: chaseway@nbnet.nb.ca (wayne chase):
I have recently heard of a substitute for saffron.  Dried Marigolds.  
  Just air dry well and grind to powder.  Use twice the ammount of 
  marigold as saffron to get same result.

From: melnick@stsci.edu (Rita Melnick):
Saffron comes from crocus sativus, the saffron crocus.  It is a fall  
  blooming crocus.  Each flower contains 3 red threads (stigma) that 
  you pick, then dry, for culinary use.  Be sure to get ONLY crocus 
  sativus, not the other fall-blooming crocuses, as they are NOT 
  edible.
As for the marigolds, I'm not sure if the above advice applies to all 
  varieties of marigolds, but I do know that it is true of the pot 
  marigold, also known as calendula.  It gives the yellow coloring of 
  saffron, but not the saffron taste.  Turmeric is also a yellowing 
  substitute for saffron.  But nothing else tastes like saffron!

==========
2.6  Zucchini flowers
=====
2.6.3  Using zucchini flowers

----- on rec.gardens June 1995:
From: Joep@reol.com
Zucchini flowers battered and fried are far superior to anything else 
  you can do with Zucchini. Mix water, flour, salt & pepper to a 
  pancake consistancy. If you want a fluffier batter add baking 
  powder. Deep fry and eat them while hot. Tastes like a hint of 
  Zucchini with creamy texture and chees quality. 4 Zucchini plants is 
  3 too many :)

==========
2.7  Chamomile
=====
2.7.3  Using / preserving Chamomile
-----
From: clayton2@ix.netcom.com (Jeffrey Clayton)
For tea, use the blossoms only.  Harvest when they are in full bloom.

From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
Chamomile Tea - very strong - is a wonderful hair rinse for shine and
  a glint of sunlight.

==========
2.8  Coriander/Cilantro
=====
2.8.1  Growing coriander/cilantro

----- Help! Bolting cilantro! ; on rec.gardens June 1995:
Does anyone know what conditions I should avoid to keep the cilantro 
  from going to seed?

From: ?:
- If you plant the stuff really close together you'll probably get less 
  bolting.

From: eaplatt@worm.hooked.net (Elizabeth Platt):
- Don't let it get too hot--like lettuce, it's sensitive to heat.  But, 
  cilantro is an annual, so most pros advise planting several batches 
  in succession, so that there's always some that isn't going to seed. 
By the way, if you've gotten far along enough to worry about it going 
  to seed, congratulations.  All my cilantro is devoured, pronto, by 
  the slugs and snails as soon as the first tiny leaves appear.  
  Tastiest seedlings in the garden.... 

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
To avoid bolting, the hotter the weather the more it should be in the 
  shade.  There are also varieties that are designed to produce leaves 
  and some designed to produce seeds.

=====
2.8.2  Harvesting cilantro

----- on rec.gardens June 1995:
OK, my cilantro bolted!  Am I going to have to hand pick each of the 
  little seeds to restock my coriander spice bottle or does someone 
  have an easier way? 

From: eberts@donald.uoregon.edu (sonny hays-eberts):
take a brown paper bag, and place the seed 'umbrella' inside. shake 
  heartily. repeat for each 'umbrella'. this method is useful to 
  harvest some seed, and keep the rest for hopeful volunteer plants. 
for an even easier method, harvest the plant, then beat against the 
  side of a clean trashcan. most seeds should fall to the bottom. 
  you'll need to clean it a bit, but it's lot easier than hand-
  picking. this methos of course, harvests *all* the seed, as opposed 
  to number 1.

From: rudy@cae.ca (Rudy Taraschi):
The way I do it is to dry the entire plant, seeds and all. I then get a  
  large paper shopping bag, hold the dried plant by the stem and thrash 
  it around in the bag. Most of the seeds usually fall off if the plant 
  is dry enough.

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
Even better than a paper bag is the feet of panty hose that you or your 
  SO has decided are too far gone to wear any more.  They are great for 
  putting over dill and cilantro stems to catch the seed.  Just put the 
  toe where the seed head is and a twist tie around the shin part where 
  it is over the stem and you will catch almost every seed.

=====
2.8.3  Using / preserving cilantro/coriander
-----
From: gz885@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Susan L. Nielsen)
Not exactly on the matter of etymology, but as to the flavor of 
  cilantro/coriander leaves, Julia Child has said, [pitch voice 
  appropriately high in the head]: "I just can't stand it.  It tastes 
  like dirt."  Other interpretations invoke soap.  I find it quite 
  fresh in flavor, and even take it straight off the plant in the 
  garden.  Of course, I nibble a lot of things as I dig, but cilantro 
  is definitely one I enjoy.  No accounting for taste.

From: nancy_moote@sunshine.net (Nancy Moote)
Cilantro goes to seed very quickly. You can eat the flowers, though. 
  They taste like the leaves but lighter and sweeter. Or let them 
  develop seed for baking, pickling, curries, and planting next year.
They grow so fast that you can plant seeds now for more leaf cilantro 
  later this summer. Next year maybe try planting a few seeds every 2 
  weeks for a continuous supply.

==========
2.9  The mints
=====
2.9.1  Growing mint
-----
From: skifast123@aol.com (SkiFast123)
When you move spearmint, trust me and only transplant it into a 
  container of some sort.  You can bury the container if you want.  
  Good containers to use are those big multi-gallon types that roses 
  come in. Bury it right up to the rim.  Otherwise, in a few yrs, you 
  will have only one herb in your garden and that is mint because it is 
  VERY invasive.

=====
2.9.3  Using / preserving mints
-----
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita):
on rec.food.preserving and rec.food.cooking June 1995, a thread named 
  'I've got way too much peppermint...':

From: hattie@netcom.com (Susan Hattie Steinsapir):
Make a simple sugar syrup and add a whole lot of fresh mint to it. Use 
  this when making granita or to sweeten sun tea.  Lemonade made with 
  the mint syrup would be nice, too.
I like to make iced tea heavily minted.  Steep a whole lot of mint with 
  the tea bags.  Or better yet, boil them with the tea water, then add 
  the tea and steep.  Discard the leaves.
Make cold asian type noodle salads with finely chopped mint added.  I 
  use mint to line a bowl in which I'm serving fresh whole 
  strawberries.  Don't see why you couldn't use them to line a bowl in 
  which a fruit salad will be served.  Melon salad would be nice.
Some middle eastern dishes call for lamb and mint.  Ground lamb and 
  finely chopped fresh mint (and a few other goodies) would make 
  interesting meat balls.
Use it in flower arrangements.  I've put rosemary branches and mint 
  leaves together when I wanted something but hadn't picked up any 
  fresh flowers.
Give it away to your friends!

From: Leslie Basel <lebasil@ag.arizona.edu>:
You also might want to preserve it in vodka or aquavit...

From: Amy Snell <asnell@interaccess.com>:
Boil a handfull of peppermint leaves in a pot of water, strain it, add 
  sugar and serve over ice ... wonderful peppermint drink -- tastes a 
  lot like candy canes, but very summery.  Also good hot.  Leftovers 
  can be frozen in an ice cube tray and popped into iced tea to make it 
  minty.

From: thavey@boi.hp.com (Tom Havey):
Pesto.....a bunch of peppermint leaves, some peppermint or walnut oil, 
  a bit of sugar, all whipped up in a food processor. 
Dried, put in decorative jars for gifts, or mixed in some homemade 
  potpourri stuff.
Tea.
Raviolis stuffed with peppermint, pepper and raisins and a bit of goat
  cheese (or cottage cheese) topped with a light and spicy curry sauce.

From: Libby Goldstein <libby@igc.apc.org>
Just add it to water or seltzer, crush it a bit and serve over ice.
  It's lovely.

From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
Mint planted at the kitchen door keeps ants away.

-----
Spicy Mint tea
From: DonW1948@aol.com
  6 c Water
  2   Cinnamon sticks
  4   Clove, whole
  4   Allspice, whole
  2 c Mint leaves
Bring the water, cinnamon, cloves and allspice to a boil. Boil for 1 
minute. Stir in mint leaves. Remove from heat and steep for five 
minutes. strain into cups.  From Taste of Home Magazine.

----- 
Orange Mint Vinegar
From: DonW1948@aol.com
   1 sm Orange; peel; thin spiral - colored portion only
 1/2 c  Mint leaves; fresh
        Vinegar, white
Remove peel (colored portion only) from 1 small orange in a thin 
spiral, and place in a sterilized pint jar. Lightly bruise 1/2 cup 
fresh mint leaves, add to jar. Heat apple cider or distilled white 
vinegar to just below the boiling point.  Fill jar with vinegar, and 
cap tightly. Allow to stand 3 to 4 weeks. Strain vinegar, discarding 
peel and mint. Pour vinegar into a clean sterilized jar, adding a new 
sprig of fresh mint, if desired. Seal tightly.  Use in dressing for 
tossed green salads with orange and grapefruit sections, or in 
marinades for chicken or lamb chops.

-----
Mint jelly
From sherae@zeta.org.au (Sheri McRae):
  4 lb. tart apples
  3 cups strong mint water
  2 cups white vinegar
    sugar
To make the mint water, soak a large quantity of mint (about a pound) 
in 3 cups boiling water overnight. Next day, chop apples and place in a 
pan, and barely cover with water. Cover and simmer about an hour until 
apples are soft. Strain. Combine apple juice, mint water, and vinegar 
and strain again. Measure and place in a pan, adding cup for cup of 
sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to boiling and cook 
rapidly until the jelly will set. Bottle and seal. Mint Jelly is good 
with meats, especially lamb and is also good on toast, etc. 

I haven't tried this recipe but it came from a reliable preserving book 
which I have used and like.

==========
2.10 Feverfew

=====
2.10.1 Growing feverfew - it does not seem to repel bees.

----- on rec.gardens June 1995:
>I bought a feverfew plant today with high hopes of introducing it to 
  my herb garden.  Now I have read (of course I couldn't research 
  before making my purchase) that bees can't stand the smell of 
  feverfew and won't come near a garden with feverfew in it!

From: James Michael Kocher <jk1n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
I watched with delight last evening as the bees visited the heavy 
  blossoms of my foxglove, which are growing right next to feverfew.
  I have never noticed a lack of bees, and feverfew grows all over my
  garden.

==========
2.11 Tarragon
=====
2.11.1  Growing tarragon
-----
From: southsky@maui.net (Rick Giese)
... can't grow tarragon in East Texas...
Texas in summer is probably too hot for French Tarragon.  You might 
  experiment with a fall planting.  French Tarragon is the preferred 
  type for cooking, and will not grow from seed.

=====
2.11.3  Using / preserving tarragon
-----
From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
Tarragon pesto with pecans is a pretty good way to save it.

=====
2.11.4  Which tarragon do you have?
-----
From: HeK Hetta.pp.fi
There are 2 kinds of true tarragon: Artemisia dracunculus var.sativa 
  (French tarragon) and Artemisia dracunculus var.inodora (Russian 
  tarragon). The French tarragon cannot be grown from seed, it's taste 
  is finer but it isn't frosthardy. The Russian tarragon can be grown 
  from seed, it's taste isn't so good but it will survive outdoors in 
  Finland. 
Then there are the Mexican mint marigold and things like that. Anyone 
  know the latin names?

==========
2.12  Nasturtiums
=====
2.12.3  Using / preserving nasturtiums
-----
>...toss in a few nasturtium pods for false capers.
So are these before the bloom -- the buds? Or after the bloom -- seed 
  pods? Do you preserve them?

From: baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (gwen baker)
Nasturtium leaf is wonderful in salad.  Slightly bitter but refreshing.  
  I don't think it preserves very well and should only be used fresh. 
  If they get aphids - usually after midsummer in zone 5 - simply spray 
  with a dilute soap.  Any kind will work. Then rinse the leaves well 
  before use.

==========
2.13  Dill
=====
2.13.1  Growing dill
-----
From: kenneth@dicom.se (Kenneth Nilsson)
Here in Sweden dill is the most common herb and there are always 
  discussions on why it is so difficult to grow. It always (?) dies 
  when about 3" high and the 'story' here has it that dill is very 
  susceptible to a root fungus. - By the way, you say "transplanted" 
  dill into your garden. Does that mean you sow it indoors and plant it 
  out? - The only solution for ME has been to sow/spread out the seeds 
  from the mature dill flowers in fall. I take some mature stalks of 
  dill and walk around the garden shaking them and I have beautiful 
  dill BUT all over the garden. They just won't grow where I want them 
  to - in nice rows - THERE! It seems as if the seeds that end up in 
  non-infected soil thrive whereas the others simply don't make it. If 
  you don't find that untidy, it's worth a try. I guess you can spread 
  the seeds in early spring too.

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
First, there are many different dill.  The best approach I have found 
  is to find a dill that that survives the winter wherever you are.  
  Then, it is one tuned to the environment and will grow better.  It 
  will also self seed, both where you want it :-) and where you don't 
  :-( or :-) depending.  It is perfectly acceptable to seed them very 
  close together.
It is also a good idea to succession plant dill if you want a 
  continuous supply of it all growing season long.

=====
2.13.2  Harvesting dill
-----
From: Anahita@aol.com (Susan D. Hill):
Dill can be harvested for leaves any time during the growing season. If 
  you're growing for seeds, wait until the flowers die off and the 
  seeds are set, then tie little socks around the seed heads. You can 
  use nylon net, cheesecloth or even old stockings. Any fabric that is 
  porous. Be sure to tie them on loosely so as not to damage the stem. 
  Once the seeds are dry, just cut off the stalk and take it inside.

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
To harvest, assuming they are planted very close together, cut the 
  plants off at their base that are the biggest.  Then, let the 
  remaining plants, which will be more properly spaced, grow larger 
  until they are crowding themselves and pick them.  Then repeat the 
  process until they are all properly spaced and then pick the fronds 
  as quickly as they reach their size because they are preparing to go 
  to seed by then.  I pick every frond while the plants are going to 
  seed and it does not seem to affect the seed production at all and I 
  get more dill fronds that way :-).
To harvest the seeds, take a pair of panty hose past the wearing stage 
  and cut them off mid-thigh or mid-calf depending on your preference.  
  Put the seed head, when it is still green, into the foot of the panty 
  hose and the leg over the stem.  Tie a twist tie around the panty 
  hose on the stem and wait until the seeds are fully developed and 
  quite dry.  Then cut off the stem below the twist tie, bring it into 
  the house or somewhere else out of the wind and put it over a big 
  piece of paper.  The seed will pretty much fall off the head as it is 
  dry enough.  Don't forget to shake the seed out of the panty hose leg 
  too :-).

==========
2.13.3  Using / preserving dill
-----
From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
I always cut some heads with ~almost~ mature seeds to add to my garlic 
  dill half-sour jars.  Adds extra flavour, and looks so pretty against 
  one side of the jar.

==========
2.14  Rosemary
=====
2.14.1  Growing Rosemary
-----
From: jrogow@owens.ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
This is an herb you can literally kill with kindness!  Rosemary will 
  die if you fertilize her, or water her too much, or plant her in too-
  rich earth.  Benign neglect will result in big healthy plants.  There 
  are two basic types of Rosemary, the trailing or protstrate type, and 
  a bush type that will, in time, become large enought to be considered 
  a shrub.  These plants have been used in England in mazes, and in the 
  USA as landscape plantings.  Prostrate Rosemary is an excellent 
  ground cover.
Rosemary comes in various shades of blue-lavendar, and there is a 
  pink version that is a magnet for bees (as is the blue).  The leaves 
  are like miniature pine needles, in a lovely blue-green colour.
Rosmarinus, the herb's Latin name, means "sea spray",  and the plant 
  grows especially well near the ocean.

=====
2.14.2  Harvesting Rosemary
-----
From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow):
I cut my rosemary back all summer and dry it hung in a closet.  This 
  perfumes my hanging clothing, and keeps it from sunburn.

=====
2.14.3  Using / Preserving Rosemary
-----
From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow):
I use it for poultry stuffing, and as a tea to soothe stress.  Also, 
  the tea is a wonderful hair rinse for red heads and brunettes.  I 
  also use the tea in a bath when I ache all over from too much 
  gardening.
Rosemary may be dried by hanging sprigs in a warm place, then stripping 
  the leaves and keeping them in a jar or plastic bag. Uses of this 
  versitile herb include teas (infusions of the leaves) that make 
  soothing tisanes, enhancing hair rinses, and lovely fragrant soaking 
  baths.
Leaves are used in cooking and for scented oils, the flowers are often 
  added to a bride's headdress to insure fidelity.
Rosemary is considered an excellent tonic for headaches, and stomaches.
  It is also a traditional memory sharpener.  Shakespeare said in 
  Hamlet . . . "There's Rosemary, that's for rememberance."  Mourners 
  in many countries drop sprays of Rosemary in the coffin of a loved 
  one as a pledge not to forget the person.

Rosemary recipes
From: jrogow@owens.ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
1) A decoction for the bath
   Steep several handsfull of Rosemary (fresh or dried) in water for an 
   hour at simmer.  Cool and bottle.  Add to bath for soothing and 
   scent.
2) Rosemary Water
   4 TBS Rosemary Flowers
   1 Nutmeg, grated
   2 TBS Cinnamon, grated
   1 QT alcohol spirit (Vodka works well)
   Pour liquid over herbs in a clean jar - stand in warm dark place for 
   two weeks.  Strain through cheesecloth or paper coffee strainer.  
   Use as you would witch hazel, to soothe aches.
3) Rosemary Wine
   1 bottle of white wine
   1 handfull fresh rosemary (or 2 TBS dried)
   2 TBS dried Borage leaves
   Steep herbs in wine a week or more, strain as in #2.  This is an 
   excellent nerve tonic.
4) Insect repellant candle
   Crumble dried Sage and Rosemary leaves, mix with melted wax, form 
   into candle (an easy way to do this if you don't have candle molds 
   is to put a votive candle in a bowl, pour warm herb-wax in the bowl 
   a bit at a time, and let harden) and use to keep bugs away.

==========
2.15  Lavender
-----
This one is on the wishlist. Would you like to contribute?  ;)

==========
2.16  Lemon balm
=====
2.16.3  Using / Preserving Lemon balm
-----
From: doliver@minerva.polaristel.net, Northwind Farm Publications
Someone asked about lemon balm tea: should it be used fresh or dried, 
  etc. We are great lovers of lemon balm tea. We grow a patch of it, 
  harvesting the leaves all summer for fresh tea. In the fall, we 
  gather the crop and air-dry it for winter. The flavor is different 
  depending on whether it is fresh or dried; I prefer the fresh, but 
  dried is fine. Bruising the leaves before brewing the tea definitely 
  intensifies the flavor.
To prepare the tea, just steep the leaves in boiling water for a few 
  minutes. Personal taste will determine the amount to use (don't 
  skimp) and the brewing time. Try adding some of your other favorite 
  tea ingredients for a little variety. Chamomile and hops make a 
  soothing (maybe sedative or soporific for those sensitive to these 
  ingredients) combination with the lemon balm.
I have never heard of any toxic effects or contraindications to the use 
  of lemon balm. From personal experience, I'd say it's perfectly 
  harmless.

==========
2.17  Garlic
-----
This one is on the wishlist, too. Contributions welcome.

==========
2.18  Thyme
=====
2.18.1  Growing thyme
-----
From: skifast123@aol.com (SkiFast123)
Transplanting thyme: a suggestion made by Adelma Grenier Simmons (of 
  Caprilands, CT fame) in one of her many herb pamphlets is to bury 
  one-half of the plant along with the roots in the soil.  In other 
  words, you will only, after transplanting, be able to see 1/2 of the 
  plant that you had formerly.  The other 1/2 will be underground.  
  Since thyme is tricky to transplant bc its roots are so fine and in 
  my experience, easy to sever from the main plant, this method has 
  worked with good results for me. 

==========
3  Gardening

==========
3.4  Herbs for shade
-----
From: eberts@donald.uoregon.edu (sonny hays-eberts)
sweet cicely and woodruff are two i've had good luck with, in heavy 
  shade. most culinary herbs prefer full sun. those that are shade 
  tolerant, as a general rule, are not as heavy on flavor.

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
Many of the broader leaf herbs will grow in the shade, especially the 
  ones that tend to bolt.  A good example of this is cilantro or 
  parsley.

==========
4  Processing herbs

==========
4.1  Vinegars
-----
Please check at least 2.4.3 / Chive Vinegar, 4.6.3 / Rose Vinegar, and 
2.9.3 / Mint Vinegar.

From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
Basically, if you like it as an herb, put a good sized sprig of it in 
  some white vinegar and wait a couple of months and try it.  This 
  works with sage (don't leave it too long), oregano, tarragon, thyme 
  (may have to leave it longer) and chives that I can think of.

Rose petal vinegar
From: Baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker):
  1 c rose petals
  3 whole cloves
  2 c white wine vinegar
Trim away white part of rose petals.  Wash and drain thoroughly.  
  Slightly bruise petals and place with cloves in a wide mouth canning 
  jar.  Place vinegar in a medium saucepan bring to a boil.  Pour 
  vinegar over petals, cover at once with metal lids, and screw bands 
  tight.  Let stand at room temp for 1 week. Strain vinegar into 
  decorative jars, discarding rose petals.  Seal jars with a cork or 
  other airtight lid.  Makes 2 cups.

==========
4.2  Herb oil
-----
From: edbw@unixg.ubc.ca (Edgar Wickberg)
All homemade herb or vegetable flavoured oils have doubtful safety if 
  they are not refrigerated immediately and kept in the refrigerator.  
  The reason for concern is botulism.  Clostridium botulinum, the 
  organism that makes the deadly poison that results in botulism, grows 
  in airfree environments.  It is only when it grows that it produces 
  the toxin.  Putting anything up in oil produces a really great 
  airfree ( oxygen free) environment and therfore the risk of toxin 
  production.  Clostridium botulinum is a very common organism in all 
  of our environments, but the orgamism itself isn't dangerous to us.  
  It requires, besides the airfree environment, a low acid one and 
  temperatures above fridge temps.  This is probably more than you ever 
  wanted to hear about why not to make garlic flavoured oil.  Why not 
  dry most of your garlic so it will last and make just a little oil 
  and keep it in the fridge.  To make the kind that you store in the 
  fridge, just heat a small quanitity of oil ( of your choice), put a 
  few peeled cloves of garlic in a small bottle, pour the hot oil over, 
  cool for half an hour, cover and refrigerate.

-----
From: baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (gwen baker)
Take the cleaned herbs and place into a jar (a mason jar will do).  
  Heat the oil to just warm (too hot and you will cook the herbs 
  instead of extracting the taste), pour the warm oil over the herbs 
  and let set.  Check every 3 days to once a week, straining and 
  adding additional herbs until the desired flavor is reached.

HeK comment to above: keep in refrigerator until desired flavor is 
reached and thereafter.

==========
4.3  Drying your herbs
-----
From: aks3@cornell.edu (Amy Smith):
You don't need anything terribly high tech to dry herbs... 
For leaves you can use old window screens in a DRY DARK place (like the 
  attic). If you are growing seedlings, place the screens on the top of 
  the fluorescent lights. 
For roots you might want to use the oven on low. Chopping the roots 
  first helps. Food hydrators are better for roots.
Flowers are like leaves but you MUST be careful about keeping it dark. 
  (the sun leeches the nutrients out of herbs and they disintegrate 
  too.)
You can also hang bunches of leaves on string in a dark place outside 
  (if you are in a fairly low humid climate) Or put flowers or leaves 
  in paper sacks and hang them to dry (shake them or stir them 
  periodically so they don't stick together inside the sack.)

From: ?:
Never store herbs in completely airtight containers unless you have 
  access to a dessicant (like you get in pill bottles) to store with 
  them since you will never perfectly dry them and therefore they need 
  to breath.

From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow), in response to above:
An old remedy - tie a few grains of rice in a bit of cheese cloth and 
  add it to the bottle if you must keep it tightly closed.

From HeK:
Never use a microwave to dry herbs.  First, timing and stuff is 
  different for different microwave ovens, second, the taste isn't that 
  good, and third, you can end up with a fire in your kitchen.
If you use a dehydrator never go above 40 deg. Celcius. Most herbs are 
  tasty because of volatile oils and in high temperatures these 
  volatile oils get volatile and your herbs get tasteless.
And, if you use the bunched-herbs -method outlined above, strip the 
  leaves off the stalks after your herbs are dry. Stalks aren't that 
  tasty in soups, and can be tossed on barbecue coals to give some 
  taste there.

==========
4.4  Freezing your herbs
-----
From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
The best way to do it is to cut the leaves off and then put them into a 
  tight container and freeze them.  If you are in a hurry you can put 
  in the stems too and cut the leaves off later.

From HeK:
  I've found the best way to freeze parsley is to cut it fine before 
  freezing. Then you can scrap some directly from the jar into your 
  soup/sauce/whatever without having to cut it while it's frozen / 
  going mushy on you. I've done this for the others I've frozen as well 
  - dill at least is way too stringy to be easily cut when frozen.

From: baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (gwen baker)
Chop the herbs into the desired size and place into a ice cube tray.
  You can fit a premeasured amount in so you know how much in each 
  segment (I use a tblsp).  Then add just enough water to cover the 
  chopped leaf and freeze.  You can pop out the cubes and store in bags 
  and have the flavor of fresh herbs year round.

-----
From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
Another great way is to make them into pesto.  Try different herbs with 
  pignoli nuts, pecans (dill and pecan is one of my favorites), 
  walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc. until you find the combinations you 
  like.  We freeze the pestos by putting saran wrap over a pint ice 
  cream top (yes, the plastic one from a Dutch sounding one made really 
  in NJ :-)), forcing in as much pesto as we can, and putting the saran 
  wrap over the top.  Then we wrap it in aluminium foil and label it 
  and put it in the freezer.  The best part is we have it all winter 
  long and it tastes great on many things, especially pasta, chicken, 
  pork, shrimp, fish, etc.

==========
4.6  Jelly, syrup and other sweet stuff
=====
4.6.1  Flower / herb jelly
----- 
Basic flower jelly recipe - can also be used for herbs
From: bhaile@leo.vsla.edu (Bess Haile):
    2 cups flower infusion: 
        steep 2+ cups moderately packed flowers in 2 cups boiling water 
        at least 30 minutes
  1/4 cup lemon juice (E. Toley says not to use bottled, but I do)
    4 cups sugar
    3 oz of liquid pectin (this will be 1/2 box of liquid Certo)
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil you can't stir down.  Add pectin 
  and boil 2 minutes.  Ladle into hot sterile jars. Seal in preferred 
  manner.
Note (Bess Haile): I prefer the liquid certo to the powdered.  It seems 
  to jell better with flowers.  Also, I find the extra minute of 
  boiling helps to create a stiffer jelly, though 1 minute will create 
  a clear jam-like texture.  I always use the 4 oz canning jars because 
  I can give away some of the jellies without running out of all my 
  stock.  Not everyone likes jelly from flowers.  My own family HATES 
  rose jelly which is one of my favorites.  Also, note, rose petals 
  have a bitter white bit where the petals join the flower.  Cut these 
  off.  I do this by holding the flower, step up, and cutting around 
  the flower, leaving all the bitter bits on the flower.  I've used 
  Rose, Honeysuckle, Lavender, and many herbs too.  Rosemary makes a 
  good jelly for a glaze on roast pork (and probably lamb). Lemon 
  verbena and spearmint are great too! 

Rose petal jelly
From: Baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker)
  1 1/2 c rose petals
  1 1/2 c white grape juice
    1/2   water
  3 1/2 c sugar
  1     pkg liquid fruit pectin
Trim away white part of rose petals, wash petals thoroughly, and drain. 
  Combine rose petals and grape juice in a sauce pan.  Bring to a 
  rolling boil, stirring constantly; cook 1 min, stirring frequently. 
  Add fruit pectin; cook stirring constantly, until mixture returns to 
  a rolling boil. Continue boiling 1 min, stirring frequently.  Remove 
  from heat, and skim off foam with a metal spoon.  Quickly pour jelly 
  into hot sterilized jar leaving 1/4 in headspace; cover with metal 
  lids and screw tight.  Process in boiling water bath for 5 min.  
  Makes 3 pints.
For fun leave the rose petals in and you can tell folks you are eating 
  roses - they end up with the funniest looks on their faces.

Rose petal jelly II
From: Baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker)
  2 quarts fresh rose petals, loosely packed (about 3 dozen roses)
  1 quart boiling water
  4 cups sugar
  3 tablespoons lemon juice
Place petals in a large bowl. Add boiling water. Cover and steep for 20 
  minutes, or until all color is out of the petals. Strain liquid into 
  a shallow pan. Add sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, 
  stirring constantly until sugar has dissolved, and mixture comes to a 
  rolling boil. Maintain boil until mixture gives a jelly test (2 drops 
  form on side of spoon, then flow together). Skim.  Pour into hot 
  sterile jars. Cover with melted parafin (or use your prefered sealing 
  method). Makes 8 x 6-ounce jars.
Note (Gwen Baker):  The rose petal jelly I have had used added pectin. 
  This recipe thinks rose petals have enough of their own.

Violet flower jelly
From: Baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker)
Violet infusion:
  2 cups violet blossoms (don't have to pack tightly, just nicely 
    full cups will do)
  2 cups boiling water
Pour boiling water on blossoms and cover 12-24 hours (If you can't get 
  to the cooking within 24 hours, store in the refrigerator).
Jelly recipe:
  2   cups infusion
  1/4 cup  lemon juice
  1   pkg. powdered pectin
  4   cups sugar
Bring first 3 ingredients to a rolling boil (one you can't stir down).  
  Add sugar all at once and bring back to rolling boil. Boil for 1 
  minute. Remove from heat and let boiling die down.  Skim off foam 
  with large spoon.  Pour immediately into hot sterilized jars and 
  seal. Makes 4-5 cups of jelly. I use the half cup jars so I can give 
  away samples without giving away everything. 
Note (Gwen Baker): I've made two batches of this jelly and it is 
  delicious!  The lemon juice turns the blue infusion the most glorious 
  amethyst color.  No fruit jelly I've ever made has this color. It is 
  tart and lemony, but does not taste exactly like lemon.  My violets 
  are not parma violets, just plain old Virginia weeds.

=====
4.6.2  Syrup
-----
Rose petal syrup
From: Baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker):
  1     c rose petals
  1     c water
  1 1/2 c sugar
  3     whole cloves
Trim away white part of rose petals was and drain thoroughly.  Combine 
  rose petals and water in a sauce pan bring to boil.  Then simmer for 
  5 min. Add sugar and cloves.  Simmer until sugar dissolved(do not 
  reboil) strain petals refrigerate. Makes 1 2/3 cup.

Use this for 
Rose cooler:
  1/2 c rose syrup
    2 c club soda
        fresh rose petals.
Combine soda and syrup garnish with rose petals. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

==========
4.7  Potpourris and other uses for dried herbs / flowers
-----
Meaning non-culinary uses, in this culinary herbfaq.   ;)

From: baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (gwen baker)
Dried herbs can also go into herb pillows and sleep pillows.

=====
4.7.1  Stovetop potpourri
-----  on rec.gardens June 1995:

From: clayton2@ix.netcom.com (Jeffrey Clayton):
My favorite potpourri recipe is:
dried orange peel, dried pine needles, dried mint, cinnamon sticks 
  (broken into pieces), cloves
This is a stove top potpourri -- the kind you put in water and simmer.  
  Aromatherapy says this combination of scents is supposed to keep 
  colds away.

=====
4.7.2  Dry potpourri
-----  on rec.gardens June 1995:
From: hag@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Mandy Haggith):
I've been making pot-pourri since I was about 7 and still use the same 
  method I used then - shoe boxes under the bed. I find that the number 
  one ingredient is rose petals, best of all from wild dog roses, but 
  any smelly rose will do. You'll need MASSES of rose petals. Lavender 
  is also wonderful. Pick the flowers (and herb leaves) when they're 
  warm and dry and smelly, stick them loosely in the shoe boxes (either 
  mixed up or not, depending on what you want to do with them) and stir 
  them with a warm dry hand a couple of times a day (or more). The 
  petals will gradually dry out and you can use them in pot-pourri 
  recipes after a few weeks. Under the bed is a good place because it 
  is usually pretty dry, it's dark (so the petals keep some of their 
  colour) and the smell of the drying petals gives you sweet dreams! I 
  find the airing cupboard is too hot and dries the leaves out too fast 
  leaving them shrivelled and not so sweet smelling.

=====
4.7.3  Drying flowers whole for potpourri
-----
From: diana.politika@tenforward.com (Diana Politika):
If you want to dry the peony intact, either bury it in silica gel or 
  use a 50/50 mixture of borax and cornmeal.  Leave it buried for about 
  2 weeks and then tilt the container to get the mix to shift off the 
  flower.  Silica works best, but the other is alot cheaper.  If using 
  the borax mix, use a small soft paintbrush to get all the dust off.  
  I've used many of these in arrangments and everyone goes nuts over 
  them. 

From: baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (gwen baker)
When drying flowers using silica be careful.  It can speed the drying 
  process, but it can also cause discoloration and leave a residue 
  behind.  In about the same amount of time the flowers can be dried 
  naturally.  Silica does allow you to keep a flower whole or to 
  preserve a shape.  There is also a liquid ( I think it is a 
  glycerine) that will preserve greenery and keep it soft and flexible.

==========
4.8  Alcoholic beverages
=====
4.8.1  Rose petal wine
-----
From: Baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Gwen Baker)
(who got it from Terry Pelley on rec.winemaking)
One day before you prepare the must you should make a yeast starter:
For one gallon of wine:
    4 oz. Water
    1 tsp sugar
  1/4 tsp nutrient
      Pinch of citric acid
  1/4 tsp yeast
For five gallons of wine:
    2 cups water
    2 tbs sugar
  1/2 tsp nutrient
  1/4 tsp citric acid
    1 package of yeast
Mix all the ingredients in an appropriate size bottle and shake to 
  combine.  Loosely cover the bottle, do not seal it tight; a cloth 
  held in place with a rubber band will work fine.  After sitting for a 
  day this mixture should be fermenting and can be added to the must.
The must:
    6 cups rose petals (fresh) whites removed
  1/4 lb chopped white raisins
5 3/4 cups sugar
    2 tsp yeast nutrient
    2 tsp acid blend
    1 Campden Tablet (crushed)
      Yeast - All purpose or Rhinewine
Boil one gallon of water and combine with rose petals, raisings, and 
  sugar in your primary fermenter.  Allow the mixture to cool to around 
  75 degrees and add yeast nutrient, acid blend and campden tablet.

==========
5  Sites to see
-----
Sorry, folks. This one is in the wishlist, and is a construction site 
  besides.

==========
5.1  FTP sites
-----
==========
5.2  WWW pages
-----
==========
THE END.
==========
