Before I delve into the meat of today’s post, I have to give a big ol’ thank you to each and every single one of you. I’ve got some brand spankin’ new (you, bad boy) blog followers and comments are popping up from new names and faces, and I love it. Absolutely love it. I’m hoping you newbies are here to stay because I’m not much for one night stands. I’m more of a long-term kinda gal. Plus, I’m assuming it means I was enticing enough or my brand of snark was clever enough to keep you coming back for more. Whatever the reason, thank you. I love hearing from you guys; your comments literally make my day. So, “go ahead, make my day.”
I want to talk herbs today.
Not those kind of herbs. Those days are long gone or perhaps never were. I plead the fifth on that topic. I’ve seen my share of bad television shows, so I know all about the fifth. Just try me, and I’ll go fifth on your ass. I’ll clam up faster than a…well, a clam.
Today, I’m talking about locally grown (still not that kind) cooking herbs because it gives me a chance to participate in Kristy’s localism link up, where we celebrate and ever so gently push on you (do it, do it now) all things local. Since my CSA is currently dead in the water, local is hard to come by, but not as hard as one might think.
You see, in the spring when locally grown, organic herbs start popping up at the grocery stores, I buy them, and when possible, I buy them in bulk. I bring them home, and I repot them in large plastic containers, which I keep outdoors and then enjoy all summer and fall long. I also bring a couple of chosen ones, think heartier and longer lasting, indoors and repot them into small, but pretty containers (it’s all about the presentation). Repotting the herbs, because I’m sure they are intuitive enough to know, gives them a sense of permanency and having a pretty new home, well who wouldn’t want that? Call me crazy; hell I’ve been called much worse before, but my kitchen window sill herb garden is still going. I’d like to say it’s going strong, but since I do live in Ohio, where it’s cold and dark for months on end, calling them strong would be a stretch. They are dwindling down to practically nothing, but they are still kicking it, and they are definitely edible, even after all these months.
They may not look like much, but these are little pots of joy for me. I’ve still got basil, sage and parsley growing indoors, and my outdoor rosemary plant is a fighter because that broad is still hanging on. She’s covered in snow right now, but her beautiful stalks of rosemary are peeking through the white powder and definitely still usable.
Herbs are fickle little things. You have to water them often (think every other day), although not as often in the winter (twice a week or so), and you have to trim them on occasion. Yep, in order to make your plants sprout new growth, you have to take away some of the old stuff. Trim them up and eat them. Believe me, they will love you for it, and since I have fresh herbs still growing in February, in Ohio, from last spring, you should listen to me on this one.
Also, using fresh herbs in your cooking makes a world of difference (I shit you not) and having them home-grown in their little bundles of soil means you don’t have to hurry up and use them before they go bad. Plus, it saves you oodles of money in the long run. Those grocery store packets ain’t cheap. As a general rule of thumb:
One Teaspoon of Dried Herbs = One Tablespoon of Fresh Herbs
If you don’t have fresh herbs growing right now and are forced to buy those expensive grocery store numbers, treat them like you would flowers. Trim the stems and pop them in a glass of water to extend their shelf life.
One final tip: if you suddenly find your fresh herbs being overtaken by fruit flies, do not freak out and pitch them all. Ok, you can freak out because bugs are icky, I totally agree, but don’t pitch them because it will happen. Here’s the thing, when you buy organic herbs, they haven’t been hosed down with pesticides so they might appear attractive to some other creatures. In order to rid your herbs and your house of these gross little flies, put a glass of apple cider vinegar with a squeeze of dish soap next to your herbs. It’s like the pied piper for bugs. They will flock to your vinegar and inevitable drown. I didn’t say it was humane, but this technique is incredible effective.
Since I like to show you how I actually use all of my goodies, here’s what’s been happening with my herbs.
I soaked the basil in olive oil with some garlic for hours on end, which later became the base for my pizzette. Who needs tomato sauce; it’s completely overrated.
Fresh rosemary got added to my Drop Biscuits along with cheddar cheese and some hot sauce because I was all out of jalapeno. The rosemary literally changed the flavor profile of these bad boys. For the better, I might add.
The parsley always makes his way into bowls of pasta or fresh soup. This is an old picture, but I’ve made this same spaghetti a bazillion times since then. No exaggeration either. Alright, maybe a slight exaggeration.
The lovely and sassy sage has worked its way into ravioli, ravioli sauces and most recently this pear and blue cheese pizza.
Look at that. Pizza twice in one post. Damn, I’m a lucky girl. Now that I’ve shared all my knowledge with you, go whip up something herb-a-licious.
Do you grow fresh herbs? Any tips on sustaining their life? What are your favorites herbs to cook with?
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts says
Awesome post, Meghan! I recognize the ‘look out the window into bleak Ohio winter’ in your photo. I’m very very envious of your fresh basil. I’ve got pesto in the freezer still, sure, but fresh would rock. I thought we were going to have a mild winter like last year (my first in Ohio, what did I know?) so I didn’t worry about my herbs in the garden and figured I could harvest parsley all winter long. Wrong. New to me this year is celery–I stuck the base from the last celery in the farm share box into a shallow dish of water and now I’ve got very thirsty celery.
I’m pretty sure it’s going to die while I’m away at the sled hockey tournament in Ft Wayne, but I’ve tasked my minion with the job of checking and watering it so we’ll see.
Amazing pizza and pizzette–you’re really rockin’ it.
Oh! And the link included with the biscuits–well done!
Meghan says
Yes I can learn sensei. I may have to try this celery idea, but I know it works with green onions too. Put the little nubs in some fresh water and they will grow. It’s amazing, much like a Chia pet. Safe travels this weekend and I hope you get to see a little sun (I had a glimpse today, and it was magical).
Allie says
So, herbs are actually on my get-stuff-at-Lowe’s list for this weekend. My kitchen needs some green (well, living green, it’s already painted lime green so it’s not exactly green-less). Bought some cheap sage at the grocery store, but I didn’t really know what to do with it. If only I’d thought “pizza.” And I can’t wait for my rosemary to cheer back up in my garden–That one’s gotta be my favorite, there’s nothing like fresh veggies roasted with sprigs of rosemary.
Meghan says
My rosemary comes back every year actually and so do my chives. Other than pizza and pasta sauce (think raviolis) I don’t really know what else to do with sage either. Maybe heat it up in a pan with some butter until it’s crispy and then pour the butter sage mixture over some squash. Actually that sounds pretty good to me. Hmm.
I love live greens in the house. Sadly my kitten has taken to trashing them, so they are all locked away on the third floor like a wicked step child. I miss being surrounded by them, but until my frisky feline learns to play nicely with the plants, there they will stay.
Jess @ JessieBear What Will You Wear says
mmmmmm those drop biscuits definitely look herbalicious.
Meghan says
I don’t think I will ever make them without fresh rosemary every again. The Hubby said they were the best ever.
Brittany says
I don’t grow herbs, but my mama does and I totally mooch off of her stash. I loveee fresh herbs (not that kind..anymore.)
Meghan says
Your mama grows those kinds of herbs. Damn! 🙂
Melissa says
Your herbs look great! I love fresh herbs, but I’ve never had much success keeping them alive indoors in the winter. The only exception to that is my little bay tree. It’s going on four years old now (it lives outside in the summer and inside in the winter). If you’ve never used fresh bay leaves in soups or stews, I highly recommend it!
Meghan says
I’ve never used the fresh home grown bay leaves; only those crazy expensive grocery store packets. And it comes on a tree? I may have to find this and try it this spring. Great tip; thank you!
kristy @ Gastronomical Sovereignty says
i’ll be honest Meghan…i hadn’t ever even thought of this before. but seriously – why CAN’T i buy herbs from the store as starters??? of COURSE i can! fresh herbs make ALL the difference in my cooking. and if we can get them to grow that makes so much more sense than buying and rebuying them all the time. those little bastards ain’t cheap!
also – one of the things i miss the most about the island: the way rosemary grew like a weed. everywhere. i didn’t even bother growing it because it was seriously on every corner, behind every house and building. it was nuts. toronto isn’t quite the same.
thanks for sharing with us at the wednesday fresh foods link up. and for the stellar shout out!!! i look forward to seeing what other seasonal & real/whole food posts you have for us next week!! xo, kristy
Meghan says
What feels like forever ago, I spent a couple weeks vacation in Croatia, and the fresh rosemary was incredible. In fact, the hedges were actually all rosemary. They also had terraces with grapes overhead and lemon trees ran rampant. We literally used food or herbs from the yard with almost every meal. Divine.
Sunnie@ModernGirlNutrition says
That’s awesome that you have your own herbs! I used to have basil before Zazu got to it haha. Definitely planting again:)
Meghan says
I love fresh basil. It might be one of my favorites. There’s nothing quite like it, and Zazu must know it too.
Nicole @ Fruit 'N' Fitness says
Those drop biscuits looks so good! I don’t grow any fresh herbs, I can’t keep any plant life alive. My mom however has a big garden and also grows a lot of herbs, I love cooking with them! While i have only used fresh herbs fresh, my mom freezes them and says there still better than dried.
Meghan says
Ah so you get to enjoy the fresh veggies and herbs without all the upkeep. Truth: it’s the best way to do it, so long as you can get it whenever you want. Nothing quite like fresh herbs.
Sabrina @ Living, Learning, Eating says
My mom used to, but I don’t think she does any more (my aunt and grandmother in Germany both do, however). I live in limited space in Boston, however, so I haven’t really thought about any kind of gardening – I do have to admit that fresh herbs can be tasty! My go-to spices (I’m not sure exactly which are herbs and which aren’t) are oregano, ginger, parsley, cinnamon, and ground paprika. All faves!
Meghan says
I love paprika as much for its color as the flavor it brings. You’re in Boston? I didn’t realize; I’m green with envy. It’s a city I’ve always wanted to see.
Sunnie@ModernGirlNutrition says
LOVE the new header! So pretty
Meghan says
Thanks Sunnie! It’s actually my own pictures which makes me smile big.
Liz @ iheartvegetables says
I really do want to learn more about herbs and seasonings! Thank you for this post!! I tried to grow basil in my kitchen window, but I live in row houses and we get barely any sun in our kitchen! 🙁
Meghan says
Basil needs a lot of sun, although for some reason my little plant is still hanging on. Make sure you prune him often, and never the big bottom leaves, and he’ll thrive. Even without a ton of sun.
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
Gah, I have such a black thumb! It only took me a MONTH to kill a beautiful rosemary tree two years ago…it ended up looking worse than Charlie Brown’s! So sad! 🙁 You’re making me want to try again though…especially since I just went to the store today and bought mint for $2 for a small little package…brought it home…did my “thang” with it…forgot about it on the counter for an hour or so…and now it’s all wilty and pathetic-looking! Damnit! Think I could spruce it up by putting it in a little water?
I really like experimenting with all sorts of herbs, but I think I use cilantro and parsley the most…and now mint since I have an entire package that I bought for ONE thing! Lol
Omg, I want that pear pizza!!!
Meghan says
I used to have a black thumb and all of sudden it just changed to green, so it can happen. Water is the key. Herbs like it. A lot. Mark on your calendar when you water them and you’ll have a visual reminder. I wouldn’t start with cilantro though. It’s one of my favorite herbs, but I struggle with keeping it alive. It’s difficult. Start with basil and parsley. They are much more manageable and good for beginners.
For the mint, snip the bottom of the steps (like you would flowers) and stick them, stem side down, in a glass of water and it should perk up and last longer than it would otherwise. Can’t wait to see what you’re concocting with mint. A mojito perhaps….
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
Awesome! Thanks for the advice…I’ll definitely have to get my hands on some parsley soon! And now I have to go buy a calendar! Lol!
As for the mint…you’ll just have to check the blog, won’tcha? Unless you have already! 😉