Fragrant and spicy herbs are the best crops for the garden. aromatic plants
Plants give us the finest aromas. Any city dweller knows the difference between air saturated with toxic big city and the fragrance of the forest.
Meadows, fields and forests are rich in a large number of aromatic plants containing essential oils.
Aromatic plants have certain most favorable periods when there is an abundant saturation with essential oils.
Jasmine is harvested at night, when the coolness of the night prevents the evaporation of volatile ethereal aromatic compounds, which are concentrated in large quantities in the plant at this particular time of day.
Mint must be picked on a clear sunny day, then it appears before the collector in all its splendor, fragrant with its aroma, which is associated with a large amount of essential oils released by the aromatic plant.
Roses are cut when the buds have not yet had time to open, if a little late, then the amount of valuable oil will be halved or tripled.
More than 20 species of various aromatic plants are cultivated in Russia. These include mint, lavender, basil, lilac, sage, rose and many others. These plants serve as raw materials for the production of essential oils.
Experts in ethereal cultures give the following interesting statistics. 20 kg of oil is extracted from a ton of mint, about 4 kg from a ton of basil, 10 kg per ton of lavender, and 12 kg of sage. Most little way out rose oil. A ton of its petals produces only about one kg of rose oil, one drop of which is enough to produce several bottles of magnificent perfume.
Not all varieties of roses are used to obtain rose oil. Only about ten varieties of this beautiful aromatic plant are intended for this purpose. The best oil is obtained from damask rose, which grows on plantations in Bulgaria.
Peppermint oil is usually extracted from dried mint. To do this, use the method of water or steam distillation. Before refining, peppermint oil contains some impurities, so its color is most often green or yellow. After refining, peppermint oil is colorless. It has a pungent taste and creates a pleasant, refreshing chill in the mouth. Peppermint oil is usually stored in a dark place and in a tightly closed container, as with direct and long-term exposure to light and air, it thickens and acquires a brown tint.
Properties of aromatic plants
The properties of aromatic plants are widely used in the perfume industry. Rose fragrances in perfumes, mint additives in toothpastes, deodorants, elixirs and other hygiene items are not only pleasant, but also useful. They affect mood and performance. Already at the beginning of the 20th century, in Swiss clinics, the treatment of nervous mental disorders with the aromas of essential oils of aromatic mountain plants gave promising results.
Empirically, it was found that aromatic mountain plants emit much large quantity medicinal substances in comparison with the aromatic plants of the plains. Next, you will read how aromatic plants affect human health.
The famous Russian psychiatrist and neuropathologist, founder of reflexology V.M. Bekhterev in his scientific papers wrote about the influence of aromas on the rhythm of human breathing, on the nervous system, hearing, vision, on changes in the pulse rate, on muscle contraction. It has already been proven that the aroma of roses calms the nervous system. Even the ancient Greeks preferred to relax to melodic music next to flowering bushes fragrant roses. This method of relaxation is also recommended in some spa resorts. It is claimed that the aroma of roses contributes to the treatment of nervous and cardiovascular diseases.
Aromas of rose and rosemary oil have a beneficial effect on vision and improve muscle performance.
Some African tribes call the smell of the toa tree that blooms in their area "the smell of joy." In the days of fun, folk holidays and joyful events Africans wear wreaths of the flowers of this tree on their heads. Their aroma is very reminiscent of the smell of jasmine.
According to American scientists, one of the most strongly smelling aromatic plants is the cactus. The smell of some types of cactus can spread over a distance of one kilometer. Cacti smell when flowering. According to travelers, the aromas of cactus flowers sometimes resemble the aroma of lilac, lily of the valley, vanilla, lemon, orange, and some smell like apples and even beer.
Many of our compatriots know colognes called "Carnation" and "Chypre". But few people know that an aromatic plant called clary sage is used for their preparation. Essential oil is obtained from clary sage High Quality, which has found application in the perfume industry.
The smells of such aromatic plants as mint, rosemary, geranium, noble laurel, treat many diseases. Physicians have established that plants that release oxygen, negatively charged ions and essential oils, facilitate the well-being of cardiovascular patients, help to cope with headaches, insomnia, respiratory diseases, and have a calming effect on the nervous system.
Contraindications in the treatment of aromatic plants
Treatment with aromas is contraindicated for people suffering from allergies.
Many owners of personal plots adhere to the traditional design style in your landscape. But for those who want to bring an element of informality, a great find would be small garden with spicy and fragrant herbs. This tradition has come to us from time immemorial and in last years became again fashion trend. Useful crops decorate flower beds, borders and the most ordinary beds. A wide variety and choice of greens will allow you to collect fragrant harvest several times per season. It is important to choose plants to taste and know the features of their cultivation.
Rules for the arrangement of a "useful" garden
Planting spicy plants and the formation of beds is not much different from the equipment of a simple flower garden. There are a number of rules for organizing such a garden:
- 1. Flower beds are arranged so that it is possible to approach them in any weather. In this case, the form is not of fundamental importance.
- 2. Tall grasses are planted in the center, so they will not obscure small plantings.
- 3. They sit in the center and flowering plants: red quinoa, borage, etc. Grass with beautiful and unusual leaves is placed to create an elegant border: curly parsley, savory, chervil, thyme, etc.
- 4. "Annuals" - dill, basil, leafy mustard- prepare a separate place.
- 5. For tall plants arrange additional support from wire, thin pegs or rods.
- 6. The bed is arranged in a sunny area and watered often, so the spices will have a bright taste and unique aroma.
- 7. Perennials that tend to spread through branching root system throughout the site, planted in deep containers or pots without a bottom, deepening them into the soil by a third of the size.
Collect spicy herbs in dry calm weather in the late afternoon. The day before harvest, watering is not carried out. Water the greens immediately after cutting, so the growth of new leaves will be stimulated.
What plants are planted on the site?
The choice of herbs for planting depends on the taste preferences of the gardener and how they will be used in the future. It is customary to breed those plants that are used in everyday cooking or in treatment with traditional medicine recipes.
| Name | Description | A photo |
| Agastahis Wrinkled | Perennial. Another name is Korean Mint or Northern Ginseng. Intense anise scent. Strengthens the immune system, maintains youthfulness and elasticity of the skin. Fresh above-ground part used as a seasoning for salads and for making original tea. The grass is unpretentious and easy to grow. Sow seeds or seedlings (depending on the region) according to the scheme 25x25. On the winter period needs shelter |  |
| anise ordinary | Annual. Tall (up to 60 cm) plant with an upright stem covered with fluff. White, small flowers with a complex umbrella. Prefers loamy or sandy soils. The fruits are edible, they contain a large number of essential oils. Used not only as a seasoning or for tea, but also for medicinal purposes. |  |
| Basil | Annual. Planted not only in the country or in the garden, but also in a pot on the windowsill. Has a bright strong aroma. Most species have green leaves, but there are varieties with an unusual purple tint. There is Cinnamon Basil and Lemon Basil, and their smell matches the name. Flower color: white, pink, white-violet. But the flowers are not used for food, therefore, to increase the leaf mass, the tops are regularly pinched. Used in both dried and fresh |  |
| Mustard Salad | Annual. The plant is early maturing and withstands cold weather. Original color of large leaves. The fruit is in the form of a pod. Only young leaves are used for food, suitable for meat, fish. Mustard canned or salted. It has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, but enhances the secretion of bile and gastric juice, increases appetite, and therefore is not suitable as a component of the diet. Contains ascorbic acid, vitamins P and C |  |
| Oregano | Perennial. About 50 varieties are known. Creeping rhizome, petiolate, oblong leaves with pointed tips. fragrant herb with a very strong smell. Widely used in Balkan and Greek cuisines, combining with cheese and fish. Oils are flavored with it plant origin. Suitable for growing on a windowsill |  |
| Marjoram | Perennial. An upright plant about 45 cm high. The inflorescences are hairy and oblong, the flowers are small, pink, reddish or white. It is used as a seasoning for soups, fish and vegetables, for making liqueurs, soufflés, puddings, teas and sausages. Improves digestion, has a sedative and diuretic effect. In alternative medicine, marjoram is used to treat diseases of the respiratory and digestive organs, is used for paralysis, runny nose, neurasthenia and asthma. Tinctures, lotions and baths are prepared from it. |  |
| Hyssop | Perennial. Another name for St. John's wort Blue. Strongly spicy greens with oblong or linear leaves, branched shoots. A semi-shrub that easily tolerates both drought and frost. It has a spicy bitter taste. For cooking, only young leaves and tops of the plant with dried flowers are used. Used to treat the stomach, intestines, angina pectoris, increases appetite and improves digestion. Serves as a strengthening and bactericidal agent. Useful for the elderly |  |
| Onion | Annual or biennial - depends on the planting region and species. There are a huge number of varieties of onions: chives (Rezanets), batun (Chinese, Tatar, Sandy, Furry), multi-tiered (Egyptian or Horned), fragrant (Siberian, Chinese garlic, Dzhusai), slime (Penetrating), etc. Used in cooking, very rarely as medicine. All parts are edible |  |
| Coriander or cilantro | Annual. The leaves at the roots are broadly lobed, dissected. small flowers pink or white color with complex umbrellas. It is widely used as an aromatic spice in almost all types of cooking, for baking bread and confectionery, for brewing beer. To harvest cilantro as a seasoning, it is plucked before the shooting phase. Seeds are used in marinades and for confectionery production. |  |
| lovage | Perennial. Tall (up to 200 cm) plant, tolerates frost and cold. Pinnate, shiny leaves. Changes the taste from sweetish to spicy with a slight bitterness. It is used in cooking as a fragrance for drinks and marinades, in perfumery. When cooking, add to rice, poultry, meat, fish, gravies, soups and vegetables. It is indispensable for dietary nutrition, diseases of the liver, kidneys, rheumatism, gallbladder. AT traditional medicine applicable to the treatment of alcoholism |  |
| Melissa (bee, swarm, lemon mint, mother plant, honeydew) | Perennial. Tetrahedral, branched stem, petiolate leaves, pubescent, if rubbed, a pronounced lemon smell is released. They are used in the preparation of almost any dish, they flavor milk, sour-milk products, cottage cheese. In medicine, it is used to treat the stomach, with poor appetite, neuralgia, rheumatism, painful menstruation, migraine, insomnia, colds, palpitations, loss of strength, anemia, stomach cramps, depression, as a diuretic and so on. Tinctures, lotions or juice are made from grass |  |
| Parsley | Biennial. There are several varieties. The herb is used dried, fresh, frozen and salted. The stems with leaves and root crops are also eaten. Indispensable for cooking fish. When frozen, it is stored without loss useful properties up to a year. Seeds are used in medicine as a diuretic, stimulant and choleretic agent. |  |
| Purslane | Annual or perennial. Over 100 varieties. Small solitary flowers, alternate leaves, prostrate stems. For cooking, young shoots are collected before the formation of flowers. They are boiled and used with meat and fish as a side dish. Stems are also consumed (pickled, stewed or salted). In medicine, it is used as a diuretic, hypotensive, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and antimicrobial agent. |  |
| Mint | There are Pepper, Apple, Curly, Lemon and more than 30 species and hybrids. Contains phosphorus, manganese, menthol, magnesium, copper, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc. Widely used in pharmacology, cosmetology, medicine, cooking. Lamb and poultry are seasoned with fresh mint. Used for complex teas, compotes, fruit drinks, jelly, syrups. The spice improves digestion, relieves nausea (including in pregnant women with toxicosis), is an analgesic for migraines |  |
| Rosemary | Perennial. evergreen shrub. The leaves are linear, opposite, narrowed, the flowers are small bluish-blue. Greens have a camphor, sweetish aroma and a spicy spicy taste. Flowers, young stems and leaves are used as a seasoning. They are traditionally added to fish and potatoes. Optionally with minced meat, salads, fried poultry and meat, cabbage, mushrooms, cheeses, game and marinade. Rosemary is used in cosmetology, perfumery, bakery, for the preparation of alcoholic beverages. The following properties are important for medicine: astringent, tonic, sedative, analgesic, wound healing |  |
| Rucola | Biennial. The stem is branched, straight, slightly pubescent. Traditionally used in Mediterranean cuisine. In ancient times, arugula was considered an aphrodisiac. Used in salads, as an additive to meat and pasta. In Italy, they are added to pizza (vegetable and meat). Pairs well with basil. Shoots and leaves are used for cooking, mustard is made from seeds. Used externally for treatment skin diseases, calluses, nasal polyps, hematomas, ulcers |  |
| thyme or thyme | Perennial. Shrub, reaching 35 cm, with stems woody at the base, creeping along the ground. The smell of thyme is strong, slightly lemony, the taste is burning with a slight bitterness. It is used as part of a mixture of herbs, but always with pepper. In medicine, essential oils, tannins, mineral salts, bitterness, flavonoids, resins and acids secreted from thyme are actively used. make healthy teas children from anemia, and adults (increasing the timing of admission and dosage) in the treatment of migraines, stress, neurasthenia, depression. Used as an anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antipyretic, antiseptic, anticonvulsant, analgesic |  |
| Sage | Perennial. Herbaceous plant with feathery leaves and very beautiful blue or blue flowers. Dried for use in cooking, it imparts an unusually savory aroma and flavor to meat, fish, game, salads, tea, and savory pies. Since sage has a large species diversity, not all of it medicinal properties well studied. Essential oil is produced from Clary sage, and medicinal sage is used in herbal preparations as an anti-inflammatory and disinfectant. |  |
| Tarragon or tarragon (tarragon tarragon) | Perennial. The plant is herbaceous, up to 150 cm high, the stems are erect, the leaves are oblong, the flowers are pale yellow, small. The aroma is slightly spicy, the taste is spicy and spicy. There are salad varieties. Use fresh grass for sourdough cabbage, marinades, when soaking pears and apples, salting. Rice dishes, pilaf, fish, meat, sauces, lamb, mayonnaise are prepared. Flavor drinks (wine, liqueurs, Tarragon). In France, a popular recipe for tarragon vinegar is used as a dressing for salted fish. Moreover, the taste of drinks varies greatly depending on whether the herb was used in dry or fresh form. |  |
Planting fragrant herbs in your garden means creating a harmonious union of beauty and undeniable benefits. Plants require virtually no care. And their species and varietal diversity allow you to create and unique design plot, and culinary delights in the kitchen.
Most of useful herbs grow well not only on the site, but also in the apartment (on the balcony or windowsill). In the presence of large containers, they are combined, as well as in the beds. AT open field when landing, the following list of rules is observed:
Most perennials tend to become overgrown over time and can fill in unintended areas and crowd out other crops. It is important to remember this and regularly prune.
The planting of spices on the site has become widespread. You can’t do without them in cooking - any dish becomes insipid and tasteless. Someone selects greens according to their own preferences, while someone experiments, periodically adding new names to their beds.
In addition to taste, seasonings can be both excellent preservatives and medicinal components in various diseases. They are treated not only in traditional medicine, some of them are included in the list of medicines applicable in the official pharmacopeia.
Aromatic plants - Appetizing aromas
Appetizing aromas - aromatic plants and herbs: anise, basil, laurel, mint, cumin, thyme (thyme), sage, fennel, marjoram, oregano, parsley and many other herbaceous plants with a spicy aroma. Tarragon, oregano, rosemary and clary sage, in addition to ornamental crops, are widely used as aromatic plants. The most popular aromatic plant in the garden, especially as an ornamental, is thyme or thyme.
These aromatic plants are most often associated with spices that can improve or reveal the taste of a product. By adding them to various dishes, we do not think about the effect they have on our body. Flavor is what matters to us. It is the smell of herbs that makes the body more actively produce gastric juice, which means it improves the digestive process as a whole. If the meat is sprinkled with cumin during frying, it will be easier to digest. But this is only one of the thousands of useful properties that spices have.
Rosemary is known to many peoples as a spice. In Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, its leaves have been used since time immemorial along with the bay leaf. Rosemary should be treated in the same way as bay leaves, if it is overexposed in food, it can take on a bitter taste.
Rosemary is an evergreen thermophilic subshrub aromatic plant. Is an medicinal plant and spice. Rosemary has long been famous medicinal plant. From its leaves and apical shoots, collected during the flowering period, decoctions and infusions were prepared. They were used to normalize the functioning of the stomach and stimulate appetite, as well as a tonic and sedative. It is grown mainly for rosemary oil, which is used in perfumery.
Marjoram is a garden aromatic herb that has been widely used in cooking for thousands of years. It also has medicinal properties.
“He who chews basil lives long,” says a Caucasian proverb. Basil is an aromatic plant. Among horticultural crops Basil is considered the king of spices. Its inimitable aroma can only be confused with allspice. Basil leaves, both fresh and dried, contain a large amount of essential oils, as well as carotene, saponins, tannins, organic acids and other active substances that give them a spicy taste and specific aroma. Fresh and dried basil leaves and flowers are an excellent seasoning for soups, salads, sauces, meat, fish, vegetable dishes, used in canning and pickling vegetables and mushrooms. Vinegar, infused for a week on basil leaves, acquires an unusually pleasant aroma and beautiful colour. No less fragrant and dried basil, it is stored in a sealed container in a dark place.
Basil has one advantage, its essential oils have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, disinfectant and soothing effects, improves digestion, stimulates appetite, strengthens nervous system. Uplifts mood in depression, increases activity, eliminates low concentration and fatigue.
common basil- annual herbaceous plant having a spicy taste. Dried thawed leaves are used in place of pepper in some cuisines. Add to salads, meat, fish dishes.
Thai basil. Thai basil leaves have jagged edges. Stems with a reddish tint. It has a sharp, aniseed taste. Used in marinades.
red basil- one of the favorite spices in Italian cuisine. It is combined with tomatoes, and is also added to pasta dishes, cheese, salads, soups. The stems of this variety are of a cranish hue, and taste like cloves.
lemon basil- small green leaves have a rich spicy aroma with a lemon taste.
Basil tastes a bit like nutmeg. It is used in small quantities as a condiment in salads and soups.
This curly grass decorates our table at any time of the year. It has been used in medicine since ancient times. Parsley is a recognized healer. It is good not only as a seasoning, but also as a great addition to a home first aid kit.
Fresh parsley, for example, is great for relieving itching from mosquitoes and midges. Just rub the tender leaves with your fingers and apply to the sore spot. Researchers in Jordan have found that even snake and scorpion stings can be treated with this miraculous herb.
Parsley is rich in vitamins A and C, so you need to eat it all year round. It stimulates the functioning of the kidneys and bladder. Parsley is used for gastritis and intestinal colic, heart disease. It is recommended to young mothers so that they have more milk. It will also help those who suffer from hypertension. Parsley infusion perfectly reduces pressure by about 40%. To cook it, you do not need a lot of strength: 1 tbsp. Pour a spoonful of fresh or dry grass with 2 cups of boiling water, let it brew for 2 hours in a sealed container, strain and take half a cup 4 times a day. However, in everything you need to know the measure. Experts believe that parsley is contraindicated for women during pregnancy and that it causes uterine contractions and may cause miscarriage.
If you spend a lot of time at the computer and your eyes get tired, make yourself a poultice of fresh parsley leaves. Attach them to the eyelids, and cover with damp gauze on top. Hold for 15 minutes.
In order to keep a frequently flowering plant on your windowsill, you need to know the intricacies of breeding. Most want to grow bright flowers. Any living being requires careful provision of conditions. In this article, the editors intended to lay out a few secrets in order to avoid breeding errors. unusual flower. The secrets of the content of most types of flowers do not differ. It should be clear to determine the follow-up, which species your plant belongs to.
Aromatic plants - Appetizing aromas
Appetizing aromas - aromatic plants and herbs: anise, basil, laurel, mint, cumin, thyme (thyme), sage, fennel, marjoram, oregano, parsley and many other herbaceous plants with a spicy aroma. Tarragon, oregano, rosemary and clary sage, in addition to ornamental crops, are widely used as aromatic plants. The most popular aromatic plant in the garden, especially as an ornamental, is thyme or thyme.
These aromatic plants are most often associated with spices that can improve or reveal the taste of a product. By adding them to various dishes, we do not think about the effect they have on our body. Flavor is what matters to us. It is the smell of herbs that makes the body more actively produce gastric juice, which means it improves the digestive process as a whole. If the meat is sprinkled with cumin during frying, it will be easier to digest. But this is only one of the thousands of useful properties that spices have.
Rosemary is known to many peoples as a spice. In Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, its leaves have been used since time immemorial along with the bay leaf. Rosemary should be treated in the same way as bay leaves, if it is overexposed in food, it can take on a bitter taste.
Rosemary is an evergreen thermophilic subshrub aromatic plant. It is a medicinal plant and spice. Rosemary has long been known as a medicinal plant. From its leaves and apical shoots, collected during the flowering period, decoctions and infusions were prepared. They were used to normalize the functioning of the stomach and stimulate appetite, as well as a tonic and sedative. It is grown mainly for rosemary oil, used in perfumery.
Miracle seasoning basil
"He who chews basil lives long," says a Caucasian proverb. Basil is an aromatic plant. Among horticultural crops, basil is considered the king of spices. Its inimitable aroma can only be confused with allspice. Basil leaves, both fresh and dried, contain a large amount of essential oils, as well as carotene, saponins, tannins, organic acids and other active substances that give them a spicy taste and specific aroma. Fresh and dried basil leaves and flowers are an excellent seasoning for soups, salads, sauces, meat, fish, and vegetable dishes; they are used in canning and pickling vegetables and mushrooms. Vinegar, infused for a week on basil leaves, acquires an unusually pleasant aroma and beautiful color. No less fragrant and dried basil, it is stored in a sealed container in a dark place.
Basil has one advantage, its essential oils have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, disinfectant and soothing effects, improves digestion, stimulates appetite, strengthens the nervous system. Uplifts mood in depression, increases activity, eliminates low concentration and fatigue.
Common basil is an annual herbaceous plant with a spicy taste. Dried thawed leaves are used in place of pepper in some cuisines. Add to salads, meat, fish dishes.
Thai basil. Thai basil leaves have jagged edges. Stems with a reddish tint. It has a sharp, aniseed taste. Used in marinades.
Red basil is one of the favorite spices in Italian cuisine. It is combined with tomatoes, and is also added to pasta dishes, cheese, salads, soups. The stems of this variety are of a cranish hue, and taste like cloves.
Lemon basil - small green leaves have a rich spicy aroma with a lemony taste. Basil tastes a bit like nutmeg. It is used in small quantities as a condiment in salads and soups.
Here is such a parsley!
This curly grass decorates our table at any time of the year. It has been used in medicine since ancient times. Parsley is a recognized healer. It is good not only as a seasoning, but also as an excellent addition to a home first aid kit. Fresh parsley, for example, perfectly relieves itching from mosquitoes and midges. Just rub the tender leaves with your fingers and apply to the sore spot. Researchers in Jordan have found that even snake and scorpion stings can be treated with this miraculous herb.
How do I use herbs in cooking?
Rosemary
We have 2 rosemary plants. We constantly cut fragrant twigs in turn with different plants so that they can recover. Rosemary is extremely fragrant. When you cook with rosemary, the recognizable smell spreads everywhere. We use rosemary in potato and veg dishes (see Rosemary Oven Potato Recipe), I add it (along with thyme) to my favorite red lentil soup. and also when I bake chicken or turkey in the oven. Rosemary is simply indispensable with lamb ribs at BBQ. you can put it on a leg of lamb before it goes into the oven for a traditional Easter roast.
Mint
If rosemary does not have time to grow, then with the cultivation of mint everything is exactly the opposite. the main problem with mint - limiting its growth. This is why many fragrant culinary herbs work well in containers: limited space the pot does not let the creeping roots of mint out, where, having broken free, in a couple of years it is able to fill several meters of the garden area.
I use mint mainly to decorate desserts. Mint is great for sweet dishes made from strawberries and other berries, for cheesecakes, cream desserts. In British cuisine, mint is traditionally combined with green peas(there is, for example, green pea and mint soup). Not without mint and the legendary English summer cocktail Pimms ( Pimms). which, in turn, is indispensable in Britain in the summer, not a single social event or a private garden party.
Oregano (oregano, majoram)
I have a particularly beautiful tall variety of this herb with bright pink flowers. I use oregano only in Italian dishes with red sauce, usually paired with basil. We love and often make bean and pasta soup, as well as the popular international pasta bolognese sauce. In these dishes, oregano is essential, it is one of the components of their recognizable "Italian" taste.
Tarragon (tarragon)
I remember growing up at my grandmother's dacha near Moscow under an apple tree. lush bush tarragon. Now I grow tarragon, which is called French here. This variety has delicate leaves and does not bloom, so it can only be propagated vegetatively, by dividing the roots or layering.
Basil
I usually plant basil in a greenhouse between tomatoes. It is believed that basil is the best neighborhood for tomatoes. In winter, potted basil often grows on my kitchen windowsill. One kind of juicy greenery of basil in winter can, it seems, dispel winter melancholy.
Basil is one of our family's favorite herbs. Italian dishes, pesto sauce are indispensable without it. Basil leaves can be used to decorate desserts like mint. Basil is included in the famous Capri salad (mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and olive oil). I wrote separately about the cultivation and propagation of basil by cuttings. and also about how best to prepare basil leaves for the winter.
Sage
Essential oils and other valuable physiologically and biologically active substances that are part of the spices improve the culinary qualities of products, stimulate the activity of the taste and digestive organs, cause appetite, increase the digestibility of food products, have a beneficial effect on metabolism, on the activity of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, on the general condition of the person.
Unfortunately, we are forced to buy most of the popular spices abroad, since many of them grow only in the tropics and subtropics.
However, on the territory of our country there are many spicy-aromatic and spicy-flavoring plants that grow in nature. In addition, a variety of fragrant plants are traditionally grown in gardens. They are successfully used as complete food plants, as well as first-class spices for various industries and as substitutes for imported spices in home cooking.
Variety of spices
Spices are usually divided into 6 groups:
1. sharply bitter with a weak aroma (black pepper, mustard, horseradish, etc.);
3. with a strong, but not sharp, sweetish aroma and a weak spicy taste (cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, lovage, sweet clover, etc.);
4. with a weak subtle spicy aroma (cardamom, cumin, savory, marjoram, etc.);
5. with sharply individual properties (mint, anise, sage, fennel, dill, garlic, onion, iris, etc.);
6. drink (plants that are used to make all kinds of drinks; or plants that flavor drinks made from other plants).
To give drinks an aroma and a peculiar taste, many cultivated plants. For example, peppermint, garden marjoram, rosemary officinalis, different kinds thyme and basil. coriander, dill, fennel, iris (iris) and many other species. For the same purpose, a significant number of plant species of wild flora are used - various types of wormwood. savory, yarrow, calamus, bison, angelica, elecampane, juniper. licorice, barberry. currants, cranberries, etc. At the same time, different types Plants use different parts: roots and rhizomes, leaves, flowers, fruits (seeds).
The use of herbs
By economic use many spice plants are complex - giving products for various purposes and used for different purposes.
So, many spicy and islet plants are at the same time lettuce (leaves borage or borage, lovage, sorrel, dandelion. mint, nasturtium, etc.).
Some of the spice plants are used in the perfumery and pharmaceutical industries because they contain essential oils and other biologically active substances (melissa, basil, marjoram, thyme, fennel, dill, savory, mint, etc.). Such plants have a strong therapeutic effect and are used as medicinal. A significant number of spicy-aromatic and spicy-flavoring plants are recognized, long-term use by humans, widely known medicinal plants.
Specific biologically active substances contained in many cultivated and wild-growing edible spice plants have a beneficial effect on the human body, contributing to the normalization of the functioning of individual organs.
Spicy-aromatic and spicy-flavoring plants are used for cooking fresh, boiled or fried. Their sharp, spicy, bitter, sour, aromatic and other substances that flavor food, give it a different original taste, improving taste qualities. This contributes to better absorption of food by the body.
Cultivation, collection and storage of spice plants
Spices can be collected in nature. Cultivation of spice plants requires special knowledge about their biological features and agricultural technology.
About 300 species of plants are known that can be used as spices. The literature describes in detail the possibilities of using certain plant species as spices. Many books are devoted to the cultivation of spice plants on industrial plantations and garden plots. Gardeners can prepare spices from their own grown raw materials.
However, you need to know when during the season you need to collect and dry certain types and parts of plants.
For home-made preparations, you can use fresh parts of aromatic plants, which make a significant difference in the taste and aroma of products. It can be leaves or grass (above-ground part 10-20 cm from the top of the plant) goutweed, young wheatgrass, mint leaves, plantain, dandelion, snakehead. cupyr, hyssop. lovage (livistikum or dawn), coriander (cilantro), basil, fennel, kanufer (balsamic tansy or pyrethrum), thyme (thyme), oregano, lemon balm, monarda. marigolds, St. John's wort, catnip. oak forest, yarrow. bedbug, savory (sature), parsley, tarragon (tarragon), nasturtium, celery, dill, parsnip and many other plants. And also, for example, marigold flowers. marigolds (calendula), inflorescences of dill, coriander, etc.; the roots of angelica (angelica), parsley, celery, lovage, elecampane and many others; fruits of dill, nigella (nigella), fennel, coriander, nasturtium and other plant species.
To use the aerial parts of plants as spice additives, they must be collected during the period of full development (when leaf growth is completed, or the plant is in the full flowering phase). Such harvesting of plants, as a rule, is carried out in the summer.
It is necessary to collect raw materials in good dry weather, in the afternoon or in the evening, when there will be no dew on the leaves. It is advisable not to water garden plants on the eve of collection. Good watering better to do after collecting raw materials - for better growth new leaves or stimulate the formation of inflorescences.
Well-dried raw materials are brittle, easily crumble when touched. It has a beautiful green or other natural color, without defects or damage.
It is better to store dry raw materials in glass jars or paper bags kraft type.
For a small family, it is not worth harvesting a lot of dry raw materials for the winter, since dried essential oil plants are stored for no more than a year. Having started making preparations and using essential oil plants for cooking, you will soon evaluate and decide what types of raw materials of plants, and what volumes your family needs to prepare for future use for up to a year.
Spices - do it yourself
Spice up your table with spices!
Spices are widely used as a fragrance for first and second courses, as well as for pickling vegetables and mushrooms, for preserving berries, fruits, vegetables and other gifts of nature.
A number of fragrant coloring plants are used to add beautiful color to marinades and other homemade preparations.
Truly great opportunities open up when using spicy plants to give an interesting taste and smell, as well as coloring homemade soft preparations or spirits.
One has only to want to add variety to the dishes and enrich your table, wish to surprise family, friends and acquaintances with a new taste or a new dish - all kinds of spices with an original aroma and taste will help with this.
Don't waste time! Sow and grow a variety of herbs in your garden, make extensive use of them fresh and harvest them for future use. Provide yourself until the next season with environmentally friendly fragrant plants. Use dried vegetable raw materials for the preparation of spices, which retain valuable vitamins and trace elements throughout the year.
Kirill Gavriilovich Tkachenko,
Candidate of Biological Sciences, Head of the Group for the Introduction of Medicinal, Forage and Food Plants of the Botanical Garden of the Botanical Institute. V.L. Komarov RAS (St. Petersburg)
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Appetizing aromas - aromatic plants and herbs: anise, basil, laurel, mint, cumin, thyme (thyme), sage, fennel, marjoram, oregano, parsley and many other herbaceous plants with a spicy aroma. Tarragon, oregano, rosemary and clary sage, in addition to ornamental crops, are widely used as aromatic plants. The most popular aromatic plant in the garden, especially as an ornamental, is thyme or thyme.
These aromatic plants are most often associated with spices that can improve or reveal the taste of a product. By adding them to various dishes, we do not think about the effect they have on our body. Flavor is what matters to us. It is the smell of herbs that makes the body more actively produce gastric juice, which means it improves the digestive process as a whole. If the meat is sprinkled with cumin during frying, it will be easier to digest. But this is only one of the thousands of useful properties that spices have.
Rosemary is known to many peoples as a spice. In Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, its leaves have been used since time immemorial along with the bay leaf. Rosemary should be treated in the same way as bay leaves, if it is overexposed in food, it can take on a bitter taste.
Rosemary is an evergreen thermophilic subshrub aromatic plant. It is a medicinal plant and spice. Rosemary has long been known as a medicinal plant. From its leaves and apical shoots, collected during the flowering period, decoctions and infusions were prepared. They were used to normalize the functioning of the stomach and stimulate appetite, as well as a tonic and sedative. It is grown mainly for rosemary oil, which is used in perfumery.
Marjoram is a garden aromatic herb that has been widely used in cooking for thousands of years. It also has medicinal properties.
Miracle seasoning basil
"He who chews basil lives long," says a Caucasian proverb. Basil is an aromatic plant. Among horticultural crops, basil is considered the king of spices. Its inimitable aroma can only be confused with allspice. Basil leaves, both fresh and dried, contain a large amount of essential oils, as well as carotene, saponins, tannins, organic acids and other active substances that give them a spicy taste and specific aroma. Fresh and dried basil leaves and flowers are an excellent seasoning for soups, salads, sauces, meat, fish, and vegetable dishes; they are used in canning and pickling vegetables and mushrooms. Vinegar, infused for a week on basil leaves, acquires an unusually pleasant aroma and beautiful color. No less fragrant and dried basil, it is stored in a sealed container in a dark place.
Basil has one advantage, its essential oils have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, disinfectant and soothing effects, improves digestion, stimulates appetite, strengthens the nervous system. Uplifts mood in depression, increases activity, eliminates low concentration and fatigue.
common basil- an annual herbaceous plant with a spicy taste. Dried thawed leaves are used in place of pepper in some cuisines. Add to salads, meat, fish dishes.
Thai basil. Thai basil leaves have jagged edges. Stems with a reddish tint. It has a sharp, aniseed taste. Used in marinades.
red basil- one of the favorite spices in Italian cuisine. It is combined with tomatoes, and is also added to pasta dishes, cheese, salads, soups. The stems of this variety are of a cranish hue, and taste like cloves.
lemon basil- small green leaves have a rich spicy aroma with a lemon taste.
Basil tastes a bit like nutmeg. It is used in small quantities as a condiment in salads and soups.
Here is such a parsley!
This curly grass decorates our table at any time of the year. It has been used in medicine since ancient times. Parsley is a recognized healer. It is good not only as a seasoning, but also as a great addition to a home first aid kit.
Fresh parsley, for example, is great for relieving itching from mosquitoes and midges. Just rub the tender leaves with your fingers and apply to the sore spot. Researchers in Jordan have found that even snake and scorpion stings can be treated with this miraculous herb.
Parsley is rich in vitamins A and C, so you need to eat it all year round. It stimulates the functioning of the kidneys and bladder. Parsley is used for gastritis and intestinal colic, heart disease. It is recommended to young mothers so that they have more milk. It will also help those who suffer from hypertension. Parsley infusion perfectly reduces pressure by about 40%. To cook it, you do not need a lot of strength: 1 tbsp. Pour a spoonful of fresh or dry grass with 2 cups of boiling water, let it brew for 2 hours in a sealed container, strain and take half a cup 4 times a day. However, in everything you need to know the measure. Experts believe that parsley is contraindicated for women during pregnancy and that it causes uterine contractions and may cause miscarriage.
If you spend a lot of time at the computer and your eyes get tired, make yourself a poultice of fresh parsley leaves. Attach them to the eyelids, and cover with damp gauze on top. Hold for 15 minutes.