Today, I found out a friend whom I had not spoken to for several years (stupid stupid) was found in bed dead.

She was 51. I'm kicking my own a** for not keeping in touch. We didn't have a fight, we just stopped talking. I don't want to say why, because it's not meant for public consumption.

I was sitting here thinking of times we spent together. She and I worked together. She had a friend in the town I live in, and sometimes I would ride home from work with her.

She adored children, but didn't have any. She spent most of her love on her nephew. She liked my kids, and teased them when she saw them. She told corny jokes. She loved animals, and had a beautiful but spoiled black cocker spaniel.

Anyway, I'm sorry she's not going to be here, and I'm sorry for her family, who lost their son a few years ago too.

Bless you Erin.

Bronze Fennel - Foeniculum vulgare purpureum

BRONZE FENNEL

FOENICULUM VULGARE PURPUREUM

Family: Umbelliferae

Most people know fennel as a bulb used in italian cooking, or as a seed used in some breads.

That fennel is known as Florence fennel, and is culinary and medicinal in use. This one of my favorite plants in the garden. It comes up in early spring and puts on a show until frost. The ferny reddish color is very bright in the spring, but fades to a lovely green for the rest of the season. This is a good plant for screening off sections of the garden, and as a backdrop for other plants in descending heights, is a stunning sight.

Bronze fennel does not have the bulb. It is a perennial, which grows (in my garden) to around 5 feet tall. It would make a great screen in the summer. I started with one tiny plant, and every year find little starts all over the place. You can see how large the area has grown in the above photo. You can share plants and seed, as every year it also reseeds itself, so if you don't want to be overrun, it's best to cut the heads off.

Every type of flying insect hovers around this plant all day long, and sometimes all night. The flowers don't really have a scent, it's the green that carries the scent of anise. When the flowers turn to seed, it is ready to harvest those seeds. The easiest way is to clip off the flowerheads and put them in a basket and pull seeds off to collect.

Last year, a praying mantis (or 100) must have laid their eggs on all the bronze fennel plants, and one day we found so many baby mantis living off every branch of the plants. They eventually disappeared or got eaten by someone else. Other critters hang around too.

Fennel is one of the herbs, along with wormwood, that were used to make absinthe. The seed is used to make teas for digestive aids. Rabbits like fennel.

I don't have any recipes for this one, as I use this plant as an ornamental in my garden. I have plenty of seed to share.

Basil: A Tomato Is My Best Friend

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a member of the mint family. It is grown as an annual here, but may be perennial in frost free areas.

There are many varieties of basil, but my favorite is this one. I've grown Thai basil and others, and they are all wonderful, and have different tastes.

Varieties include O. b. minimum (dwarf basil), purple-leaved basils (O. b. purpurescens) such as Dark Opal, Lemon basil (O. americanum, O. basilicum var. citriodorum).

This plant (above) is container grown, but is out in the garden. Basil is best planted straight in the garden, and grown next to tomato plants for some reason.

The anise scent in basil is very attractive. I love to pick a leaf and squish it. Instant heaven. I have tried to dry basil and it hasn't worked, but a good way to have that fresh flavor in winter is to pick fresh leaves in summer, and cover them with water in an ice tray. After they are frozen, pop them out and store in a zip bag in the freezer. Added at the last minute in tomato sauces - it will brighten the flavors.

My favorite way to use fresh basil is in an italian tomato salad (popular here in West Virginia).

Chop several large garden tomatoes, red onion, green bell pepper, hot peppers (banana or your favorite), large amount of fresh garlic (I use a garlic press), extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. At the last chop basil leaves (chiffonade) and add to salad. Marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour. Best eaten the same day, because the basil turns dark. Serve with a loaf of crusty italian or french bread, and dip bread into juice at the bottom of the bowl. *drool*

This recipe comes to you via Mrs. Bonasso, who was my co-worker, and was forced to bring this salad to every pot luck luncheon we ever had in the lab. *smile*

I have used leftovers the next day and added them to spaghetti sauce, or cooked with fresh squash, or maybe a nice fish fillet. I've also used the above recipe, put it in a sauce pan, and added sugar and vinegar and made an instant faux-salsa. Don't cook it too long. I'm not a fan of cilantro, and I find basil is a good substitute. You can add fresh corn on the cob (sliced off), or mango to the salsa for a different taste.

Add fresh leaves of basil to your sandwich for a different taste.

Just try it, you'll like it.

1/4 SECOND SLAP UPSIDE THE HEAD

Once, long ago, I took a trip to the end of the universe. In my head, that is. It lasted less than a second, but in that second I realized I was nothing.


The universe expands, and it goes faster and faster, against all rules of physics. It may take billions of years, but disappear it will.

Today, just for a quarter of a second, I had that feeling again. My mind stretched out, and this time I saw how precious this life is on this planet.


Dammit, I'm sick and tired of americans and their incessant whining. Will you please just shut the hell up?

Oregano - A Flavor, not a plant

Origanum vulgare (wild marjoram)
Perennial

There are many varieties of oregano. There are european members, such as Dittany of Crete (O. dictamnus), O. onites, O. syriacum, O. marjorana, O. heralcleotium; and those names alone seem magical to me.

There are varieties from the Americas including Lippia graveolens (Verbena family) and is usually called Mexican oregano. This is an interesting plant that I grew one year. There is also Poliominta longiflora (Mint family) and is grown for ornamental use.

I don't know what kind I have, but I think it is O. heracleoticum. It's been growing on the north side of the house in a (sort of) raised bed, which I think is a no-no. Still, I have a nice big patch, and I harvested it. I should have another harvest at the end of the summer. I air dried a bunch the other day, and put it in a jar today, and it smelled so good. That's what I love about herbs (besides the taste) - the scents are incredible.

When I was working - every summer my desk would have a large vase of flowers and another one of fresh herbs I picked from my yard - wild mint, chocolate mint, pineapple mint, Sweet Melissa (lemon balm), plenty of bronze fennel (smells of anise), a little rosemary maybe, and if the sweet marjoram was doing well, a huge sprig of that. People would pop by the desk just to rub the herbs and stick their faces in - using it for a stress reliever. Who does not feel better around flowers and herbs? Often I would share, and take co-workers around the hospital little cups of herbs for their desks.

My favorite ways to use oregano, besides the standard italian-goes-along-with-tomatoes way, is to rub a beef roast with oregano and garlic. Every Christmas, my mother would make a ham, a turkey, and a eye of round roast with oregano on top. I still love this flavor. Simply delicious.

On pork roast, I love to use oregano, sage, and garlic. The scent of a roast in the oven with these three herbs will drive you out of your mind.

Oregano is thought of as a flavor, not as a specific plant. Chemicals in these plants are in the Mint Family.

Calendula officinalis

Calendula officinalis

(also called Pot Marigold)

Calendula is #1 on my top 10 best herbs list.

The seed is an annual, and is one of the brightest sights in my late summer garden.

Influences: alterative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, bitter, stypic, hemostatic.

My sister and I use calendula in many ways. We make a tincture using alcohol (vodka preferably). We pick and dry the flowers all summer, and freeze them to kill any critters that may be lurking. We also make homemade herbal salves, and calendula is the main ingredient in our salves. Sometimes, we make a salve using calendula only, along with various kinds of oils (avacado, rose hip, safflower, grapeseed, hemp seed). Some people use olive oil for salves, but I prefer the other oils after some experimentation.

MAKING A TINCTURE:

You will need: Large ball jar, with lid and screw top

Dark glass jar for final storage

Strainer and funnel

Vodka (at least 40% alcohol is needed to tincture) for flowers

200 grams dried, or 600 grams fresh calendula flowers

Stuff calendula flowers into a large glass ball jar, cover with alcohol. Loosely screw top onto jar. Put in a corner to tincture. Most tinctures take at least 4 weeks, and if a stronger one is wanted, 6 weeks. Each week, tighten lid and shake bottle. Loosen lid again and continue to tincture.

After tincture is satisfactory, strain through a fine strainer (or cheesecloth). There may be sediment still, but this doesn't seem to harm the tincture. After straining, pour into dark bottles and keep out of sunlight for storage.

This is probably my favorite bug itchy reliever. If you are outside, it's nice to keep a plastic bottle of tincture with you in your bag, along with some cotton balls, or even in a small spray bottle. Apply frequently to any bug bite. Immediate relief is in sight. What is awesome about this is: IT WORKS. and it's safe for children and pets too.

USES FOR CALENDULA:

Calendula supports skin and connective tissue. It can be used internally as well as externally. A tea or broth can be made of fresh water boiled, and soaking calendula flowers as in a tea. Externally, it is used on wounds or for any irritations. A poultice of calendula flowers is good for healing any wounds (make sure any wound is properly cleaned before using calendula). Can be used for varicose veins, burns, and bruises.

As a culinary herb, it can be used as a substitute for saffron - in rice for a delicate tint of yellow. Use petals only.

OTHER WAYS TO USE & PRESERVE CALENDULA

HERBAL INFUSED OILS:

250 grams dried herb or 750 grams fresh calendula to 500 ml of oil (safflower, olive, avacado, or your favorite oil)

Put herb and oil in a pan and place over gently heated water for about 3 hours. I have also used a slow cooker for large quantities of oil, but you need to make sure it keep it on low setting. Some slow cookers are too hot even on low.

Pour oil into a strainer with cheesecloth over a bowl and let strain. Store in jars out of direct sunlight.

In a later post, I will explain how to make herbal salves.

Summer Savory: Neglected Culinary Herb

Satureja hortensis: Summer Savory







Annual that prefers strong light, and well-fertilized soil.



Most summers, we try to plant herbs - mostly the standards such as basil, wild mint, rosemary, and sage). Usually I buy them as plants, because seeds are difficult (for me).



This year I ordered summer savory seed, and marjoram, since these are not available in my area. Out of 100 seeds, I got about 6 summer savory plants. They are growing, but they are
not getting large, so maybe I don't have enough light.

A favorite in the West Virginia hills are green beans - string beans we call them - and we cook them to death with bacon or hog jowls, fresh strong onions, and maybe a few tiny new potatoes. I watch the Food Network - I know every green bean that comes across their screen is steamed for a max of 4 minutes. Well, I guess that's OK for food snobs, but honestly, there is nothing better than a big old pot of green beans - falling apart, served in a bowl and the juice sopped up with white bread loaded with butter. yummy!

I remember when we were kids, many times dinner would be green beans out of the garden, fresh tomatoes, and a huge pot of freshly picked corn - and no meat. We didn't complain.

I add summer savory to the beans at the end of cooking, and it adds a bright peppery taste to the beans.

Traditionally, summer savory (and winter savory - Satureja montana, which unlike summer savory, is a perennial) were used by the Romans and Greeks as a flavoring in vinegar, and as sauces to accompany meats and fish. It is used with all beans and peas also.

Herb roasted potatoes are heavenly, using chopped summer savory and marjoram.

Plain pork sausage can be spiced up using chopped summer savory. A pork roast can be marinated with a mixture of summer savory, olive oil, garlic, Dijon or dried mustard, and red wine.

Poached fish seasoned with summer savory is also popular.