Herbilicious

Herbs are the magic dust of cooks. They have the power to make something good taste great and transform a bland dish into something seriously delicious. You may think that the teaspoon of minced thyme or sprig of rosemary called for in your recipe is unimportant. This could not be further from the truth. Without herbs many popular dishes would be impossible. Can you imagine mojitos without mint, pesto without basil or pasta sauce without oregano?

10 things you should know about herbs:

1. Fresh herbs are best. Substitute any dried herb for fresh whenever possible.

2. Throw out your dried herbs every year as they lose their flavor quickly.

3. Some of the most commonly used herbs are basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, dill, chives, cilantro, mint, oregano, cilantro, parsley and tarragon.

4. Wild marjoram or sometimes marjoram, is just another name for oregano

5. When using dried herbs rub them between your fingers to help release their flavor before adding them to your dish.

6. Cilantro and coriander is the exact same herb.

7. Buy basil in its fresh form as the dried version tastes nothing like real basil.

8. Store your dried herbs in a dry cool place and your fresh ones wrapped in a damp paper towel then sealed in a plastic bag.

9. In medieval Europe it was thought that dill protected against witchcraft and curses.

10. It’s easy, affordable and fun to start your own herb garden on a windowsill or in your backyard.


Here are the four herbs I use most often and favor because of their distinct differences and versatility.

• Thyme- A great all around herb. I put this on everything like bean soup, chicken or turkey, potatoes, carrots, pasta sauce, salad dressing, dips, quiche, or scallops and is especially amazing with mushrooms.

• Rosemary- A great herb for heartier meats and stews or to roast with. I love it in bread, chicken, lamb, roasted or mashed potatoes, carrots, goat cheese, pasta sauce, salad dressings, or turkey.


• Basil- A key herb in Mediterranean cooking and the essential ingredient to pesto. Basil is delicious in breads, burrata cheese, eggplant, strawberries, onions, pasta, pizza, olives, caprese salad, white fish, tomatoes, and Thai dishes.

• Sage- A native Mediterranean herb and possibly my favorite next to thyme. Love this with butternut squash, white bean soups, chicken and turkey, stuffing, corn, cheese soufflé, duck and sweet potatoes.





Here are some different styles of herb gardens to inspire you!

Figuring out farmers' markets

There are many reasons why eating locally is best. First of all, shopping locally ensures that your produce is fresh, seasonal and contains a higher level of flavor. And when it's not organic, small farms tend to be less generous with the amount of chemicals sprayed on their crops, so it's healthier! Secondly, average fresh food items can travel 1,500 miles just to get to your table. By shopping locally you help the environment by eliminating the need for the fuel wasted on transportation. Thirdly, shopping at your nearest farmers market supports your local farmers. On average, farmers receive 20 cents of the dollar spent, the rest going towards packaging, refrigeration, marketing and shipping. But at a farmers markets, the middle men are cut out so you know the farmer receives the dollar he deserves. Lastly, shopping at farmers markets' are fun and personable. Everything is always in season and they have a wide range of produce not found in grocery stores. Visit Local Harvest and type in your zip code to see the nearest farmers markets', family farms and other sources of sustainable grown foods in your area.

Yesterday I stopped by my local farmers market to pick up some fresh produce. Here are some of the beautiful items that are in season right now.

Ten Foods to Fool You

I know that with the New Year comes the pressure to IMPRESS IMPRESS IMPRESS. "Look your best!", "be more perfect!", "throw away your toenail collection!" "stop eating last years cheetos wedged between your couch cushions!"... Well my gift to you this new January, is to help you look and feel smarter about food. That's why I'm giving you these 10 foodie facts from the book "The Cooks Companion", because I care what people think about YOU! So relax, know that you're in good hands, and the next time you attend a party, bring up one of these super cool facts, and you're sure to be the crème de la crème* of the party.


1. Bombay duck is a northern Indian fish dish

2. Glamorgan sausages are sausage-shaped, but made with cheese

3. A Jerusalem artichoke is neither from Jerusalem nor an artichoke. It's an edible tuber from North America

4. A peanut is not a nut, it's a legume

5. Mock turtle soup is made with calf's head, beef and veal

6. A Salisbury steak is a hamburger

7. American coffee cake is a cake, but may not contain coffee; it refers to any cake made to be eaten with a cup of coffee

8. Poor man's caviar is made of aubergines (eggplants)

9. Scotch woodcock is anchovies and eggs on toast

10. Boston crab is a wrestling manoeuvre- oh my!


For more fun food facts check out The Cook's Companion published by Think Publishing.

Fruitful Delight

"I think the most disappointing cake has to be fruitcake. You think that would be better, it doesn't add up. Fruit-good, cake- great, fruitcake, nasty crap."
- Jim Gaffigan

. Fruitcakes are a traditional winter holiday cake made with an assortment of candied fruit, nuts, spices and liquor. They are baked slowly and, after cooling, usually covered in cheesecloth moistened with liquor or brandy and tightly wrapped in foil. This is what gives them the ability to outlive your dog.

. Fruitcakes date back to ancient Rome where the ingredients consisted of pomegranate seeds, barley and raisins. This was before the addition of neon colored maraschino cherries and canned pineapples.

. In the past, fruitcakes were used as wedding cakes in England. Single female guests would supposedly take a piece home and place it under their pillow to bring about a dream of their future husband.

. In 1878 a woman named Fidelia Ford baked a fruitcake to be eaten on Thanksgiving. Unfortunately she died before the holiday and because her relatives couldn't bear to eat it they saved it... The cake is now over 125 years old and made an appearance on the "Tonight" show with Jay Leno where he sampled a bite.