Making the world a little greener with our spare thyme.
The Sage Page
The Cumberland Herb Association
May 2013
NEW WEEKDAY!!! Wednesday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. will be our next meeting at the Miniature Cottage located at 410 E. Iris near 100 Oaks in Nashville. Bring a bouquet of herbs with a message about
them and find out the meanings of each herb. Bring your seeds and plants to trade too. (see list on pg. 3 for help with your herb message)
Placed beneath your pillow, it’s prophetic (bay leaf)
[ the pie recipe from April’s newsletter has been corrected and uploaded to http://issuu.com/cumberlandherbassoc/docs/ april_2013_herb_newsletter ]
CHA Newsletter Editor -Michelle Murakami 445-8749 (kitvroom@yahoo.com) If you have any information to include in the newsletter, please contact the editor by the first week of the month
Bay Leaf - (Laurus nobilis)
The Bay Leaf refers to the aromatic leaves of several plants used in cooking such as the most common, Bay Laurel. It is an evergreen in the Mediterranean region, but does not winter over in our area. If eaten whole, bay leaves are pungent and have a sharp, bitter taste. The fragrance of the bay leaf is more noticeable than its taste. When dried, the fragrance is herbal, slightly floral, and somewhat similar to oregano and thyme. Myrcene, which is a component of many essential oils used in perfumery, can be extracted from the bay leaf. They also contain the essential oil eugenol. They are used in soups, stews, meat, seafood and vegetable dishes. Contrary to popular belief, bay leaves may be eaten and are not poisonous, but have some relatives that are poisonous (mountain laurel and cherry laurel) and should be avoided, so always be sure to identify anything you consume. The reason they are usually removed from soups and stews after cooking with them to express their flavor, is due to their rigid texture which can harm the digestive tract. Bay can also be used as a weevil deterrent. Place a few leaves in the cabinet where you keep your flour and other grains to repel them and other bugs like meal moths, flies, roaches, mice and
Photo by: W.A. Djatmiko
silverfish.. It is a pungent addition to potpourri, and an ointment made from bay leaf can help reduce joint inflammation. Interesting fact: the leaves were once used to make wreaths for Olympic champions in the days before gold medals.
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“Žitomírská” Ukrainian pork roast ( http://bhleurope.blogspot.com/2012/04/spice-of-week-bay-leaf.html )
INGREDIENTS: 500 g pork 10 large potatoes 100 g lard 3 onions 2 carrots handful dried
mushrooms 3 tablespoon tomato paste 3 cloves garlic 6 peppercorns 3 bay leaves salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut meat into 3 - 4 pieces, bake in 50 g lard, add tomato paste, sauté and simmer. Slice potatoes and carrots, fry in remaining lard, add sliced onion, pepper and salt. Simmer briefly and add to meat. Cook dried mushrooms in 200 ml water, chop finely and together with cooking water, add to meat and vegetables. Add bay leaves, garlic to taste, cover for 3 – 4 minutes and serve.
Pea, Asparagus and Parmesan Tart
INGREDIENTS: A blind baked shortcrust pastry case for a 23 cm - 9” tin. 150g 5 1/2 oz thin asparagus 125g 4 1/2 oz spring onions, thinly sliced 200ml – 7fl.oz crème fraiche 1 small garlic clove crushed and finely chopped 25g- 1oz Parmesan cheese 2 medium egg yolks 100g-3 1/2 oz150g peas, defrosted if frozen or cooked for 3 – 4 minutes until tender if fresh A knob of butter Salt and pepper A big handful of mint leaves
(submitted by Judy Liddington)
INSTRUCTIONS: Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus and cook in boiling water for 4 – 6 minutes until tender. Drain and keep to one side. Melt the knob of butter gently and add the spring onions until soft and keep to one side. Mix together the crème fraiche, garlic and Parmesan and egg yolks. Season well and add the spring onions and peas. Retain five or six mint leaves for the garnish and tear the rest and add to the mixture. Spread the mixture evenly over the base of the tart case and arrange the asparagus stems on top, pressing them gently into the mixture. Put in the oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and cook for about 30-35 minutes until the top has puffed up. Splash the top of the tart with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and leave to cool. Scatter the remaining mint leaves just before you eat the tart. Judy’s trick: We made crème fraiche by putting a little buttermilk into heavy cream and leaving it for 24 hours
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Meanings of herbs to help with your bouquet message. Aloe----------------------- Healing, protection, affection Angelica------------------------------ Inspiration Arborvitae------------------- Unchanging friendship Bachelor’s button------------- Single blessedness Basil---------------------------------- Good wishes Bay--------------------------------------- Glory Black-eyed Susan--------------------- Justice Carnation-------------------- Alas for my poor heart Catnip------------------------Love, beauty, happiness Chamomile---------------------------- Patience Chives-------------------------------- Usefulness Chrysanthemum----------------- Cheerfulness Clover, white----------------------- Think of me Coriander-------------------------- Hidden worth Cumin---------------------------------- Fidelity Crocus, spring----------------- Youthful gladness Daffodil--------------------------------- Regard Daisy------------------------------ Innocence, hope Dandelion-------------------------------Wishes Dill------------------------------ Powerful against evil Edelweiss----------------------- Courage, devotion Fennel----------------------------------- Flattery Fern------------------------------------ Sincerity Forget-me-not--------------------- Forget-me-not Geranium, oak-leaved----------------True friendship Goldenrod------------------------ Encouragement Heliotrope-------------------------- Eternal love Holly------------------------------------- Hope Hollyhock----------------------------- Ambition Honeysuckle---------------------- Bonds of love Horehound----------------------------- Health Hyacinth------------------- Constancy of love, fertility Hyssop------------------------- Sacrifice, cleanliness Iris------------------------------- A message, wisdom Ivy----------------------------- Friendship, continuity Jasmine, white---------------------- Sweet love Lady’s-mantle--------------------- Comforting Lavender------------------------- Devotion, virtue
Sources: Old Farmer’s Almanac & Celtic Attic
Lemon balm------------------------- Sympathy Lilac---------------------------------- Joy of youth Lily-of-the-valley------------------ Sweetness May Apple------------------------------ Money Marjoram----------------------- Joy and happiness Mint-------------------------------------- Virtue Morning glory----------------------- Affection Myrtle----------------- The emblem of marriage, true love Nasturtium-------------------------- Patriotism Oak-------------------------------------- Strength Onion--------------------------Love, Healing, Money Oregano------------------------------ Substance Pansy---------------------------------- Thoughts Parsley--------------------------------- Festivity Pine------------------------------------- Humility Poppy, red-------------------------- Consolation Rose, red-------------------- Love, desire, awareness Rosemary-------------------------- Remembrance Rue------------------------------- Grace, clear vision Sage---------------------------- Wisdom, immortality Salvia, blue------------------------ I think of you Salvia, red-------------------------- Forever mine Sassafras---------------------------Health, Money Savory------------------------------ Spice, interest Sorrel----------------------------------- Affection Southernwood------------------- Constancy, jest Sweet pea----------------------------- Pleasures Sweet William----------------------- Gallantry Sweet woodruff--------------------- Humility Tansy------------------------------ Hostile thoughts Tarragon--------------------------- Lasting interest Thyme--------------------------- Courage, strength Tulip, red------------------------ Declaration of love Valerian------------------------------ Readiness Violet--------------------- Loyalty, devotion, faithfulness Willow---------------------------------- Sadness Yarrow---------------------------- Everlasting love Zinnia---------------------- Thoughts of absent friends
Finally, your lengthy service ended, Lay your weariness beneath my laurel tree. ~ by: Horace