Food For Thought

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

CookingHerbsRecipes

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Imagine walking out your kitchen door and snipping fresh basil for the caprese salad to accompany the steaks coming off the grill. Fresh, fragrant herbs can be used all season to capture the essence of summer in your meals. Best of all, herbs are easy to grow in pots. They can be close at hand and easily moved as the sunlight changes through the season.

Some herbal essentials include basil, which grows well with parsley as they both prefer abundant moisture. Thyme, oregano, and sage, on the other hand, prefer dryer conditions and also do well together. Rosemary and lavender grow well and will fill a container on their own. When growing mint, always keep it in a container. It is a bully and can take over an entire garden if planted in the ground. Of course chives can be grown in containers and have many uses. The flowers of the chive plant can even be added to salads.

Let your culinary inspiration come naturally. When the ingredients are fresh from the back yard instead of the store you might find your muse in a pot.

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