Kitchen Herbs

If you have never had a kitchen herb garden and like to cook, this is for you. Having a kitchen herb garden throughout the year makes it easy to integrate great flavors to all my dishes. Once you start a kitchen herb garden, your cooking will greatly improve, and your kitchen will look more warm, alive, and welcoming.

Herbs are the fragrant plant used to season most dishes, that was first cultivated over thousands of years ago. Herbs have been integrated into our culinary arts to enhance the foods we eat by giving us nutrients and flavor since the start of civilization. Records show that very early knowledge of herb cultivation was used in China, Greece, Egypt, India, Persia, and remains to this day a staple rooted with tradition.

Herbs today are more important and very much more accessible than ever before in history. One can find herbs in almost every grocery story, specialty store, supermarkets, home gardens, and are used by home cook, as well as restaurant  kitchens. Herbs can be bought and used fresh, and integrated into your dished, or they can be bought and used dried to enhance the flavor of ones dish. One of the benefits of dried over fresh is the shelf life. Dried herbs can be stored and used throughout the year, and stored in a dark dry place for a long time. You can even take your fresh herbs and dry them in the oven over low heat and store the home dried herbs year-round. Herbs are very easy to grow, and add a lot of attractiveness to your garden as well as your plate. They improve the flavor and add a ton of good phytochemicals and nutrients.

Common Kitchen Herbs

With so many to choose from you may be wondering where to start, here are a few commonly used herbs to give you some ideas.

• Basil – There are many varieties to choose from, sweet, thai, spicy, purple etc.
• Cilantro
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Rosemary – an upright variety works well if growing indoors
• Parsley
• Mint
• Sage

Happy growing enjoy those fresh new herbs!