Opponents of herbs and spices in cookery generally use the stereotyped argument that they are harmful to our health. The reply to this is simple: every excess is harmful to our health. Besides, many things that a healthy person can do are taboo for those who suffer from some disease or ailment. People with gall bladder trouble are advised not to eat fatty foods and diabetics must eliminate sugar from their diet. The same applies to the use of herbs.
The pleasure of raising your own herbs and the fascination of watching the plants grow and develop under your care, compensates many times over for the slight effort required. Man's natural atavism, his close bonds to the earth, make it possible for him to cast aside his daily cares and worries by working outdoors.
The plants can be sown in trays in early spring, and kept in a frame or greenhouse to protect the tender seedlings from night frosts. These are then planted out in their permanent positions when all danger of frost is over. Such plants grow more rapidly and are ready for use at least a month earlier.
On the contrary, it is recommended to prepare cheese spreads, herb butter, salad dressings, cold sauces and the like at least an hour before serving so that the ingredients will blend thoroughly and the flavour will be at its peak.
As the growing season draws to a close with the onset of autumn it must be kept in mind that practically all perennial herbs are natives of warm regions where frost is unknown (thyme, hyssop, sage, oregano, etc.). For this reason they should be cut back to about 10 cm (4 in) above the ground and in areas where frosts regularly occur, covered with a protective layer of dry leaves, straw or evergreen twigs for the winter. This should be carefully removed in spring when growth starts so that the plants are not attacked by fungus diseases which would flourish in the warm moist environment.
Exceptions to the rule are dishes made of minced meat, pts and stuffings where the herbs are thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients and thus protected by the mixture during cooking. Instead of the essential oils being carried off with the water vapour they dissolve in the fats present in the mixture.
The pleasure of raising your own herbs and the fascination of watching the plants grow and develop under your care, compensates many times over for the slight effort required. Man's natural atavism, his close bonds to the earth, make it possible for him to cast aside his daily cares and worries by working outdoors.
The plants can be sown in trays in early spring, and kept in a frame or greenhouse to protect the tender seedlings from night frosts. These are then planted out in their permanent positions when all danger of frost is over. Such plants grow more rapidly and are ready for use at least a month earlier.
On the contrary, it is recommended to prepare cheese spreads, herb butter, salad dressings, cold sauces and the like at least an hour before serving so that the ingredients will blend thoroughly and the flavour will be at its peak.
As the growing season draws to a close with the onset of autumn it must be kept in mind that practically all perennial herbs are natives of warm regions where frost is unknown (thyme, hyssop, sage, oregano, etc.). For this reason they should be cut back to about 10 cm (4 in) above the ground and in areas where frosts regularly occur, covered with a protective layer of dry leaves, straw or evergreen twigs for the winter. This should be carefully removed in spring when growth starts so that the plants are not attacked by fungus diseases which would flourish in the warm moist environment.
Exceptions to the rule are dishes made of minced meat, pts and stuffings where the herbs are thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients and thus protected by the mixture during cooking. Instead of the essential oils being carried off with the water vapour they dissolve in the fats present in the mixture.
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