Culinary Herbs: First of Four in a Series

When this  writer thinks of herbs, he hears the Simon and Garfunkel refrain,"Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme", from one of their famous songs.

Rosemary, of course, is the "remembrance" in the song and thyme the element with a double meaning ("time"). These four herbs are easy to grow, either in a corner of your garden or on a sunny windowsill.

Let's start with parsley, "Petroselinum crispum". Parsley can be grown from seed, but germination can take as long as 21 days. Soak the seeds for 24 hours before planting or buy parsley as a sprouted plant from nurseries or garden centers. Cutting parsley often after it is established will keep it producing new stems.

Parsley is a hardy biennial, meaning that it comes back the second year after over-wintering outside. It is a member of the "umbelliferae" plant family, so called because of its umbrella-like flower bracts. A larger yard weed in the carrot family, called Queen Anne's Lace or "false parsley", has similar flowers but is NOT edible.

There are two types of parsley: flat-leaf and curly-leaf. Either is suitable as a cooking herb or fresh garnish. The stems contain the most flavor and can be removed from soups after cooking to avoid a droopy, stringy texture. Most recipes call for dried parsley flakes; when using fresh, use only half as much.

Parsley is high in vitamins A and C. It has a reputation for "freshening the breath" when eaten raw. Avoid using parsley in sweetened dishes as its flavor will be lost against that of the sugars.

Grow parsley on a sunny windowsill or in the garden in rich, well-drained soil near the kitchen in order to harvest it often. Or, clip long parsley stems and place in a water-filled glass tumbler, where they will stay fresh and usable for several days.

Try growing parsley this year for a green and reliable addition to soups, salads, salsas, and as an essential ingredient to meat recipes and in "bouquet garnis".