USE OF HERBS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 February 1941, Page 8

USE OF HERBS

AID TO BUDGETING PLAN.

A STAUNCH ALLY,

Now, when wc are all strenuously < budgeting, making plans whereby rab-l bit must in future somehow be made to* taste like chicken, and slewing steaklike choicest rump, is the time to turn j vour attention to the herb bed, a I

staunch ally for these plans. '['he average housewife, whose use of’ herbs stops short at mint and par.tley, ovi an occasional sprig of sage in the Christmas bird, has no idea of the de-1 lights she is missing simply through cold-shouldering thyme and marjoram J chives and sweet basil, chervil and tar-1 ragon.

There is no need for flat dwellers andj dispirited battlers with suburban, catsi to stop reading at this point, becausei herbs will flourish in window boxes j and pots with the minimum of care. i First, you can grow mint for sauce| and peas, as decoration for cool drinks ‘ in summer, as the base on which to; place sliced pineapple to add colouri i those of us who only meet with thej bedraggled stuff the greengrocer rolls' up with our peas are apt to forget its decorative quality!). Get a friend to; give you jui?t a tiny root, and, long; as you water it often, you will have; plenty in simply no time. Then there is parsley. Most of us, buy a twopenny bunch once a wee’;, and half of it goes stale and unpleasant ' because a bunch is really much more than we need. Why not. then, plan’ ! threepenny packet and have enough; all summer fresh for picking as requir- ‘ cd. Third on our list should come the! chive, a sadly neglected member of th onion family. Its far more popular relative. the spring onion, is not nearly ;,o delicate and pleasant, and the chiv ■ is much more economical to grow because you eat the green spikes while, the little bulb immediately sets to ami! sends up new shoots in a few days. Chopped line in salad the chive adds! a pleasant and elusive onion flavour; soi often the .spring or white onion kills; every other flavour m the salad. Tr- ; a couple of chive 'stalks’’ chopetl ami sprinkled mi scrambled eggs or omelette. Thyme grow.; wi ll m a pot, or mak< ■ a pretty little garden border, ami is otic of the three herbs m the "iwunuct garni" <>r "faggot of herbs" one so <>fi>-u conn's acres' in recipe* • I'hi buisqui - *. by the ’.'.ay. consist-. of iw, tiu* . stalks of parsley, a -prig ■■: ?:■- thyme, and a bayh-af. and will wonders when added to the dulii stew.i There are dozen ,i f i::.- L.t a! sprig o' fresh thyme i Sage needs to be used • parmgly < r it will "drown” all the other herbs, b; ’. there is no harm m planting a 3d pack for the days when we have dv<-k Sweet basil is for ■,-mv re;< ->i; '.A met wholly neglected This bright; green annual it. added as a matter ■ f ! course to salads on the CWntini w Pr ■ vence m particular, peciahi.es m th; use of this delieh.ais herb, which wll grow readily m pots connin' up with ; ~ .-.eek of being p!;i:’.’.*■!i (“her*. :! an • turrag* r. ;; ;■ ■ •' '■'■•" Kind n ' d With pa- ai < h*>. ■ they make the tnixturc fresh herb; which the French call thio-. k<-rl><'. tiin k !•- ■.< i a all' • aft <.; ■.' b’l * ■- ** i * . ‘I a ■-1 a ’■,.. ■ ' '' * > >*;me a coMph le herb M ; w : d .*. box. ;md who:: -me >■ a m. o ■ j ft; .n herb.*: ;* jxmi k. trh< n you! w’.ll mver agum be miO'nmi witn ;o parkrt of drmd ’amo A ’mi'il word • ' iv'eimm;" me ymm l-.erp: as di: 'W,-d ym:; rrrqa.* ■ ;• U •, mtrsni- r'-ulh may cm