Mint
• Despite the many varieties of mint (some with distinct aromas and flavours, such as orange, ginger and chocolate), peppermint and spearmint are most commonly used in cooking.
• Spearmint gives the best flavour to mint sauce, juleps and peas.
• Fresh or dried peppermint can be added to green, black or iced tea and enlivens fresh fruit.
Parsley
• The two most common varieties of parsley are curly and Italian (or flat leaf). Though curly parsley is commonly used as a garnish, flat leaf actually has better flavour.
• Chopped parsley adds a fresh herbal accent when sprinkled over soups and sauces, or tossed with grain and vegetable salads, hot pasta or boiled potatoes. Restaurant chefs always save the stems for the stockpot.
Rosemary
• This aromatic herb, indigenous to the Mediterranean, has a woodsy pine aroma well suited to marinades for lamb, grilled and roasted vegetables, goat cheese and olives.
• It naturally complements garlic and lemon and adds a sweet aromatic edge to fresh-baked breads. Dried rosemary should be broken into small bits to distribute evenly throughout the dish.
Sage
• Sage may have started life as a medicinal herb (during the Middle Ages sage was considered a cure-all), but its transition to the kitchen has
been successful.
• For variety, try one of the many beautiful blue, purple or tricolour varieties, plants with fruit (such as autumn or fruit sage) or pineapple-scented leaves.
• Traditionally, sage adds a gentle woodsy perfume to stuffing, sausages, beans, onions, game and offal meats.
• Dried and ground sage are stronger in flavour than fresh and should be used discreetly so as not to overpower the dish.
Tarragon
• Delicate, anise-flavoured tarragon is used in many classic French dishes. It pairs wonderfully with eggs, mushrooms and poached chicken and fish, and is one of the four classic fines herbes.
• Though subtle, tarragon's flavour diffuses quickly throughout the dish and it should therefore be used sparingly. Heat diminishes its flavour, so add it at the end of cooking or sprinkle over foods as a garnish.
Thyme
• Thyme's gentle flavour brightens many foods and blends well with other herbs (especially rosemary, oregano, sage and parsley) without overpowering them. Look for flavoured varieties, such as lemon, oregano or mildly menthol-scented variegated thyme, to add special interest to dishes.
• A sprig with pale purple flowers makes a lovely garnish for soup. But thyme's flavour is much better if it is harvested before flowering.
• Thyme was once thought to aid in the digestion of fatty foods and is commonly used with lamb, pork, duck and goose.
• Slow cooking encourages thyme's flavour, making it well suited to stews, baked vegetables and stuffing. Loose sprigs are often thrown into soups or tied with bay leaves and parsley to make a bouquet garni (bundle of herbs).
• Dried thyme retains much of its flavour, but fresh thyme is stronger and should be used more sparingly.
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