Herb of the Month for February - Bay

          

 Bay is as aromatic, ever green tree of medium size, with shiny gray bark.  It produces a four-lobed calyxes, greenish yellow in small umbels from the leaf axils.  The leaves are shiny, thick, leathery and dark green with wavy edges and the plant produces a fruit that is dark purple or black berry the size of a grape.   The plant is indigenous to the Mediterranean region and Asia Minor and is cultivated  in Turkey, Algeria, Belgium, France, Greece, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, the Canary Islands, Central America and the southern part of the United States. 
Romans believed years ago that the plant could keep you safe from thunder and lightning.  I have a hard time believing that one, since our property was hit with lightning two years in a row a number of years ago.  We had to take down 2 huge pine trees that was the home for hawks and we had to replace a number of appliances/electronics.   They also used the plant to symbolized greatness, honor and glory as it was wore to crown the kings, priests, poets, victors of battles, athletic or scholarly contests
If you are thinking of having your own bay leaf plant, have it potted so that you can bring it indoors during the winter.  I have one that is about 17 years old and I bring it outdoors late spring and during the winter, I bring it inside the house.  Make sure you do not over water and that it has plenty of sunlight.  Make sure that you are purchasing the laurus nobilis variety, since there are a number of different species of the plant.
In the kitchen, Bay can be used in just about any soup, stew or tomato sauce recipe.  They are great in shell fish boils, pickling brines and with game.  Add them when cooking beans, lentils, rice and tuck a bay leaf or two in the cavity of a chicken before roasting.  Use them in combination with peppercorns, saffron, garlic, allspice, citrus and dried mustard seeds.  Just remember to take them out of your recipe, before serving, since the bay leaf has sharp edges that can be painful in the throat.
Other uses: some people believe that  it is an insect repellent and place a leaf  in their flour or cereal box and will  crumble some during the spring to detour ants from entering the house.  You can also make a light infusion, using about 8 medium size leaves in boiling water, let it steep and add it to the bath.  The oils of the leaves soothes the skin. 

So the next time you are cooking, try adding a bay leaf and see the difference in flavor.

******Above information is for educational purposed only.  Like any medication, consult your doctor when using herbs for medicinal purposes.******

Herbed Gougere

This is a puffy-cheese-french traditional pastry.  Adding aromatic herbs of dill, parsley and chives, this treat will create a burst of flavors.  You can create individual puffs for hors d'oeuvres or shape it into a big ring for an appetizer.  Filling the center of the ring with chicken, fish or shrimp salad makes it a great dish for a summer lunch.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon each of chopped fresh parsley, dill and chives

In a saucepan, combine the butter, salt and 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat, add the  flour all at once and beat well with a wooden spoon until the flour in incorporated.  Return the saucepan to moderate heat and cook until the dough becomes quite stiff and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Remove from the heat and beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Stir in 2/3 cup of the cheese and all of the chopped herbs.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Drop the dough by tablespoons onto the ungreased baking sheet to make individual puffs, or drop the dough by tablespoonfuls to form a ring.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.  Serve warm.

Be creative and add your choice of herbs and cheese.  Let us know of your creations.

Savory Herbal Blend

This is a great blend for those who would like to eliminate salt in their diet, but still have flavor in their food. The blend is perfect for those who are just experimenting with herbs, just a few, but enough to make a difference in your cooking. It contains dill weed, oregano, chives, grated lemon peel, celery seeds and ground pepper. If you put them through the food processor, fill your salt shaker withe it and substitute it instead of having the salt. Try it in popcorn. It might amaze you.
Other ways of using it can be on baked potatoes, soups and vegetables.

http://www.bayberrymeadowherbs@cox.net

What is your favorite seasoning for your favorite meal?

With the warmer weather upon us, it is time to try new recipes containing different flavorings of herbs and spices for your outdoor cooking. I invite you to share some of your favorites and which seasonings you enjoy using.

As an 18th century re-enactor, we enjoy using our "Garden Blend" herbal blend on a pork roast, slowly cooking near the firepit in a reflector oven. YUMMMMMMMMY!

Check out our etsy shop: http://www.bayberrymeadowherbs.etsy.com/ for a few of our herbal blends.